Compass Pointe, a master planned community in Leland that started about nine years ago, is on track to have its best year ever for the number of homes sold and sales volume, figures show.

"This year’s been great. We’re actually expecting this year to be a banner year in terms of units and volume, so the best year in our history that goes back to late 2008," said Amanda Marks, director of sales and marketing for Compass Pointe.

October alone is also breaking records, with nearly 50 sales of lots, resale lots and existing and spec homes so far, compared to about 20 or less last October, Marks said. This week, Compass Pointe is the site of the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association's second HomeFest celebration, a fall festival of homes taking place Thursday-Sunday to draw attention to the region's homebuilders, developers, artisans and trades through tours and events.

"Compass Pointe was chosen as it continues to keep with our HomeFest tradition to showcase one single site development that has a multitude of different builders within," said Cameron Moore, CEO of the WCFHBA, in an email Monday. "Compass Pointe really provided us with the perfect backdrop to showcase not only the community and the builder team but also provides us all the attributes to bring together this unique fall festival."

Last year, the inaugural HomeFest site was River Bluffs, a 313-acre development along the Cape Fear River in Castle Hayne.

This year's festival kicks off Thursday morning with the L.A. Open Golf Tournament at Compass Pointe, hosted by Compass Pointe in partnership with the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce. A Friday run/walk race has been canceled, but a Friday night sneak peek preview party will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Robbins Walker Way at Compass Pointe for those involved in the real estate and development industry.

A custom-built children's playhouse will be raffled off during the event. On Saturday and Sunday, the largest element of the festival, a street fair open to the public, will be held in addition to tours of model homes at Compass Pointe. The home tours take place 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day on Saturday and Sunday. The street fair includes hay rides, more than 50 vendors, live music, children's activities and more, according to the WCFHBA and Compass Pointe. A nonprofit, The Harrelson Center, will be this year's HomeFest Community Focus Beneficiary.

Marks said HomeFest will allow residents and officials to show what the development has to offer. 

"It's going to be a lot of fun. Our community's getting really involved. We've got tons and tons of volunteers in the neighborhood," Marks said. "They're just so excited . . . to share their community with everybody in Wilmington and Leland."

In addition to existing homes and amenities at Compass Pointe, more development is expected in the future. Some commercial space along U.S. 74 is in the planning stages, with the potential to attract a small grocery store that would sell local and organic produce, a full-service spa, a coffee shop, boutiques and/or possibly a small restaurant. In addition, developers are planning a transitional living multi-family project with 103 units in Phase 1 next to a proposed medical campus.

Home prices in Compass Pointe range from $309,000 to $600,000 and up. So far, about 700 homes have been built, 1,100 home sites sold, Marks said. About 100 to 150 homes are built each year in the community, and Compass Pointe is expected to hold 2,200 to 2,500 homes at full build-out.

"Compass Pointe was such an easy decision for this year's HomeFest site as the development encompasses such a diverse, unique amenity package and offers residents resort-style living right here in the Cape Fear area," Moore said.