Wilmington native · Sold Buy the Sea Realty
Big questions.
Honest answers.
I'm Jacob Johnson, a REALTOR® and Broker with Sold Buy the Sea Realty. I help people buy and sell across Wilmington and surrounding areas. Growing up here means I know what's important. Whether that's school districts, new developments, historical flood zones, or simply just a place to eat, I'm here to give you confidence in your decision.
I have watched this town go from somewhere people drove through to somewhere people move to.
Wilmington is not one market and it never has been. Flood zones, city limits, HOA rules, what the taxes actually run, what has been approved to be built two streets over: all of it can change within a few blocks, and almost none of it shows up in a listing. Knowing where to look it up, and what it means for the specific house you are considering, is a good part of what you are hiring me for. The contracts and the negotiating I take just as seriously.
- Hometown
- Wilmington, born and raised
- License
- NC Broker #362110
- Brokerage
- Sold Buy the Sea Realty
Where do you fit?
You're buying
We start with your budget and timeline, and the list of your wants and needs. You tell me which areas you want to look in, and I pull together what is actually available in them. At showings you get the honest version of the house: what is solid, what will cost you later, and what the listing leaves out. When it is time to write, we write to win it without overpaying for it.
You're selling
I focus on your motivation, whether that is top dollar or a quick sale. I will tell you which repairs pay you back and which ones are just you spending money. From there it is photography that makes people click, exposure everywhere buyers are already looking, and me handling the offers, the inspection requests and the appraisal until you are at the closing table.
You're not sure yet
Plenty of people call me a year before they do anything. Maybe you are curious what the house is worth now, or trying to work out whether it is smarter to sell first or buy first. That conversation is free and it does not put you on a list. Ask me what you want to know and I will tell you straight, even when the answer is that you should wait.
Find your next place
Search live MLS listings across Wilmington and Southeastern North Carolina. Filter by price, location, property type, features and more.
See something you like? Send it over and we'll go take a look.
The areas I cover
Wilmington and the towns around it
I work across New Hanover County and into Brunswick and Pender. Tell me which of these you want to look at and I will get you the specifics: flood zone, HOA and dues, city or county taxes, what is approved to be built nearby, how the commute actually runs. You decide where you want to live. My job is to make sure you are deciding with the real numbers in front of you.
- Downtown & the Historic District
- Riverfront Wilmington, where much of the housing stock predates the 1950s.
- Midtown
- Central Wilmington, around the Independence and Oleander corridors.
- Ogden & Porters Neck
- North of the city along Market Street and Middle Sound Loop.
- Monkey Junction & Myrtle Grove
- South Wilmington, where Carolina Beach Road meets College Road.
- Wrightsville Beach
- The barrier island closest to Wilmington, roughly fifteen minutes from midtown.
- Carolina & Kure Beach
- Pleasure Island, south of Wilmington and still in New Hanover County.
- Leland & Brunswick County
- Across the Cape Fear River, with a large share built in the last twenty years.
- Hampstead & Surf City
- North into Pender County, along US 17 and out to the Topsail beaches.
Based in Wilmington, NC
Before you call
The things people tend to apologize for asking.
- Is it too early to call you?
- Almost certainly not. The best time to get me involved is before you have made any decisions, not after. There is no cost to a conversation and no obligation at the end of it.
- Do I need a pre-approval first?
- Not to talk to me. It is not required to get started, but I can point you to a few local lenders worth calling so we know the range we are actually shopping in. Otherwise we risk spending your Saturdays touring houses well under what you qualify for, or falling for one that turns out to be above it.
- How fast will you get back to me?
- Same day, in almost every case. You will be dealing with me directly, so nothing sits in an assistant's inbox waiting to be passed along.
- What if I'm moving somewhere you don't cover?
- I will say so up front and connect you with somebody good in that market. Getting you the right agent matters more to me than keeping the referral.
Let's hear what you have in mind
A text, a call or the form, whichever is easiest. Tell me roughly what you are thinking and I'll tell you what I would do in your position.