Fair Bluff and the Lumber River

In October 2016, Matthew pushed the Lumber River to a record crest at Fair Bluff. Most of the downtown businesses were destroyed and about a fifth of the homes in town were damaged. Florence brought the river back up in 2018 and stopped the repairs that had started. Much of the old downtown has since been cleared.

Houses in and near Fair Bluff often carry two rounds of flood damage, and some owners have moved away and left them standing. We buy those houses as they are, including ones that have been empty for years.

Whiteville's repeated floods

Matthew caused historic flooding in Whiteville's downtown and the residential streets around it, in an area that included more than 200 homes. Florence flooded the city again in 2018, and Tropical Storm Idalia in 2023 caused the most serious flooding anywhere in North Carolina from that storm. Drainage from Soules Swamp is still a live issue for the city.

Three floods in seven years make a house hard to insure and harder for a buyer's lender to accept. If yours flooded, tell us which storms and what was done afterward. Gutted, repaired, or untouched all work.

Lake Waccamaw piers

Lake Waccamaw is a state lake. A pier, dock, or boathouse on it needs a state lake permit from Lake Waccamaw State Park, renewed every year, and the Town of Lake Waccamaw keeps its own pier guidelines on top of that. Older piers that have been rebuilt or extended without a permit come up often in lake sales.

We buy lakefront houses with the pier in whatever permit status it has, and we handle the state and town paperwork after closing.

Values frozen since 2021

Columbus last reappraised effective January 1, 2021, and the next revaluation is not scheduled until 2029. Eight years between reappraisals means the 2029 change could be a large one in parts of the county where prices have moved.

If taxes on an inherited or vacant house have fallen behind in the meantime, they can be paid from the sale proceeds.

Columbus County property we buy

  • Houses in Fair Bluff and Whiteville flooded by Matthew, Florence, or Idalia
  • Lake Waccamaw houses with older or unpermitted piers
  • Older houses in Tabor City and Chadbourn needing major repairs
  • Farm parcels in present-use value with a house on them
  • Manufactured homes on owned land
  • Long-vacant houses owned by heirs who moved away
  • Rentals, occupied or empty

Records, courts, and closing in Columbus County

Whiteville is the county seat. Deeds and deeds of trust are recorded with the Columbus County Register of Deeds in Whiteville, the tax department handles assessment and collection, and the clerk of superior court there runs foreclosure hearings and estate files. Septic permits are on file with county environmental health.

A licensed North Carolina attorney handles the closing. If an estate was never opened for a parent's house, that can be done with the clerk as part of the sale.

Frequently asked questions

Do you buy houses in Fair Bluff that flooded in Matthew and Florence?

Yes, including houses that have been empty since the storms.

My Whiteville house flooded in Idalia. Can I still sell it?

Yes. We buy flooded houses at any stage, and we don't need the claim to be finished.

Will you buy a Lake Waccamaw house with an unpermitted pier?

Yes. We take on the state lake permit after closing.

Columbus County hasn't revalued since 2021. Should I sell before 2029?

That's your call. Some owners sell before the new values arrive, and we can close on the timing you choose.

Do you buy in Tabor City and Chadbourn?

Yes, along with Bolton, Cerro Gordo, Riegelwood, and the rest of the county.

Columbus County property and court resources