Here’s what $13.9 million gets you on Figure Eight Island

A 6,700-square-foot oceanfront home on Figure Eight Island sold for $13.9 million — believed to be a record transaction in North Carolina.

The deal for the home off Beach Road South, just north of Wrightsville Beach, closed July 3. It surpasses what’s believed to be the previous record of $13 million, set in August 2023 by another oceanfront home on Figure Eight Island.

J. Long Custom Homes, the builder of the 2019 home nicknamed “The Whale,” announced the news on Monday in a news release. The home features five bedrooms and eight bathrooms.

“We are thrilled to have been part of such a historic record-breaking sale,” J. Long Custom Homes owner Jason Long wrote in part in a news release. “This home is a testament to our commitment to quality and luxury.”

“The Whale” also marked the last home designed by the late architect John Stirewalt, who designed more than 150 homes during his 40-year career on Figure Eight Island.

Here are some notable amenities about the home, according to J. Long Custom Homes:

• The exterior is an eastern white cedar imported from Canada
• There is a custom saltwater pool with a heater overflow Jacuzzi surrounded by hand-cut limestone
• There is an exterior entertainment patio for grilling and watching TV
• Home can withstand winds up to 150 mph
• The home’s interior features Kholer fixtures, handmade custom cabinetry by Coastal Cabinetry, a custom three-stop elevator, solid 4-inch rift and quartered flooring, a fourth story man cave with private balcony overlooking the ocean, a custom gym and a home office.

New Hanover County property records do not show who bought and sold the property as of Wednesday. However, the records show the property sold in December 2016 for $2 million.

Before crews built the existing structure, J. Long Custom Homes said the original home on the property was sold for $1 to a neighbor and relocated overnight to make way for the new construction.

According to the company, eight homes sold in 2013 in New Hanover County sold for more than $5 million, with two properties on Figure Eight Island fetching top prices.

Figure Eight Island is home to several celebrities and public figures, including Mack Brown, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller, Al Gore, John Edwards and Robert Downey Jr., according to Mansion Global.