Wilmington For Sale.com

10 Bargain Beach TownsFind that perfect vacation home thanks to a cooling housing marketBy Joel Cone / June 22, 2007 The smell of the salt water. The feel of a cool ocean breeze. The sight of the marine layer hanging like a blanket overhead. The feel of the hot sand beneath your feet. And let’s not forget . . . the view. All these amenities come included with a vacation home near the beach, a luxury that many dream of, but few think they can afford.But bargain beach homes are available in many idyllic coastal communities, and bargains could become more common thanks to a cooling housing market. Although vacation home sales rose 4.7 percent last year, the median price dropped 2 percent, to $200,000, according to the 2006 National Association of Realtors Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey. And with foreclosures up 90 percent nationally in May on a yearly basis, according to RealtyTrac, more homeowners and lenders will be motivated to sell at discounted prices - even in vacation hot spots.Here are the top 10 Bargain Beach Towns. These communities are potential treasure troves of great deals on wonderful vacation homes:

4. Carolina Beach, North CarolinaSituated between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, the City of Carolina Beach is located 13 miles south of Wilmington and 133 miles southeast of Raleigh. Settled long before the Revolutionary War, the surrounding area is famous for its plantations and their gardens, as well as being infamous as a former base of operation for pirates.The 2000 Census shows a population of 4,700 people with almost 4,100 households in Carolina Beach. This survey suggests that more than 37 percent below the full market value on average can be saved on the purchase of a vacation home in Carolina Beach this summer.