As a long time resident of the general area known as Forest Hills, I have seen the many advantages of living in this area of Wilmington. The streets are lined with ancient live oaks and magnificent magnolia trees. You can actually feel the temperature drop several degrees on a hot summer day as you drive under the canopy of these trees. What a pleasant relief. The yards are well manicured and have a variety of plantings that can be close to 100 years old. The homes date back to the early 1900’s and you will see some beautiful replacements built as late as 2011. Many of the older homes have garage apartments which you can reach by way of an alley system that dominates the arrangement of homes. Once seen as a good place to store additional household treasures, they are now seen as a valuable way of gaining additional income. Many of these apartments have become home to single professionals who enjoy the beauty and the quiet peace of these neighborhoods. A neighborhood elementary school, Forest Hills Elementary, makes the area very desirable to young couples who have children. On any given morning during the school year, you can see and hear young children walking, riding bicycles or being escorted by their parents down the wide sidewalks, toward the school.
For those that want access to a world class golf course, the private Cape Fear Country Club is located in the heart of this wonderful area. The Club, as it is known, has fine dining, as well as casual dining, pool, tennis courts and one of the oldest golf courses in the state. Designed by the legendary Donald Ross, you will find the course very challenging. As for the housing in this area, you will see many of Wilmington’s finest homes. Click here to search homes for sale in Forest Hills. Your new home may be known by the original owners name. As my home is known as the Afford Home, after the original owner. After living in my home for 25 years, one would think that my name would now be recognized as the home’s owner. That is not the case. Pricing of homes in this area seem to range from the high 200’s to the million dollar plus range. The designs of many of these homes will take you back in time to the old south. Beautiful two story southern colonials and unique vintage cottages. The area has easy access to downtown, the airport and Wrightsville Beach. The area is accessible by the three major roads in the Wilmington area, Oleander, Wrightsville Ave and Market St. When you have some time to take a drive, explore this historic area of Wilmington and enjoy the southern charm that is located in what we locals call Forest Hills.