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Sunset Reach Homes & Townhomes for Sale | Castle Hayne NC
At the end of Rockhill Road in Castle Hayne, the pavement stops at a gate and the land drops away to the Northeast Cape Fear River. That is Sunset Reach — an intimate, gated riverfront community built along a high bluff on the east bank, roughly five miles upriver from downtown Wilmington. The views face west across open water and marshland, which is exactly how the community earned its name.
About Sunset Reach
The plan here is deliberately small: seventy-some single-family homesites and a separate enclave of townhomes, wrapped in mature trees, native grasses and preserved green space. Waterfront and lakeside lots sit alongside interior sites, and the whole neighborhood is oriented toward the river rather than toward a main road. Residents pass through a gated entrance, and private golf carts are permitted inside the community — a small detail that says a good deal about the pace of the place.
Water access is the anchor amenity. Sunset Reach includes a permitted marina with boat slips available for purchase, giving owners deepwater access to the Northeast Cape Fear River and a straight shot downriver to Wilmington's waterfront. Beyond the marina there is a riverfront boardwalk and gazebo, a twelve-acre interior lake with kayak and paddleboard launches, a pickleball court, walking and jogging trails, and a lakeside pool and clubhouse in the community's amenity plan. Sidewalks and street lights run through the neighborhood, and utilities are placed underground.
Homes and Builders at Sunset Reach
This is a custom and semi-custom community rather than a production one. A short roster of regional builders works here — Hagood Homes, Herrington Homes, Kent Homes, Kirk Pigford Homes and Bridgewater Homes among those building single-family residences, with Copper Builders responsible for the townhomes. Buyers can start from a homesite and build to order, or move into a completed home when one is available.
The single-family homes lean coastal and traditional: deep front porches, raised or slab foundations, open main-floor living, first-floor primary suites in many plans, screened porches and generous outdoor space. Several are built with third-party energy ratings and independent inspections. The townhomes take a different approach — multi-level plans with tandem garages, optional elevators, luxury finishes and, on some floor plans, rooftop terraces positioned for the sunset over the river. Both product types offer low-maintenance living compared with an older neighborhood of the same caliber.
Practical details matter in a waterfront community, and Sunset Reach is well served: public water and sewer, natural gas available, cable, and high-speed internet. Homes here sit within New Hanover County, so buyers get city-adjacent infrastructure without a city address.
Living in Sunset Reach
Downtown Wilmington is about ten minutes away, whether you drive it or run it by boat — an unusual option for a residential neighborhood in this part of the coast. Wrightsville Beach is roughly twenty minutes east, championship golf is about fifteen, and I-40 puts the rest of the state within reach. Castle Hayne itself keeps a rural, blueberry-farm character that has held on even as Wilmington has grown north toward it.
Students in Sunset Reach are assigned to Castle Hayne Elementary, Holly Shelter Middle, and Emsley A. Laney High, all within New Hanover County Schools.
CENTURY 21 Vanguard works with buyers throughout the Cape Fear region and can walk you through what is currently available at Sunset Reach — a riverfront homesite, a finished home, or a townhome with the rooftop view. Time your first visit for late afternoon, when the light turns across the water; the community tends to make its own case from there.
Sunset Reach Listings
Morning coffee on the porch, friends gathered around the kitchen island, and an evening stroll to the river--life at 1217 Rockhill Road offers plenty of reasons to feel a...
- 3 Beds
- 4 Baths
Wake up to breathtaking water views and wind down with vibrant sunset skies--this is life on the river at Sunset Reach, a gated waterfront community just 10 minutes by bo...
- 4 Beds
- 3 Baths
Welcome to 2818 Salvador Way! This like-new, 2024-built lakefront home is located in the gated waterfront community of Sunset Reach, just 10 minutes from Historic Downtow...
- 4 Beds
- 4 Baths
There is something especially inviting about a home that feels calm the moment you walk through the door. This newly completed Bridgewater Builders home at Sunset Reach d...
- 3 Beds
- 4 Baths
Bridgewater Builders' newest home in the gated waterfront community of Sunset Reach is complete and ready to welcome you home. Perched on the bluff overlooking the commun...
- 3 Beds
- 4 Baths
Rarely does a nearly-new luxury home in a gated, waterfront community come to market below what the current owner paid and that's exactly the opportunity here. This two-y...
- 4 Beds
- 3 Baths
Now under construction by Herrington Homes, this lakefront residence at Sunset Reach is positioned on an elevated homesite overlooking the community's scenic interior lak...
- 4 Beds
- 3 Baths
Wake up to lake views and enjoy a home designed for gathering, relaxing, and making the most of life at Sunset Reach. Now under construction by Herrington Homes, this fou...
- 4 Beds
- 4 Baths
Experience waterfront luxury at its finest in this exceptional end-unit townhome at Sunset Towns, nestled within the highly sought-after waterfront community of Sunset Re...
- 4 Beds
- 5 Baths
Exceptional best defines this luxurious townhome in Sunset Reach, one of the area's most sought-after water access communities. This quality-constructed, stunning 4-level...
- 4 Beds
- 5 Baths
Bridgewater Builders' newest home in the gated waterfront community of Sunset Reach is ready to welcome you home! Thoughtfully designed with coastal comfort and everyday ...
- 4 Beds
- 3 Baths
Life feels easy in this new Herrington Homes residence at Sunset Reach, where thoughtful design, coastal comfort, and everyday convenience come together in a private gate...
- 4 Beds
- 4 Baths
Just completed in July by Herrington Homes in Sunset Reach! This beautifully crafted 5-bedroom, 3-bath home blends relaxed coastal living with modern comfort, thoughtful ...
- 5 Beds
- 3 Baths
Welcome to the best of both worlds in Sunset Reach--where the ease of a never-lived-in former model home meets the comfort and charm for it's first occupant. Thoughtfully...
- 3 Beds
- 3 Baths
The Causeway by Kent Homes is now complete and move-in ready in Sunset Reach, a private gated riverfront community just 10 minutes from downtown Wilmington by boat or car...
- 4 Beds
- 4 Baths
Bridgewater Builders' newest home in Sunset Reach is ready for you to enjoy today and experience all that Sunset Reach has to offer this summer. The heart of the home is ...
- 4 Beds
- 3 Baths
A rare opportunity to own 3,900+ sq. ft. of Cape Fear Riverfront living with a stunning new private pool -- now offered well below the seller's original purchase price. ...
- 4 Beds
- 4 Baths
Enjoy elevated lakefront living in this thoughtfully designed home just completed by Herrington Homes, proudly introducing their first home in the waterfront community of...
- 5 Beds
- 3 Baths
Wake up to water views and end every day with a show-stopping sunset--right from your own balcony overlooking the Northeast Cape Fear River. This is waterfront living rei...
- 4 Beds
- 4 Baths
Wake up to breathtaking water views and wind down with vibrant sunset skies--this is life on the river at Sunset Reach, a gated waterfront community just 10 minutes by bo...
- 4 Beds
- 4 Baths
Welcome home to Sunset Reach, where this brand-new lakefront home offers 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, and a versatile bonus room--perfect as a fourth bedroom, office, or...
- 4 Beds
- 3 Baths
Welcome to The Pebble Cove, a stunning cottage-style home, located in the gated, riverfront community of Sunset Reach--just 10 minutes from downtown Wilmington by car or ...
- 4 Beds
- 3 Baths
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