With wetlands right behind them. On what was probably a peninsula created by sand erosion and dumping in the past by the same ocean from further up the coast. .
That’s what I was thinking. They built these houses on marsh land. I wonder where these houses are now, if they’re still standing or if they’ve been taken out.
This is sad.....years ago we stayed at Topsail Reef at 1:44 and the beach was wide and relatively flat for the first couple times we vacationed there. We went back 2 years later and they were just starting to put the sandbags in front of the condos. The next year the whole beach was pretty much gone. At the inlet there was a sandbar that ran way out into the ocean and the water was ankle deep at low tide (some dry spots). You could walk out several hundred yards. That was gone. We loved going there but now the good beach is farther South.
I can't believe the erosion! I rented a house with some buddies in 1995-1996 while stationed at MCAS New River. We had an actual beach and now it looks like an inlet. Hurricane Bertha dropped the house we were living in on my truck and my buddies motorcycle was swept a few blocks away on New River Inlet Road. Moved inland to Jacksonville after that but I loved living on the island. Sad to see this.
Well they weren’t worried enough not to build on sand on a narrow strip with wetlands and swamp behind them. About the most unstable place you could ever build
They need to move these houses down to Topsail where the island is getting larger, what is washing away from the north is building up in the south, its called mother nature, Its also the reason why when we bought , we bought 5th row and not oceanfront. We were told after looking at what was a steal of deal on ocean front that if a storm came in and took the house we could not rebuild it , the maximum flood insurance you can buy only covers you for 250k, so don't pay more than what the insurance will pay off and keep in mind that flood insurance on Topsail Island will run about 10k a year for a new policy.
Did similar at Emerald Isle in 98. Bought beach front home for 380k, sold in 2004 for 710k....roll of the dice though. If they don't get a replenishment plan in place whatever you pay will be to much, make sure you can buy flood insurance, even 2 or 3 rows back need cama and elevation certification
Incredibly. Yet another fantastic example of warped U.S. zoning and planning. What could go wrong building on sand, with an ocean, narrow strip of land and what look like unstable shifting wetlands behind them. More money wasted trying to stop the inevitable.
jo jo - All the time now. There was a small window when the north end beaches got built up from tide changes & storms. Developers then grabbed this opportunity to build an exclusive 3 story neighborhood there. Maybe 10-12 years later came Bertha, Fran & then Floyd in 2000. This neighborhood has struggled with ongoing beach erosion issues since then - so, 17+ years? People keep turning these houses over & buying because they are getting those homes sell for super cheap!
