Marsh Oaks Wins!

On February 19, 2009 Mash Oaks was awarded "Best Recreational Amentities" at the Wilmington Cape Fear Home Builders Associations' MAX awards. This is an amazing honor for our community. This award is a wonderful honor for the community because it is recognition of what anyone who lives in Marsh Oaks already knows..."There is something for EVERYONE to enjoy at Marsh Oaks."

There is a Junior Olympic sized pool for lap swim or play with an oversized deck to lounge in the sun or sit in the shade of an umbrella and read a book, a separate toddler pool for safer water play for the little ones, two newly refurbished tennis courts, swings and a playground with a built in sandbox and slides. The oversized porch of the clubhouse offers rocking chairs to relax and watch the kids play or a table to sit and enjoy a snack in the shade.

Come visit with us today to learn why Marsh Oaks is THE place to be.

2009 Azalea Festival Entertainment

Hi everyone! It is very soon going to be spring and with spring comes the Annual Azalea Festival!!! A time when the flowers are in bloom and the air is crisp and it is warm! Which is extremely desirable considering on this particular day in Wilmington it is a whopping 34 degrees currently. As a dear friend just stated..."We live at the beach, what is up with that?

When you come to town or if you are out and about during Azalea Fest, allow me to encourage you to stop by one of the most beautiful of communities in Wilmington; Marsh Oaks. We will have beautiful homes available to be seen, some wonderful waterfront and water view lots available for building.

According to the fan site on Facebook there are Tickets on sale now for:*Kellie Pickler - Wednesday, April 1st, 2009. $40/each*David Cook - Thursday, April 2nd, 2009. $45/each*Cole Brothers Circus - Thursday, April 2nd - Sunday, April 5th, 2009. Various show times and prices.*Garden Tour - Friday, April 3rd - Sunday, April 5th, 2009. Presale until February 28th. $15/each. Tickets go up to $20/each on March 1st.*Parade Bleacher Seats - Saturday, April 4th, 2009. $8/each & $5/each*Princess Pageant - Saturday, February 28th. $10/eachAll tickets are available at the Festival Office, open Monday - Friday, 10 am - 6 pm. Hope to see you all there, April 1-5, 2009! If you want more information regarding the Azalea Fest click here.

A website tool for the Neighbors of Marsh Oaks

Marsh Oaks is currently called home to more than 400 discerning buyers. One of the most valuable communication tools the homeowners possess is their neighborhood website.

Managed an maintained by a member of the board of directors for the homeowner's association, the site posts upcoming events such as the Tweenager Costume Party of the "tea" for the Marymount homeowners. Another cool facet of the website is the resident directory. Homeowners fill in information about themselves, enabling their neighbors to learn a bit more about the families that live in Marsh Oaks. From the resident directory we are able to email notices that affect homeowners in Marsh Oaks. For example, if the neighborhood swimming pool needs to close unexpectantly a message may be sent informing the resident of the specifics.

Homeowners may also access past issues of the Marsh Oaks Monitor, the neighborhood newsletter as well as view copies of the HOA meeting minutes.

Along with a ton of other neat features, homeowners can upload photos to share with their neighbors, allowing everyone to feel as if they are part of the Marsh Oaks family.

To learn how you might become part of the Marsh Oaks family call or stop by today!

HBO Pilot, Eastbound & Down Films in Marsh Oaks

Executive Producer Will Ferrell has been working hard with Screen Gem Studios in Wilmington, NC shooting the HBO pilot "Eastbound & Down". This week they have chosen Marsh Oaks to shoot. The series, set to air in 2009 is about a major league ballplayer who gets burnt out in the league and returns home to become a phys ed teacher.

Marsh Oaks has welcomed the large cast and crew with open arms, opening the clubhouse for the logistics and one of the neighborhood homes for filming.

Money Matters....

Recently I spoke with Martin Barbee, President and Sr. Loan Officer of Intracoastal Mortgage about the volatile market we are experiencing:

MR: Martin, as an expert in your field, how would you define our times?

MB: We are in the grips of historic volatility in the financial markets. There have been large swings in stock prices as well as rates. Unfortunately, I don’t see it ending for some time. A common question we continue to get is why rates are going up when the stock market is going down. A down stock market has historically pointed to lower rates but the game is different.

MR: How so?

MB: A guarantee of bank debt is a safe haven for investors in lieu of mortgage backed securities. Not good for rates.

The government is issuing large sums of treasury debt in order to raise the cash necessary to inject into the financial institutions and support the overall $700 bailout plan (not good for mortgage bonds)

Overall risk in mortgage backed securities remains high even with the explicit guarantee of the Federal Government because the underlying asset could still be depreciating. With the new options of essentially “risk-free” debt why take a chance.

Some large market makers in mortgage backed securities (Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns) are gone so there are fewer buyers and a smaller market. Remember when the price of a bond goes down the yield (rate) goes up.

MR: So, when do you see rates stabilizing?

MB: When the market establishes a firm floor and the fundamentals return, we should see a more stable rate environment and one that is lower than current levels.

MR: Any time soon?

MB: We are already seeing some positive improvement with rates. That’s not to say we won’t continue to see them jump around but the trend is positive for now.

MR: Should buyers hold out for the stabilization? Or should they purchase while the selection is good and rates are still relatively low?

MB: Rates are still very low on a historic basis. I would encourage buyers to budget off of the current levels rather than hold out for rates we saw in years past. Take advantage of the incentives and selection while they still last.

For more information on mortgages or the market in general, feel free to contact Martin directly at martin@intracoastalmortgage.com or 910.256.7773

Marsh Oaks Newsletter

One of the rarely mentioned but fabulous amenities in Marsh Oaks is our neighborhood newsletter, the "Marsh Oaks Monitor". The newsletter is a published periodical mailed to each current resident. Paid for by the advertisers, the articles are submitted by homeowners and range from a kudos to a job well done, to a spotlight on the yard of the month, to recipes, to suggestions on things to do in and around Wilmington. The possibilities are endless and the Marsh Oaks Monitor is just one of the innovative tools the homeowners at Marsh Oaks utilize to stay connected.

Be sure to call today for questions on how you might become our newest neighbor in Marsh Oaks!

Tennis Anyone?

Marsh Oaks tennis courts have gotten the go ahead for some renovations. Recently, the Marsh Oaks Homeowners Association board voted to have the courts resurfaced and the nets replaced. The exciting news is that the courts will have new look that is in line with the US Open with blue paint instead of the green they now have!

Two points to note - (a) the resurfacing and maintenance of the courts will be paid for entirely through the reserves in the HOA budget. The Marsh Oaks reserves are fully funded, which is not a common attribute of most HOA's, and (b) the Marsh Oaks homeowners care about their amenities. Twelve years strong and the movement to get our amenities in pristine repair is evident as witnessed by this action and the recent renovation of the clubhouse.

Keep your eye out for the upcoming tennis leagues and round robin games organized by our neighbors who enjoy a game of tennis!