Planning of Compass Pointe began in 2007 but was stymied by the 2008 housing crisis. A reboot in 2015 brought new vitality and new homes, as well as designs for commercial space and extra amenities. In the next eight to 10 years, developers expect to have a total of 2,000 single family homes and town homes.

Nine separate builders offer a wide variety of floor plans for anything from a cottage or a Florida-style patio home to a custom villa. Open floor plans, a screened porch and an outdoor kitchen are common features. Properties feature manicured lawns and line tidy lanes with sidewalks.

Prices start in the mid-$400,000s. The HOA fee ranges from about $200 to the mid-$400s per month, depending on home style and price. Please verify this with a Realtor as prices will change.

The community's beautifully appointed Grand Lanai Amenity Center has an open-air fireplace, dual bars, a catering kitchen, an indoor swimming pool and a lazy river. Outside, there are tennis courts and a six-lane pool surrounded by palm trees and cabanas. Cardio equipment, spinning classes, and steam rooms are highlights at the Pointe Wellness Center.

The Pointe's private golf club features 18 holes, a driving range, a pro-shop and a lighted putting green. Combined with the public Magnolia Greens Golf Course, residents have 45 holes of golf at their immediate disposal.

Walking and biking trails connect neighborhoods to green space. More than 70 acres have been set aside as a sanctuary for native plants and wildlife.

Leland and Wilmington offer Compass Pointe residents a full plate of dining and entertainment options.

Wilmington is also home to New Hanover Regional Medical Center, an accredited teaching hospital.

Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 30s, 40s and 50s. On average, the area receives 57 inches of rain per year.

Visit www.compasspointenc.com for more information. Go to tinyurl.com/bdh5b46p for listings.

North Carolina:

Sir Walter Raleigh sent English colonists to North Carolina in 1585 and 1587 to settle Roanoke Island. Permanent settlements were established in 1653, and early conflicts included pirate raids, the Quaker-led Cary Rebellion and the Tuscarora Indian War.

North Carolina didn't see much fighting during the American Revolution, but many residents went out of state to fight. A lot of locals were pro-Union and anti-slavery, but the state joined the Confederacy during the Civil War.

The state is the nation's largest tobacco producer, furniture maker and brick and textile manufacturer. Papermaking, chemicals, and metalworking are important to the state economy, too. Most lithium and mica come from here.

Tourists spend more than $1 billion in North Carolina annually. Sporting options include skiing, golfing and fishing. Major attractions include the Great Smoky Mountains, Cape Hatteras, the Blue Ridge National Parkway, the Wright Brothers memorial, Carl Sandburg's home, and an Old Salem re-creation in Winston-Salem. North Carolina's climate is warm and tropical most of the time, but it can be subject to fierce storms part of the