Where A Few Holiday Traditions Originated

“Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of your childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!”

– Charles Dickens

Just thinking about holiday traditions and family gatherings brings a smile to most people’s faces and evokes feelings of nostalgia and sweet anticipation. You can almost smell the fresh cut greens, taste your favorite dishes, and hear familiar holiday songs running through your mind. 

While the holidays mean something different for everyone who celebrates, many classic traditions are shared all over the world and are associated with pagan celebrations around the winter solstice. Read on to learn more about the history and legend of some of our favorite holiday traditions. 

Christmas Cards. Sir Henry Cole, an Englishman who was too busy to write individualized greetings to his friends and family during the Christmas season of 1843, had 1,000 illustrated cards printed with the words, “A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to You”. From hand-crafted homemade cards to family pictures adorning the fronts, holiday greeting cards are sold by the billions today. 

Christmas Trees. The tradition of decorating trees can be traced back to Germany in the 16th century. The theologian Martin Luther is credited with putting lights on a tree after he was walking through the forest one night and wanted to re-create the beautiful stars shining through the trees. 

Boozy Eggnog. Believed to be adapted from the medieval British drink, posset, American colonists are credited for making it popular and adding rum. Even George Washington is believed to have his own special recipe.  

Milk and Cookies for Santa. While leaving treats for Santa and his reindeer dates back to Norse mythology, during the Great Depression, the tradition was sweetened up, as a way of showing gratitude during a time of struggle.  

Although not everyone celebrates Christmas, most religions and cultures support the same values of the season and there is plenty worth celebrating: gathering with loved ones, sharing food and gifts, taking care of the less fortunate in our community, enjoying childhood traditions, and seeing the year out on a high note.  

And make your own traditions in one of our specially curated communities in the Wilmington Area of North Carolina, click here for current incentives. Or if you own a preferred lot, you can choose from our portfolio of floor plans to personalize with numerous design options. Contact us today to get started on your new home journey. Happy Christmas!

McAdams Homes Update: November 2021

What a whirlwind this year has been? We’ve come off a year of uncertainty into a year of ‘off to the races!’ Now as we enter into the holiday season, we take time to pause and reflect on the year and focus on what’s to come in 2022.

It was an honor over the last year to welcome 230 families to our Featured Project, The Landing at Lewis Creek, conveniently located off of Gordon Road near the I-40 exit.
As we look to the New Year, exciting things are on the horizon and we cannot wait to share more about the NEW MCADAMS HOMES coming in 2022. Stay tuned into our newsletters for updates — Sign-up here!

Speaking of newsletters, this year-end issue is packed with a punch! Learn more about our new Emmerson plan; meet one of our long-standing employees; understand how to maximize multi-functional spaces; and master creating a warm, cozy space for the holidays.


Warmest wishes and happiest of holidays!
The McAdams Homes Team

Home Values On the Rise

Homeownership is still a crucial part of the “American dream” and is a key pathway to building generational wealth. For those that own a home, it’s clear that there are considerable benefits both emotionally and financially. Not only does buying a home help with long-term stability but it is one of the best ways to increase your net worth and grow your wealth over time. Here is where equity comes in to play. Equity is the difference between what you owe on the home and its market value based on factors like price appreciation and paying of the mortgage. 

The best thing about equity is that it often grows without us even knowing it, especially in a sellers’ market like we are in now. Low housing supply combined with high demand is driving home values up. This is giving homeowners a significant boost to their equity. As that investment appreciates in value, the financial options also increase, helping you achieve other life goals. 

If you are looking to purchase a home, understanding equity can help you realize why homeownership is a worthwhile goal. If you feel like you have missed out on these gains, don’t fret, experts still believe that substantial growth in equity over the next five years is still possible. 

Don’t miss out on this chance to grow your wealth. At McAdams Homes we offer specially curated communities in the Wilmington Area of North Carolina, click here for current incentives. Or if you own a preferred lot, you can choose from our portfolio of floor plans to personalize with numerous design options. Contact us today to get started on your new home journey and start building your household wealth.

Things to Do on Thanksgiving (Besides Just Feasting!)

Thanksgiving Day is full of routines that mostly revolve around food and watching football. We anticipate the heaping plates full of sides, gravy-soaked turkey, and our favorite deserts and pies, but there are plenty of fun activities to do on Thanksgiving that don’t put all the pressure of the day’s success on the dining table. This year, plan to create other traditions and routines that extend past the expected menu. 

Donate your time or food items. For a feel-good activity, collect canned goods or other non-perishable food items to donate to your local food bank. Volunteer to serve a meal at a local soup kitchen or help deliver Thanksgiving dinners to the community. Helping others experience the joy of yummy food will make you feel great and hopefully more grateful.  

Connect with family. Interview family members (“what was your first concert?” or “where would you live on the planet if you could live anywhere?”) or call an older relative that is no longer able to travel for the holidays to let them know you are thinking about them. 

Go for a walk or Turkey Trot. A Thanksgiving Day run is a fun way to get the hectic day started, or you can organize a family walk around the neighborhood after dinner to get everyone moving. 

Settle in on the couch. Nothing is better than an afternoon nap watching the game or for others, pair that second slice of pie with a movie. Let everyone vote on their holiday favorite and settle in with blankets and a warm drink. 

Get out and play. Another post feast pastime is to toss around the football. If that’s not your thing try bocce, horseshoes, cornhole or a frisbee. If the weather isn’t cooperating play a boardgame or charades. 

We hope these ideas of things to do at Thanksgiving are celebrated by family and guests the whole holiday weekend and help make memories that will last a lifetime. We want your McAdams Homes to be a place for family gatherings. See our specially curated communities in the Wilmington Area of North Carolina, click here for current incentives. Or if you own a preferred lot, you can choose from our portfolio of floor plans to personalize with numerous design options. Contact us today to get started on your new home journey.

Ways to Make Your Home Cozier for Fall

Cooler temperatures and shorter days, sure signs that Autumn has arrived. And as our leisure time activities move indoors, it’s time to think about cozying up our living spaces making them more welcoming for the cooler winter weather ahead. Fall decorating often centers on the front of our homes, from doorsteps full of pumpkins and mums, to an array of goblins, ghosts, and other ghoulish themes in our front yards. Below are some of our favorite fall decorating ideas and ways to welcome in the season. 

Scents are an easy way to create an instantly cozy feeling in your home. Scented candles fill a room with intoxicating aromas and give off extra warmth with their soft flickering light. For a fresh scent that will make your home smell like Williams-Sonoma try their classic recipe. Simmer a pot of boiling water and add 2 lemons (sliced), a tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 2 sprigs of rosemary for hours of enjoyment. 

Blankets, you can never have too many. Having fleece or knitted blankets layered on your couch or rolled up in a basket near a comfy chair will add a warm luxurious feeling to your home. By mixing colors and textures you can easily add a taste of autumn no matter the color scheme. 

Pumpkins and fall florals are obvious choices for autumn decorating, place some heirloom pumpkins as your table center pieces or on your mantle. Fresh florals will liven up your space and display warm fall colors. You can even add a plaid table runner for depth of layers and fabric that feels warm. 

So break out the hot apple cider, put on your favorite sweater, snuggle up with your warmest blanket and read a good book or enjoy the family game night. Be sure to view our home plans to see which makes you feel the coziest. 

North Carolina Road Trips

For some of us there is nothing better than hitting the open road, windows down, wind blowing in our hair, our favorite music blasting, feeling carefree and ready to experience all that the journey has in store. For others the destination is all part of the fun, planned stops along the way at favorite eateries and watering holes, scenic overlooks or off the beaten path shops. For whatever type of traveler, you are. Here is a list of some of the best road trips and scenic byways in North Carolina. 

Although most people are aware of the Blue Ridge Parkway, 252 miles of twisting mountain views and tunnels spanning across Western North Carolina. A lesser-known drive near Asheville is the Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway, start in Brevard and wind 15 miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway, taking opportunities to hike, picnic and enjoy some amazing waterfalls. Speaking of waterfalls, Western North Carolina has some amazing waterfalls travelers are sure to enjoy. Start with Linville Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Or check out Crabtree Falls, Looking Glass Falls, Cove Creek Falls and Whitewater Falls, the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. 

Venture a little further West and you’ll discover the Cherohala Skyway, a 43-mile byway from Robbinsville, North Carolina to Tellico Plains, Tennessee. Road enthusiasts wind up and over 5,400-foot mountains with abundant and unobstructed scenic overlooks and then descend into the back country of Tennessee. Ample opportunities arise on this stretch of road for world class hiking, incredible views, and even a refreshing waterfall dip. The fall is an exceptional time of year for visitors to see the leaves changing and to enjoy the cooler temperatures. 

We are fortunate to live in such a scenically stunning state. Treat yourself to simultaneous sound and ocean views on the Outer Banks Scenic Byway. This stretch of 137 miles takes you past marshes, towering dunes, beautiful beaches, and abundant wildlife. Travel through beach towns, enjoy ferry rides and be sure to check out the Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in the United States.

Scenic overlooks, picturesque sunsets, stunning sunrises and great memories are all part of a North Carolina road trip but nothing is better than the ride home. Check out our current incentives and let us help you find your perfect home. 

Tips for First-Time Home Buyers

The appeal of homeownership is powerful. Buying your first home can be as nerve-racking and overwhelming as it is wonderful and exciting. Your focus might be to create an investment to sell when you retire, or you could be building generational wealth. Whatever the reason you have for purchasing a home, the process involves numerous steps and requirements, but the good news is, you don’t have to go it alone. Here’s some advice that we hope will help you navigate the twists and turns of the home buying process and have you kicking back and enjoying your new McAdams home in no time. 

Set a budget. One of the first steps to purchasing a home is taking the time to carefully review your finances, including your monthly income and debts, so you can get a feel for how much house you can reasonably afford. A good rule of thumb is to spend no more than 30% of your income on housing-related payments each month. 

Get pre-approval. It can be tempting to jump right into picking out the perfect house, but it’s a really good idea to get a mortgage pre-approval before you start comparing properties. One of the benefits of getting pre-approved is that you know exactly what you can afford, and a seller knows you have the money needed to purchase the home. 

Save for a down payment. You should also begin to identify areas of your spending where you may be able to cut back and put those funds in a high yielding savings account. It’s important to start saving as early as possible. One of the most important priorities of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) is to help first-time home buyers. From pre-purchase programs and counseling to generous down payment assistance loans with forgiveness opportunities, NCHFA offers plenty of advice and educational support, so you don’t have to go it alone. 

Work with a Realtor. A real estate professional can help you find your perfect McAdams home. We offer specially curated communities in the Wilmington, NC area, click here for current incentives. Or if you own a preferred lot, you can choose from our portfolio of floor plans to personalize with numerous design options. Contact us today to get started on your new home journey.

Maximizing Multifunctional Spaces

The past couple of years have really highlighted the importance of our living spaces and have compelled many people to find creative ways to maximize the functionality of their homes. Today, home is not just where we gather with family or rest our heads after a long day. Our homes have suddenly become our workplace, school, gym, yoga studio and much more. One way to make your home more functional is to create multipurpose spaces – living rooms, dining rooms, and spare bedrooms – that serve your family’s needs. To get a sense of the possibilities, check out some ideas below for creating multi-functional spaces in your home.

Office and Guest Space. Kitchen islands and dining tables have become places of virtual learning, Zoom meetings and workspaces. With so many members of the family home and vying for a quiet place, having a dedicated workspace has become essential. With limited rooms in the home, however, consider your guest room doubling as a workspace. Today’s fold up beds easily convert into seamless looking cabinets, a great way to create multi-functional space. 

Relaxation and Indoor Activity Space. Whether you just want a recreational spot for yourself and your friends, or you have children who need a playroom, creating hybrid spaces everyone can enjoy is easy to achieve with the right organization, such as storage ottomans, large baskets, or modular loungers. You can opt for a sofa that can be reassembled as a guest bed or side tables that double as extra seating options.

Blur the Lines of Interior and Exterior. Fortunately for us in southeastern North Carolina the pleasant climate allows us to combine indoor and outdoor areas. Screened or covered porches and patios can be used as dining and lounge areas, making indoor areas normally occupied with larger furniture to be used for other purposes.

Regardless of the difficulties posed by the pandemic, it has given us opportunities to change how we work, relax, and play—changes that will hopefully benefit ourselves and our communities, as well as our planet. After all the challenges we’ve faced and continue to confront, our homes and living spaces need to be as flexible and as varied as we are. If you are looking for a home that works perfectly for your lifestyle, contact us today.

Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Fall is just around the corner, and now is the time to get your house prepared for the cooler months ahead. At McAdams Homes we pride ourselves on building high-quality homes at an affordable price. Although our homes are built to stand the test of time, we understand that your current home might require some additional maintenance to prepare for cooler temperatures. By using our fall home maintenance checklist, you can rest easy knowing you’ve taken the needed precautions to protect your home from costly damages and cold weather inconveniences. 

Don’t Neglect Your Landscaping. Turn your attention to your trees, look for signs of poor health like noticeable differences in leaf colors or dead branches. Trees that are unhealthy should be removed or pruned to prevent them from causing damage to your home (especially your roof) during storms.  Rake fallen leaves to keep grass healthy and able to grow in the spring. Fall is a great time to reseed patchy areas of your lawn or plant spring flowering bulbs. 

Inspect Your Gutters. Grab your ladder and safely make your way to the roof. You’ll want to clear out gutters that are clogged. Falling leaves and pine needles clutter up in your gutters, causing a serious threat to the drainage of your home. Be sure to clear out any downspouts and repair damaged pieces. 

Interior Maintenance. Having your heating system checked by a licensed heating contractor annually will help ensure that your system uses fuel more efficiently, lasts longer and has fewer problems. You can check your HVAC system to be sure there is no exterior damage, and the area surrounding is clean. Change your air filter and vacuum the surrounding grille. You can also change the direction of your ceiling fans to go clockwise, which create an upward draft to lift cold air and redistribute warm air. This is also a good time to replace batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 

Find Your Perfect Home. McAdams Homes offers specially curated communities in the Wilmington Area of North Carolina, click here for current incentives. Or if you own a preferred lot, you can choose from our portfolio of floor plans to personalize with numerous design options. Contact us today to get started on your new home journey.

Get Out There: Walks with Views

One year into a pandemic that has rapidly altered our daily lives and changed the way we spend time outdoors, many people have taken to nature for solace, fitness, and safer socialization. Fortunately for us in southeastern North Carolina, with our temperate coastal climate, it’s easy to take year-round advantage of the amazing natural beauty that surrounds us. From avid walkers to those that are reconnecting with nature, the Wilmington, NC area offers several options to get you out there. From the Historic Downtown Riverwalk to the Wrightsville Beach Loop, to the Brunswick Riverwalk and the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, you can enjoy self-guided history tours, birdwatching, people-watching, or engage in some nature therapy. See our list below of some great places to enjoy an amazing view and get some accidental exercise.

Wilmington Riverwalk. With its stunning waterfront scenes, there’s no question why the Wilmington Riverwalk was voted America’s Best Riverfront in USA TODAY’S 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. With nearly 2 miles of Riverwalk stretching along the Cape Fear River, you can enjoy strolling past restaurants, boutique shops and other attractions with the Battleship NC as your backdrop. 

Greenfield Park and Lake. Visitors can enjoy a beautiful five-mile walking/biking trail that meanders around the lake and through the lush native landscape. The paved path offers wonderful scenic views of the lake. 

The Loop at Wrightsville Beach. Just over two miles of sidewalk, the Island’s loop offers views of the Intracoastal Waterway, Banks Channel, and scenic salt marshes. Jump across the street and dip your feet in the ocean or walk up the beach. 

Brunswick Riverwalk Park at Belville. Enjoy a 2/3-mile nature trail and boardwalk, restroom facilities, and a deck overlooking the Cape Fear River, the park is committed to the environment and educational facilities. 

Carolina Beach Boardwalk. During the summer, the Boardwalk is full of life and bustling with sound of music and children playing. Off season events also make the boardwalk a special place to take a stroll. Treat yourself to some homemade Britt’s donuts, they are totally worth it, and maybe take the long way to the car to get those extra steps in. 

Click here to view our thoughtfully designed neighborhoods complete with sidewalks perfect for morning or evening strolls throughout the community.