Often today you can look at a bird's eye view of Outer Banks real estate in the listing agent's listing description. Seeing how far the house is from the ocean is a great marketing tool. It also gives a buyer a better perspective on what they are buying. The most successfull agents use drones in real estate to capture the best images. Not just anyone can take drones pictures Buyers are looking for this perspective and sellers should seriously consider asking an agent to provide this type 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...
What should I expect when negotiating on a vacation home in the fall?
It's common sense that sellers should be more anxious to sell their house in the fall than in the middle of the busy summer season. Negotiating on a vacation home during the spring or summer eliminates a seller's summer rental income. They also will miss out on using the property during those great summer beach days. With winter around the corner it makes sense that sellers would not be interested in paying the bills for a house they are not using very much. Trying to quantify what would seem to … 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...
Why is the OBX Tax Assessment not near the asking price?
Over the last 20 years, more often than not OBX tax assessment values of properties were not equal to their market value. When properties were reassessed in 2013 many tax assessment values went down over 20%. In some cases even more. That’s a huge change in value from one assessment to another! Why is that? Did local property values dropped that much over that onet year? The simple answer is no. The reason for the large change in OBX tax assessment is that neither Dare County nor Currituck … Continue reading...
Why should I use an Outer Banks Lender?
Getting a loan today usually requires a little more time and effort. If you have refinanced or purchased property elsewhere over the last few years then you are familiar with this process. You may want to use your home town lender because they already have your paperwork or they are a friend. The unique aspects of getting a loan on OBX property may be worth reconsidering your decision. Here are some reasons why you should use an Outer Banks lender. Flood Zones Outer Banks lenders are … Continue reading...
What is the best season for an OBX purchase?
If you are thinking about purchasing a home on the Outer Banks, then you are also probably thinking about timing. What season is best for your OBX purchase? The two busiest seasons for an Outer Banks purchase are Spring and Fall. That's partially due to the convenience of purchasing. In the summer it can be difficult to get in most vacation rentals. Access to those homes is just between vacation renters, (changeover days). Changeover days are filled with traffic. Also, the window of time to … Continue reading...
North Carolina’s Residential Offer to Purchase
It's common in most state Offers to Purchase for earnest money to be paid by the buyer at the time of the contract. North Carolina is the same. However, there is another type of money that is also listed in North Carolina's Residential Offer to Purchase. That's due diligence money. Due Diligence This residential offer form is similar to commercial contracts where buyers pay for a period of time to reserve the property. During this time the buyers should complete all their inspections and … Continue reading...