Waterfront Homes & Real Estate For Sale
2,121 waterfront and water-access homes sold across Wilmington and the surrounding southeastern North Carolina coast over the past 12 months, with a median sold price of $655,000. That compares with $365,000 for homes without water access in the same area. Waterfront homes sold in a median of 55 days.
Waterfront homes for sale in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas offer natural beauty, tranquility and easy access to the water. From oceanfront and Intracoastal Waterway properties to homes with private docks, boat slips and marina access, waterfront living balances relaxation and recreation. Use the numbers below to compare areas, then jump to the listings.
View the waterfront listings »
Coastal NC waterfront homes: market stats
- Closed sales in the past 12 months: 2,121
- Median sold price: $655,000
- Typical price range: $370K to $1.65M
- Median price per square foot: $290
- Typical size: median 2,316 sqft
- Median days on market: 55 days
- Home types sold: 1,687 single-family homes, 145 townhomes, 289 condos
- HOA fees range from $420 to $7,800 per year (median $1,680).
- Median real estate taxes are $2,821 per year and are based on assessed value.
These figures cover homes flagged in Hive MLS with oceanfront, ICW or marina frontage, a boat dock, a boat slip, a boat ramp, a marina or a waterfront community. Homes can fall into more than one group.
Waterfront homes vs. homes without water access
- Median sold price: $655,000 with water access, $365,000 without
- Median size: 2,316 sqft with water access, 1,774 sqft without
- Median price per square foot: $290 with water access, $205 without
- Median days on market: 55 with water access, 38 without
What waterfront homes cost by type of water access
- Oceanfront: 349 sales, median $925,000
- ICW front: 173 sales, median $1,150,000
- Marina front: 44 sales, median $760,000
- Boat slip: 244 sales, median $777,500
- Marina community: 475 sales, median $715,000
- Boat dock: 735 sales, median $640,000
- Waterfront community: 1,096 sales, median $632,000
- Boat ramp: 540 sales, median $613,000
Direct frontage on the ocean or Intracoastal Waterway sits at the top of the market. Water access through a community dock, slip, ramp or marina costs much less.
Waterfront homes by price range
- Under $400K: 293 sales
- $400K to $600K: 610 sales
- $600K to $800K: 454 sales
- $800K to $1M: 240 sales
- Over $1M: 524 sales
Waterfront homes by area
Closed waterfront and water-access sales over the past 12 months, by area (areas with 10 or more sales). Select an area for its waterfront homes page.
- Wilmington: 300 sales, median $884,000, $313 per sqft
- Southport: 283 sales, median $630,000, $261 per sqft
- Hampstead: 168 sales, median $745,000, $261 per sqft
- Oak Island: 144 sales, median $855,000, $527 per sqft
- Leland: 123 sales, median $630,000, $254 per sqft
- Bolivia: 104 sales, median $582,000, $242 per sqft
- Carolina Beach: 99 sales, median $610,000, $583 per sqft
- North Topsail Beach: 98 sales, median $621,000, $444 per sqft
- Sneads Ferry: 93 sales, median $460,000, $194 per sqft
- Holly Ridge: 85 sales, median $630,000, $243 per sqft
- Supply: 85 sales, median $585,000, $256 per sqft
- Ocean Isle Beach: 73 sales, median $530,000, $432 per sqft
- Surf City: 56 sales, median $835,000, $492 per sqft
- Wrightsville Beach: 53 sales, median $1,720,000, $1046 per sqft
- Holden Beach: 50 sales, median $1,278,000, $682 per sqft
- Castle Hayne: 44 sales, median $673,000, $275 per sqft
- Shallotte: 41 sales, median $370,000, $200 per sqft
- Calabash: 38 sales, median $586,000, $286 per sqft
- Kure Beach: 28 sales, median $563,000, $479 per sqft
- Hubert: 27 sales, median $364,000, $185 per sqft
- Bald Head Island: 26 sales, median $1,650,000, $881 per sqft
- Jacksonville: 23 sales, median $328,000, $186 per sqft
- Rocky Point: 22 sales, median $457,000, $197 per sqft
- Topsail Beach: 18 sales, median $1,165,000, $577 per sqft
- Swansboro: 15 sales, median $535,000, $261 per sqft
- Sunset Beach: 10 sales, median $1,112,000, $440 per sqft
Top waterfront communities
What to look for in a waterfront home
- Whether the dock or slip is private, shared or only a right to build, and who maintains it
- Water depth at low tide and the size of boat it can handle
- Flood zone, flood insurance and wind coverage costs
- Bulkhead, shoreline and dock condition, and any permits
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Questions about waterfront homes
How much do waterfront homes cost on the southeastern North Carolina coast?
The median sold price for waterfront and water-access homes was $655,000, with most sales between $370K and $1.65M. Homes with ICW frontage had a median of $1,150,000 and oceanfront homes $925,000.
Which areas have the most waterfront home sales?
Wilmington had the most with 300, followed by Southport with 283, Hampstead with 168, Oak Island with 144 and Leland with 123.
What is the difference between waterfront and water access?
A waterfront home sits directly on the water. A water-access home is in a community with a shared dock, slip, ramp or marina. Water access usually costs much less than direct frontage.
Source: Hive MLS closed sales of single-family homes, townhomes and condos, past 12 months. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
