$1,193,086Average Value$643Average Price per Sq Ft11Homes For Sale
Airlie residents enjoy the water in various forms.
Historic live oaks, million-dollar homes and a coastal lifestyle
As Bradley Creek meets the Intracoastal Waterway, it flows by the esteemed neighborhood of Airlie. This small, well-established community is known for Airlie Gardens. Taking up about a third of the neighborhood, the historic public garden is home to centuries-old oak trees and massive clusters pink azaleas. “Airlie has been here as long as Wrightsville Beach has,” says Derek Criscitiello, an agent with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage. “There’s lots of mature landscaping. You get the sea breeze from the Intracoastal there. Plus, great nightlife, bars and restaurants,” says Criscitiello, a Jacksonville, North Carolina native who moved to Wilmington two years ago after visiting throughout his childhood. The coveted pristine properties here feature classic Southern-style architecture and are blocks from marinas and waterfront restaurants. Like much of Wilmington, a relaxed culture can be found in Airlie, with Wrightsville Beach just across the water.
Sculptures and ornamental greenery adorn the grounds of Airlie Gardens.
A historic garden overlooking Bradley Creek
With the Intracoastal Waterway to the east and Bradley Creek to the south, boating, kayaking and paddleboarding are everyday activities here. Wrightsville Beach, known for its surfing, is less than 2 miles away. Two nearby trials, the Summer Rest Trail and the Cross City Trail, offer smooth, tree-shaded paths for cycling. Next to the neighborhood is the expansive Country Club of Landfall, where golfers can test their skills on four courses. At the heart of the neighborhood is the awe-inspiring oasis of Airlie Gardens, visited by tens of thousands of nature lovers each year. “It’s a really good representation of old Southern gardening,” Criscitiello says. Often described as enchanted, this 67-acre public garden dates to the 1700s. Meticulously maintained over the years, it features massive live oaks that are hundreds of years old. The famed Airlie Oak is believed to be from the 1500s. Walking paths pass by freshwater lakes and colorful sculptures. Visitors hope to spot wildlife like herons and ospreys. Spring is a popular time, as more than 75,000 azaleas bloom, following thousands of tulips and daffodils as the opening act. Residents can become members to take part in year-round events, from monthly bird walks and butterfly releases to the Summer Concert Series and the annual Oyster Roast.
The quiet streets of Airlie are perfect pedestrian passages.
Celebrating spring with a garden party
One of Wilmington’s biggest events of the year is the North Carolina Azalea Festival, held throughout the first week of April to coincide with the annual blooming of the azaleas across the city. Revelers enjoy home and garden tours, parades and street fairs. Partners and sponsors of the festival can attend a private Luncheon Garden Party in Airlie Gardens. “Everybody dresses up in the old Southern style, kind of like the Kentucky Derby with the big hats. It has that 'who’s who' feel,” Criscitiello says. “After the garden party, everybody goes over to Dockside for the after-party,” he adds.
Azure skies meet blue waters in Airlie.
Luxury homes with a Southern coastal twist
Properties in Airlie match its Southern fairytale feel. Narrow roads are shaded by long branches of live oak trees covered in Spanish moss. Pebble and stone driveways curve through yards decorated with flowering shrubs, manicured gardens and pristinely trimmed bushes. The luxurious single-family homes here sit close together on lots less than a third of an acre. Styles range from coastal cottages and Cape Cods covered in shingles to towering Charleston-style homes with covered porches on the first and second floors. Stately multi-million-dollar mansions sit along the waterfront with private docks and boat slips. Criscitiello says Airlie homes don’t go on the market often, and prices are well above the Wilmington area average, starting at $500,000 for a two-bedroom ranch-style home and reaching over $2 million for elaborate estates. “It’s one of the most sought-after neighborhoods because of its proximity to Wrightsville Beach,” he says. Condos and townhouses offer community amenities like pools and tennis courts and can list as low as $300,000, with most properties falling between $400,000 and $500,000. However, high-end units in the new community, The Lane, can top $1 million. Potential buyers should note that the neighborhood is in a flood zone and that hurricanes are possible.
Airlie residents can enjoy waterfront dining at The Bridge Tender Restaurant.
Waterfront dining along the Intracoastal Waterway
Residents in Airlie can walk to the restaurants dotting the Intracoastal Waterway, a highway for commercial and recreational mariners stretching up and down the East Coast. Dockside is known as the local watering hole. The decades-old seafood spot with a marina entices its regulars with a relaxed atmosphere, live music and plenty of outdoor seating. “People dock there to get a beer before getting back on the boat and continuing down the Intracoastal,” Criscitiello says. Date nights happen at The Bridge Tender, a fine dining restaurant featuring a surf and turf menu enjoyed in black leather booths or out on the deck of its marina. Other restaurants and cafes are clustered around Lumina Commons. The neighborhood shopping center is anchored by a Harris Teeter and lined with small businesses like Woof Gang Bakery, a locally-owned pet store. For dozens of national retailers and movie nights at a Regal Cinema, Mayfaire Town Center is less than 3 miles away along Highway 17 (Military Cutoff Road).
A-rated schools in New Hanover County
The New Hanover County School District serves Airlie. Young children cross the Wrightsville Beach Bridge to attend class at Wrightsville Beach Elementary School, which receives an A grade from Niche. Located on Harbor Island, the waterside school has its own dock and a Marine Science program funded, in part, by the PTA. Students head inland for M.C.S. Noble Middle School, which has an A-minus rating and is ranked the second-best public middle school in New Hanover County. John T. Hoggard High School earns an A rating. In addition to offering an International Baccalaureate Program, the school has high-performing athletes appearing in regional championships in sports like basketball, golf and cross country. St. Mark Catholic School, Providence Preparatory Academy and Friends School of Wilmington are nearby private options. The University of North Carolina Wilmington is about 3 miles away.
Short scenic drives down Airlie Road
Airlie Road is the neighborhood’s main street. It gently flows through the forested landscape before curving at the picturesque banks of the Intracoastal Waterway. The two-lane road is bike-friendly and connects to other bikeable streets like Wrightsville Avenue. Where Airlie Road meets Military Cutoff Road sits Saint Andrews Episcopal Church. A neighborhood landmark, the church features Mediterranean Revival architecture with a red clay tile roof, arched windows and stucco walls. Residents trying to enter the neighborhood before and after services may notice police directing traffic. Eastwood Road (U.S. Route 74) is nearby for trips to downtown Wilmington and Wilmington International Airport, both about a 10-mile drive. The Cape Fear Public Transit Authority’s Wave Transit has a bus stop at Eastwood and Military Cutoff roads.
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Airlie Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Airlie, Wilmington sell after 38 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Airlie, Wilmington over the last 12 months is $732,000, up 34% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Sam CrittendenLandmark Sotheby's International Realty
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