Set directly along the Neuse River in the heart of Oriental, 400 South Avenue offers a combination increasingly difficult to find along the North Carolina coast: direct waterfront living, the walkability and character of an established coastal village known as the Sailing Capital of North Carolina, and the ease of a meticulously maintained modern home completed in 2022.
Here, the Village is not simply an amenity nearby--it is part of everyday life. Step from the front porch onto one of Oriental's principal streets and restaurants, the harbor, shops, parks, brewery, theater and farmers market are woven into daily life. Regattas, festivals, parades and long-held traditions unfold throughout the year, some passing directly along South Avenue and turning the home's front porch into a front-row seat to village life. During the holidays, luminarias line the streets. The property also occupies a historic village homesite, once the site of the Tumble Inn, a boarding house remembered as part of Oriental's early waterfront history. This is not simply a waterfront property near Oriental; it is a waterfront home within the Village.
Behind the home, the experience opens dramatically to breathtaking 180-degree views across the Neuse River and the Intracoastal Waterway. An approximately 100-foot private pier extends into the river, with approximately four to five feet of water at its end. Water and electrical service, a kayak launch and infrastructure for a future boat lift are in place, providing direct boating access to the river, Pamlico Sound and the ICW. A granite-boulder-reinforced bulkhead protects the shoreline. Despite its direct Neuse River setting, the residence itself is located outside the FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area. From sailing and kayaking to watching passing boats and regattas across the expansive waterfront panorama, the home's relationship with the water is immediate and constant.
Connecting these two worlds is an approximately 3,022-square-foot residence thoughtfully designed around its waterfront setting. Nine-foot ceilings and panoramic Neuse River views define the open living, dining and kitchen areas. The living area features a fireplace with a custom live-edge oak mantel. The kitchen offers a large island with double-basin Blanco Silgranit sink, custom lighted cabinetry with coffee bar and a walk-in pantry. The waterfront primary suite includes a thoughtful bath-to-closet-to-laundry walk-through, with a second Blanco Silgranit sink in the laundry room. Three additional bedrooms are upstairs, along with climate-controlled storage and a large quilt closet. A spacious three-level elevator connects the home's floors.
Quality and careful planning continue with 2x6 exterior-wall construction, Hardie Plank siding, a 24-gauge standing-seam metal roof, three-quarter-inch Seringa hardwood flooring installed over a waterproof underlayment, heated tile in the primary and secondary baths, custom Craftsman-style trim, plantation shutters, whole-house generator, tankless water heating, whole-home water filtration and reverse-osmosis drinking water. Threaded-rod reinforcement extends from foundation to the upper-level ceiling. Beyond the two-car garage is an approximately 654-square-foot finished, climate-controlled workshop with an additional overhead door and lavatory facilities.
400 South Avenue brings together three qualities rarely found in one property: an authentic coastal village, direct Neuse River waterfront and the craftsmanship of newer construction--the Neuse at the back door and the heart of Oriental just beyond the front porch.
