Buying a Home in Brunswick County, NC

This page is general information, not legal, tax, insurance, or lending advice. Tax rates, insurance rules, and loan programs change, so please confirm what applies to you with your lender, your insurance agent, your closing attorney, and the county. I am a real estate professional, and my part is the search, the negotiation, and the path to closing.

Brunswick County's rate table lists a county rate of 0.342 per $100 of value for 2026. Each town adds its own rate on top. That puts the 2026 totals at 0.472 in Ocean Isle Beach, 0.482 in Holden Beach, 0.502 in Sunset Beach, 0.532 in Caswell Beach, and 0.542 on Oak Island. On the mainland, Leland totals 0.592, Southport and Shallotte 0.652, and St. James 0.392. Bald Head Island totals 0.928 before its municipal service district zones, which add 0.0688 in Zone A or 0.0403 in Zone B. Outside any town, you pay the county rate alone.

On a $400,000 house, that works out to about $1,888 a year in Ocean Isle Beach, $2,168 on Oak Island, $2,368 in Leland, $2,608 in Southport, and $1,368 in unincorporated county. The table also lists a Smithville Township district at 0.04 for parcels inside that township, and the county notes that fire, sewer district, and dredging fees can apply too. I confirm every line on the exact parcel before you offer.

Federally regulated or insured lenders require flood insurance on a federally backed loan for a building in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and FEMA lets a new policy bought with the mortgage take effect at closing if it is paid by then. For wind, the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association offers windstorm and homeowners coverage in the state's 18 eligible coastal counties; your insurance agent tells you whether a house qualifies. Get both quotes during due diligence.

Brunswick County Schools runs an address lookup called "What school will my child attend?" and I use it on every house. Most deals use the North Carolina Offer to Purchase and Contract, with an optional due diligence fee paid to the seller; end the contract inside the due diligence period and you typically get your earnest money back but not the fee, according to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. We sign a written buyer agreement before touring, as the National Association of REALTORS has required of MLS participants since August 17, 2024. My Brunswick County guide covers the islands, and relocating to Brunswick County compares them. Call me.