Southport

Originally named Smithville, the seaside village of Southport in North Carolina is home to antique shops, scrumptious restaurants blended around modern conveniences. Sailboats and fishing boats of all types are docked at the Southport Marina, a safe haven marina near a number of coastal retirement communities. About 30 minutes south of Wilmington NC at the entrance of the Cape Fear River, Southport is located on the mainland. Bald Head Island is situated to the east and accessible by the Fort Fisher Ferry. Holden Beach and Oak Island are barrier islands to the south. Kure Beach and Carolina Beach are barrier islands to the north, all accessible by crossover Intracoastal Waterway bridges. On the coastal islands and at nautical village of Southport, you can still find undervalued Southport real estate.

Southport North Carolina dates back over 200 years. Majestic old live oak trees and Victorian century homes with white picket fences add to the Southern charm of the neighborhoods. Downtown Southport NC is an intriguing place to search for unique treasures, local art galleries and eat fresh seafood. Southport prides itself on preserving its small town feel, ideal to those who want to escape the big cities. The quality of life is centered around the salty air and the sea. Oak Island is the closest beach without boarding a ferry and is near St James Plantation. Holden Beach is a tad bit further to the south. Both beach islands are popular vacation areas with two and three story pastel colored homes built on stilts. Beach walking paths between oceanfront homes lead to miles of unspoiled white sandy beaches and protected wild dunes. Deep Point Marina, South Harbour Village Marina and Bald Head Island Marina cater to the Southport boating community. There are also more refined real estate developments. 

If you're searching for where to retire in North Carolina, here are reasons to consider coastal retirement communities in Southport:

ARTS AND CULTURE

The Oak Island Art Guild displaying local artists work at the Oak Island Recreation Center. Workshops take place monthly taught by guest instructors. The Arts and Crafts Festival takes place Labor Day weekend. In November, the guild holds a three day juried art show named Arts by the Shore. The Brunswick Big Band and Brunswick Concert Band provide entertaining free concerts all over Brunswick County and the bands call Southport NC home. The Sea Notes Choral Society is a group of 100 vocalists singing their seaside melodies at festivals and community events. The Brunswick Little Theater in the heart of downtown has been performing off Broadway musicals and comedies to Southport residents for more than 25 years.

CLIMATE

At an elevation of 7 feet, the town of Southport average winter temperature is in the 40’s and the water temperature is in the 50’s December through February. Southport NC boasts more than 100 clear sunny days. May through September, the average temperature ranges in the high 70’s to low 80’s and the water temperature rises to 79 degrees. Southport rarely sees snowfall or hurricanes. Winters are mild and the summers are hot and humid.

LIFELONG LEARNING CENTERS

Brunswick Community College is the closest college campus to real estate in Southport and is a traditional degree seeking campus. The Odell Williamson Auditorium is a 1,500 seat state of the art performing arts theater hosting year round educational enrichment to the community. Gardner-Webb University in Boling Springs is a Christian faith based degree seeking college. The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) and Cape Fear Community College are both on the north side of the Cape Fear River. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) offers courses designed specifically for mature adults at the UNCW campus. The Southport Historical Society offers classes in the spring and the fall teaching about topics such as the Cape Fear Indians, events that led to the Revolutionary War and the British colonization. Lifelong learning is among the Top 10 Reasons to Retire in Brunswick County NC.

MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE

J. A. Dosher Memorial Hospital is an 89 bed critical care hospital in Southport. Specialties include cardiac care, diabetes, physical therapy, rehabilitation, diagnostics and the Lifeline Medical Alarm Service. The hospital also provides free wellness seminars. The Dosher Nursing Home is part of the hospital and is named one of the Best Nursing Homes in America. The New Brunswick Novant Medical Center in Bolivia NC opened July 31, 2011. The hospital has 78 private patient rooms and is a state of the art medical center.

RECREATIONAL SPORTS 

Southport NC is the perfect place to learn how to sail on the coast of North Carolina. Priority Sailing offers sailing classes to people of all ages. On the barrier island, surf fishing and deep sea fishing bring in King fish, Pompano, Tarpon and Jack. There are a number of golf courses in Brunswick County, some private, semi-private and public. South Harbor Links Golf Course is a par 3 eighteen hole links-style golf course in Southport. The Dinah E. Gore Fitness and Aquatics Center is located at the Brunswick Community College. The 55,000 square foot facility has a 4,500 square foot lap pool, 1,548 warm water pool, aerobics studio and running track. The facility is open to the public through membership. Fort Fisher State Recreation Area on Kure Beach has hiking trails, picnic areas and the beach allows off road vehicles. Southport is one of the most popular coastal retirement communities in North Carolina.

SHOPPING AND DINING

Lowe’s Food Stores and Wal-Mart have big box stores in Southport. You will find smaller shopping centers such as the Tidewater Plaza Shopping Center with retailers such as beach apparel, hair salons and Mom and Pop restaurants.  As quaint seaside village, unique boutiques, antique shops and seafood restaurants are more common in downtown. Rumors have been floating around for a while about a new shopping center on the west side of the new bridge on Midway Road SE, connecting the mainland to Oak Island near St James Plantation. Construction began years ago and stopped. We will keep you posted on its progress. There are 22 restaurants in the Southport according to Yelp. Provision Company and The Pharmacy Restaurant are the best rated restaurants in the Southport area. Downtown Wilmington is 30 minutes to the north and has more than 300 restaurants to enjoy during a day trip into the city. 

HOME AFFORDABILITY AND TAXES

Southport homes average in the high $200's and are located in Brunswick County. The estimated property tax millage rate is .4425 per $100. If you live within the city limits, there is an additional estimated city property tax of .2456 per $100. Visit our library to find help and to learn how to calculate property taxes in Southport North Carolina. 

If you're searching for Southport real estate, there are a number of waterfront communities with deep water ocean access marinas, golf course communities and quaint seaside neighborhoods in Southport. Most folks already know about St James Plantation, a top notch Wilmington NC golf community and Southport real estate development.