Water Access in Wilmington Tidal or Deep Water? Know the Difference Before You Buy

In Wilmington, “water access” means different things to different properties, and that difference can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions).

Everyone dreams of owning something on the water here, but “water access” covers a wide range of realities. Some properties offer walkable access to a community boat ramp, enough to launch a kayak or paddleboard. Others are true waterfront, with a private pier and a floating dock built for mooring a boat.

Not all waterfront is equal. Every creek, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the waters around Wrightsville Beach are tidal, meaning water levels rise and fall daily. Some homes offer deep water access, where a boat can come and go at any hour regardless of tide. Others only allow access for a few hours each day. Both are wonderful, but they are priced very differently.

This is why due diligence matters. Some waterfront properties come with a CAMA permit allowing dredging, hiring a company to deepen the water and turn tidal access into round the clock deep water access. Not every property qualifies. Whether dredging is possible depends on environmental factors such as marsh grasses and oyster beds, which CAMA works to protect.

A tidal access property with the ability to be dredged should not be priced as if it lacks value simply because it is not yet deep water. That potential is worth something, much like a dated property with strong renovation potential. A tidal access property with dredging rights is almost always a better investment than a tidal property with no dredging rights at all.

Work with an agent who understands this spectrum and knows how to connect you with the right contacts at CAMA or the Army Corps of Engineers, who can give you definitive answers on what a property’s water access allows.

For buyers, ask about water depth at low tide and any existing or potential dredging rights. For sellers, understanding your property’s access type, and its dredging potential, is key to pricing it accurately. As always, I’m here to help guide you toward your waterfront dreams, or whatever your homeownership dreams may be, in the Wilmington area.