Best In North Carolina Real Estate™: Wilmington

🏆 Ranked #1 in Free-and-Clear Homeownership in North Carolina — ALEX Intelligence, 2024. St. James leads NC with 44.5% of homes owned free and clear—a rare marker of financial resilience in an era of rising mortgage debt. This isn’t just affordability; it’s wealth sovereignty. How does a community build such deep equity? And what happens when 44.5% of homes carry no mortgage at all? The data from ALEX Intelligence’s latest report reveals a model of long-term financial stability that’s increasingly rare. This is St. James, NC—its own story, its own data. Homes Owned Free and Clear in the Wilmington Metro (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community S — 2024) #1 St. James <- this market #2 Carolina Shores #3 Oak Island #4 Carolina Beach #5 Porters Neck #6 Kings Grant #7 Wrightsboro #8 Wilmington #9 Hampstead #10 Boiling Spring Lakes Source: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-09-25-wilmington-free-and-clear-place-mkt View and join any or all of our communities — AI, quantum, and real estate: https://alex-companies.com/reports/linkedin-groups If there's an AI, quantum, or real estate community you'd like to see us convene, tell us — this portfolio grows by request. Real Estate Strategy & Intelligence Leader. Democratized Blue Ocean Strategist & Operator. Diane Hart Alexander, MBA, MHA Chair & CEO, ALEX Companies Designated Broker, Alexander Tiffany Southwest, LLC dba ALEX.realestate, et.al. Texas License #574877-B · Broker License #565194-BB [email protected] · +1 713.591.9902