I will remember recent months as one of the better fall seasons for summer-like weather. Ocean temperatures remained in the 70's into late October. Being surrounded by that warm water extended our warm days and nights for a few extra weeks. Surfers enjoyed that warm water with one of the longest stretches of good waves in recent memory. Hurricane Leslie stayed hundreds of miles off the coast generating good surfing waves for close to three weeks. Speaking of … Continue reading...
OBX Home Sales Improve
The summer of 2018 was relatively busy compared to recent years. The number of OBX home sales over the last few months has been fairly similar to 2017. Last year was our best year since the boom years of the last decade. Poor weather hampered sales earlier in the year but brisk summer/fall sales are helping us catch up. According to the Outer Banks Association of Realtors’ August report, the number of residential sales for the year is now off just 3% compared to last year. See our full fall … Continue reading...
My Experiences with Outer Banks Hurricanes
Since moving to the Outer Banks in 1989 we have been threatened by hurricanes almost every year. Dealing with these storms is no fun but is worth it to live in such a great place. Years ago when we were looking for a spot to raise our boys Lori and I decided the most important thing was to be in a spot where the risk of flooding would be minimal and where it would be less likely to have wind damage from Outer Banks hurricanes. Yes, there are many places like that on the Outer Banks. We found … Continue reading...
Carolina Review Newsletter Summer 2018
It's been a busy summer so far on the Outer Banks. The roads and beaches are full of vacationers enjoying all the Outer Banks has to offer. We've just completed our latest newsletter that should arrive in the mail any day to about 3500 people. Great progress is being made on the new Oregon Inlet Bridge. Here's a picture I took on my way back north this morning after videoing a lot for a client. If you enjoy the ocean then this summer has been one of the better ones. July's surf has … Continue reading...
Spring 2018 OBX Real Estate Conditions
Real estate conditions on the Outer Banks are improving. Both average sales prices and median sales prices are higher than they were for the first quarter of 2017. According to the Outer Banks Association’s MLS system average prices are up 7% over last year and median prices are up 1%. Another indicator pointing towards appreciation is the sold price per square foot. You can see that trend in this report. It’s interesting that these indicators point towards appreciation even though the number of … Continue reading...
Winter Carolina ReView
Here is another Carolina winter ReView, winter in the OBX has been an unusual once this year. From just before Christmas to the end of January we had freezing temperatures and a few snow storms. Outer Banks real estate is looking pretty good despite the cold weather. Read about other interesting and good things happening on the beach in our latest newsletter. Two new grocery store chains will be opening on the Outer Banks shortly and the new Oregon Inlet Bridge is scheduled to … Continue reading...
Negotiating OBX Home Inspection to a Win-Win
We found their OBX forever home. Love the location! Love the layout and lot size! The house obviously needed TLC and updating (paint, flooring, and a new kitchen) but still satisfied almost all of Mr. & Mrs. Buyer’s check boxes. After considering recent sale comps, my clients and I negotiated a fair sales price plus some closing costs. This kept this home within these buyers’ budget. (Did I mention that my clients love this house?) Due Diligence The fun part is over, now the … Continue reading...
What does sold “as-is” mean”?
“As-is” can mean numerous things in an Outer Banks real estate transaction. It could relate to the condition of the home but also it could relate to an encomberance or an encroachment. Most commonly means that the seller will not make any repairs. This frequency of this type of sale waxes and wanes with Outer Banks market conditions. Almost all distressed sales are sold this way. Banks rarely want to make repairs to a property and sellers of short sales don’t have the cash to make any repairs. … Continue reading...
When is the best season to buy a rental home?
Conventional wisdom is that the best time to purchase a vacation rental home on the Outer Banks is in the spring or summer. However there are other factors to consider when making a buying decision. Here are some pros and cons of purchasing in the different seasons. Spring: Besides getting instant rental income purchasing in the spring also allows you to use it in good weather. Usually the Outer Banks has great weather in May and June. Also, you may be able to reserve it a week or two by … Continue reading...
Choosing an Outer Banks Home Inspector
Choosing the right Outer Banks home inspector is critical to the success of your home purchase here. Since the Outer Banks is surrounded by water, wind, rain and humidity affect Outer Banks homes more than inland. Therefore, hiring a local home inspector who is familiar with the effects of this environment could save you thousands of dollars. North Carolina has a good brochure available that will help you set expectations. Here are three things to look for in a local home inspector. Licensed … Continue reading...