$261,819Average Value$236Average Price per Sq Ft9Homes For Sale
A Port City neighborhood that’s building community
A collection of cottages with small, covered porches, fenced backyards and short concrete driveways sit side by side on Prices Lane in Old East Wilmington. On the surface, this subdivision looks like many across the United States, but what sets it apart is gumption. These homes were built by hundreds of Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity volunteers and families who eventually became neighbors. This strong sense of community spills over into the rest of the neighborhood, where volunteers work to preserve a historic Black cemetery, residents cultivate healthier lives at the nearby community garden and an all-girls high school provides mentorship. Real Broker Realtor Paula Vargas-Beasley, one of the Habitat project’s volunteers in the early 2000s, says Old East Wilmington is transforming. “Smaller builders are coming in. More houses are being rehabbed and sold. They’re building a new clinic nearby.” She adds that homes here have more to recommend them than affordability. “It’s a really good location. You’re along Market Street, a main road that takes you straight to downtown, and you’re only about 10 minutes from the airport.”
Old East Wilmington residents have convenient access to a plethora of nearby water sports.
Locals bring their dogs to walk at Anne McCrary Park.
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Bungalows and cottages available through Wilmington’s HOP program
Halved by Market Street, the neighborhood’s southern section is a network of condos and apartment complexes. Two-bedroom condos feature updated interiors, private balconies and a community pool. Prices range from $200,000 to $230,000, with monthly HOA fees around $300. Single-family homes, built between the 1920s and today, rest north of Market Street on narrow roads. Yards are about a tenth of an acre, minimally adorned with small shrubs and shaded by mature trees. Bungalows, cottages and brick ranch-style homes are prominent, but buyers can also find two-story houses sprinkled around the neighborhood. Home prices are some of the lowest in Wilmington, with most houses costing between $125,000 to $300,000. New-construction homes can go for nearly $400,000. Celeste Salzberg, a Realtor with Momentum Companies who’s lived in Wilmington since 2017, says the neighborhood is popular with investors looking to turn homes into rentals. Buyers should note that some properties here are under a Land Trust financing model, where they would own the house but not the land on which it sits. These homes, and others in the neighborhood, can be purchased through Wilmington’s Home Ownership Pool for low- to moderate-income buyers. The loan program provides down payment assistance and homebuying education for qualifying residents
The Cottages at Cornerstone in Old East Wilmington were built by Habitat for Humanity.
Front porches are a beloved feature of many homes in Old East Wilmington.
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Picking up everyday essentials on Market Street
A busy commercial corridor, Market Street is home to Wilmington’s only Target. The store is less than 2 miles from the neighborhood. “There is a proposal to build another Target in the Carolina Beach/Monkey Junction area,” Vargas-Beasley says. “The plans have already been submitted and approved, but construction hasn’t started yet.” Most of the retail and restaurant options in the area are made up of familiar national brands such as Walmart Supercenter, Costco Wholesale, Food Lion, Olive Garden and Carrabba’s. But Market Street is also home to local boutiques and eateries. Flea Body's Antique Mall, the biggest antique mall in the region, features more than 65 vendors in its 12,000-square-foot space. Indochine, known for its elaborate décor, transports diners to Thailand and Vietnam. Farm-to-table since 1979, Hieronymus Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar draws in diners for its variety of fresh fish.
Wilmington's only Target is located in Old East Wilmington.
Local Old East Wilmington families enjoy shopping at the local Walmart.
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Willowdale Urban Farm plants the seeds of community
Hidden between homes along North 30th Street is Willowdale Urban Farm. Avid gardener David Brenner, Pastor Paul Evans and local nonprofit Community Enrichment Initiatives Inc. teamed up to create this community farm that provides outreach year-round. Residents can come by to pick up freshly grown fruits and vegetables or get their hands in the dirt to help care for the garden. Volunteers work to educate the community on native plants, the importance of pollinators and how to incorporate fresh produce into home-cooked meals. About a mile north of the farm, passionate volunteers spend weekend mornings tending to the graves shaded by a towering oak tree at Maides Cemetery. This historically Black cemetery, in the forest behind Maides Park, dates to the 19th century. Community advocates have been working to preserve the site since 2021.
The Willowdale Urban Farm in Old East Wilmington is a volunteer project providing fresh food.
Anne McCrary Park includes a lake full of beautiful wildlife.
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An inclusive playground coming to Maides Park
Maides Park was originally a peanut farm owned by James and Matilda Maides. Today, it’s a neighborhood green space featuring ballfields and tennis & basketball courts surrounded by mature trees. An accessible playground is under construction. “Only people in this community go to Maides Park,” Vargas-Beasley says. “They’ll take the little kids to have fun and play, but it’s small.” Derick G.S. Davis Community Center is in the park. It’s named after the former Wilmington Parks and Recreation director, who became the first African American to lead such a department in the South. It features an open gym, a computer room and a space for arts and crafts. A portion of the Cross City Trail wraps around Anne McCrary Park, which has a newly built observation deck offering an elevated view of the park's large lake. The Nir Family YMCA is nearby, with an indoor swimming pool, a gym, child care and youth programs such as Girls on the Run. To paddle on a kayak in Smith Creek, kayakers can start their journey at Archie Blue Community Park.
Local kids love the playground at Maides Park.
The Davis Community Center at Maides Park has programs for kids and adults.
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GLOW Academy inspires girls to pursue careers in STEM
There are several public school attendance zones in the neighborhood. Many students start at the Rachel Freeman School of Engineering. The public magnet elementary school earns a C from Niche and features a STEM-focused curriculum. It provides school supplies to students and works to connect families in need with community organizations. Holly Shelter Middle is about a 10-mile drive from the neighborhood. It receives a B-plus and offers a new after-school program in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina. New Hanover High gets a B-plus, and its passionate PTA works to beautify the school’s campus, recently updating bathrooms with a fresh coat of paint and new mirrors. Alternatively, the neighborhood is home to the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington, aka GLOW Academy. The all-girls public charter school earns a B-minus and offers sixth through 12th grades with an emphasis on STEM. The C-minus-rated Wilmington Preparatory Academy and the B-minus-rated Wilmington Christian Academy are nearby private options.
The student population of Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington is 380.
New Hanover High School is part of the New Hanover County School District.
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Quick access to Martin Luther King Junior Parkway and I-40
The neighborhood is near several major thoroughfares. Market Street bisects Old East Wilmington, making for quick trips to the Historic District, about 3 miles west. Wilmington International Airport is about 4 miles away via Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (U.S. Route 74). College Road passes by the University of North Carolina Wilmington, the city’s largest university and a top employer. Interstate 40 takes drivers to Raleigh. Vargas-Beasley does warn that traffic can get heavy with these main roads so close. “It can be tough at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. You have airport traffic from MLK and traffic on Market Street. It all lands on Princess Place Drive.” Four bus routes are available in the neighborhood, and cyclists can use Princess Place Drive to reach the Gary Shell Cross City Trail, which offers 15 miles of multiuse path and bike lanes. Princess Place Drive will soon be home to a new Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic, set to open in early 2025.
Wave busses provide convenient transportation in Old East Wilmington.
Old East Wilmington is a small neighborhood of 4,000 just outside of downtown.
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On average, homes in Old East Wilmington, Wilmington sell after 47 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Old East Wilmington, Wilmington over the last 12 months is $228,500, up 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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