New Hanover County Relocation Guide
Welcome to Southeastern North Carolina
We are so excited to hear you are considering relocating to New Hanover County. There is so much to love about our coastal area, including the historic City of Wilmington, which, due to the Cape Fear River and its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, has seen the likes of pirates, traders, and soldiers throughout the centuries.
Relocating to a new area is a huge decision, and we want you to feel comfortable throughout the process. We know you are trying to learn about everything that will affect your lifestyle and happiness, likely without spending a lot of time in the area. This is why we try to do everything we can to help.
Questions we often hear are:
- Which are the safe neighborhoods?
- Where are the family-friendly communities?
- Which are the good schools?
- Which churches are all-inclusive?
Unfortunately, as real estate brokers, we are limited on things that we can say due to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal for anyone working in real estate (Realtors, property managers, landlords, etc.) to discriminate based on race, religion, sex, or family/economic status. It doesn't mean we don't know the answers, just that we could unintentionally discriminate. For example, if we were to respond to the question about family-friendly communities with a specific neighborhood, it could imply other neighborhoods are not inviting to families, which would be a form of discrimination.
To avoid potential discrimination and still support you as a buyer, we have included resources here to help you with those hard decisions (plus, others that have proved beneficial to past clients). Browse around and let us know if you have any questions.
Sometimes listing descriptions will refer to other places, like Murrayville or Masonboro. On this resource page, you will see maps of townships and designated census places. One is a picture, so you can see an overview. The other is an interactive Google Map that will let you pan and see area businesses and amenities. If you are unfamiliar with the zip codes in New Hanover County, you can view a map here.
We also serve Pender County and Brunswick County. Our Areas page has information for those as well. Should you choose a city that is outside of our service area, we will gladly refer you to another trusted agent from within our large network.
Both Zippia and Glass Door list the largest companies in the Wilmington area. Wilmington Chamber of Commerce spreads its net a little further and includes companies from Brunswick County, which is right on the other side of the Cape Fear. It also compares the cost of living to the closest metropolitan areas and gives insight into transportation, arts, and culture. Plus, if you have a business to relocate with your move, they are a good resource for information.
- New Construction Homes for Sale in New Hanover County: Narrow this search to your target price range, size, and location.
- New Construction Communities: View some of the newest and most popular new construction communities in our area. Don’t see what you’re looking for? We may just not have created a page yet. Send us an email or call and we’ll see what information we have and gather up whatever is missing.
- New Construction Blog Posts: Our articles and videos about buying new construction homes in this region.
- New Construction Buyer Guide: Your essential guide to buying a new construction home, including choosing a builder and the hidden costs you may face.
- Why You Need Buyer Representation When Purchasing New Construction: All new communities have on-site agents or a sales team. They will walk you through the available lots, floor plans that fit those lots, and the builder’s contract. They may even be the ones to help you pick out the features and finishes in the design center. However, they are not your agent, and you really should have someone with your best interests at heart representing you. We go into that more in this article.
If you need recommendations for a custom builder, let us know what type of home and service you’re looking for (Craftsman Single-Family, Luxury, full custom blueprints, pre-created floor plans, etc.), and we’ll send you names of reputable builders.
- Redistricting happens. There are no guarantees that the schools will remain the same the entire time your child is attending. We hate to say that, especially when some parents work so hard to be in a specific district, but we feel having the right expectations is key to being happy with your home.
- Not all schools are included. This map shows the assigned traditional public schools; however, there are other schools in the county district. These include year-round public schools and magnet schools. Some of these schools are lottery based and though they aren’t an assigned school, you may still need to live in a certain zone to attend. For example, to attend the year-round school Dr. Hubert Eaton Elementary, you must live on the northern side of Market Street and Eastwood Road or in Wrightsville Beach. Everyone south of that must apply to the other year-round public school, Dr. John Codington Elementary School.
Visit New Hanover County School’s website for new school families. There you can find out about school choices and view the schedule for applying and registering.
We also have numerous private schools in New Hanover County. You can view a list of them here.
The State of North Carolina grades each school (private and public) on academic growth and creates a report card for it. These grades are generated ever year after the EOGs (End of Grade tests) are completed. Each report card goes in-depth into school resources, student readiness, and teacher training. They compare the individual school to others in the county and the state. You can view the report cards on NC Report Cards.
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
We have compiled all of our Frequently Asked Questions on our FAQ page. If you need more information on any of these topics or other real estate subjects, please don't hesitate to ask. We want you to feel well-informed when making decisions during your purchase.