HOA Fees in Wilmington's Master-Planned Communities: What They Cover & What to Ask

Some of the most popular places to land in the Wilmington area — Brunswick Forest, Riverlights, Landfall, and many more — are master-planned communities, and most come with a homeowners association (HOA). New buyers often ask me the same two things: "What am I actually paying for?" and "Why is one community's fee so different from another's?" Great questions. Let's break it down.

As always: I'm a REALTOR®, and I won't quote you specific dues here, because they change and vary widely by community and home type. Nothing here is legal or financial advice — it's a framework so you know what to look at and ask.

What HOA fees typically cover

An HOA collects dues from owners to maintain shared spaces and provide community services. Depending on the community, that can include:

Amenities — pools, fitness/wellness centers, clubhouses, tennis and pickleball, trails, and sometimes golf (though golf is often a separate membership).

Common-area upkeep — landscaping of shared spaces, entrance features, ponds, and street medians.

Some services — in certain communities, things like trash, security or a gate, or even some exterior maintenance.

Reserves — a portion set aside for big future repairs (roofs on shared buildings, repaving, etc.).

The more a community offers — and the more it maintains on your behalf — the higher the dues tend to be. A gated golf community with a full amenity center will generally cost more than a smaller neighborhood with just a pool and some green space. Neither is better; they're different lifestyles at different price points.

Why fees vary so much

A few things drive the difference:

Amenity level — more amenities, more to maintain.

What's bundled — a higher fee that includes lawn care or trash can actually be a better value than a lower fee where you pay those separately.

Single-family vs. townhome/condo — attached homes often have higher dues because the HOA maintains more of the exterior.

Age and reserves — newer communities may still be building reserves; established ones may have special considerations.

Special assessments — occasional one-time charges for big projects, on top of regular dues.

A quick example: two communities, two different fee structures

Picture two very different HOAs here in the Wilmington area. A smaller neighborhood — a collection of single-family homes built around some green space and a community pool — keeps its scope narrow: mow the common areas, maintain the pool, keep the entrance landscaping sharp. Because there's less to manage, dues tend to stay modest, often landing in the low hundreds a month.

Now compare that to a larger, amenity-rich master-planned community — think the gated sections you'll find in a community like Landfall, or newer developments built in the spirit of Brunswick Forest and Riverlights — with miles of trails, a fitness center, multiple pools, and sometimes golf or a marina thrown in. That association is maintaining, insuring, and staffing a lot more, so dues climb — sometimes several hundred dollars more a month than the smaller-HOA example above. But often more gets bundled in too: landscaping, sometimes trash pickup, sometimes a manned gate. It's less "more expensive" and more "more included," which is exactly why comparing two fee numbers side by side doesn't tell the whole story. You have to compare what each one actually buys you.

The questions to ask before you buy

Whenever a home is in an HOA, I help my buyers dig into:

How much are the dues, and how often are they charged (monthly, quarterly, annually)?

Exactly what's included — and what's not (is golf separate? trash? lawn?).

How often have dues increased in recent years?

Are there any planned or recent special assessments?

How healthy are the reserves? (This matters for avoiding surprise assessments.)

What are the rules (CC&Rs) — rental restrictions, exterior changes, pets, parking? Especially important if you're considering renting the home out.

In North Carolina you'll typically receive HOA documents to review during your due-diligence period — that's your window to read the fine print, and I make sure my buyers actually use it. The associations themselves are governed by the North Carolina Planned Community Act, which sets the legal framework for board governance, assessments, and owner rights — worth a skim if you want to understand your rights as an owner before you close.

The bottom line

An HOA isn't a good or bad thing — it's a trade-off. For many buyers, especially those relocating, a well-run HOA is a huge perk: amenities, curb appeal, and a lot less to personally maintain. The key is knowing exactly what you're paying for so it fits your budget and your lifestyle.

Want to compare a few communities side by side? That's one of my favorite things to help with. Text or call me, Tabi, at 910-983-8963, or reach out through www.makingilmhome.com.

Tabetha Klein is a licensed REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. HOA dues, coverage, reserves, and rules are set by each association and change over time — always review the current governing documents and financials for any specific community before making a decision. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.