Resort Realty Real Estate Blog 
OBHBA Announces 2012 Board of Directors
Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at 3:05pm. 200 Views, 0 Comments.
Outer Banks Home Builders Association (OBHBA) recently announced their 2012 Board of Directors at the January general membership meeting. Chris Toolan of Resort Realty was among those named to serve the Association and the Outer Banks community this year.
The mission of OBHBA is: "to serve, promote, educate and advocate for members of the local building industry while supporting each other and the local community. With the provision of goods, services and monetary resources, OBHBA members continue to support local food pantries, college scholarships, urgent repair needs of individuals within the community and organized efforts for recovery and relief in the areas hardest hit by last year’s hurricane."
Resort Realty is proud to…
Outer Banks Event Homes
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 12:12pm. 80 Views, 0 Comments.
The
Outer Banks Wedding Expo was this past weekend, so this is probably a good time
to talk about the business side of getting married on the Outer Banks. There
is, of course, romance and love (hopefully) involved in getting married, but
there is certainly money to be made as well.
Although specific numbers are hard to come by, a conservative estimate puts the number of weddings on the Outer Banks (Carova to Ocracoke) at a little over 3000. The amount of money the industry produces is huge. The average wedding costs somewhere around $29,000-30,000, and that figure does not include lodging.
It is in lodging that the greatest opportunity for homeowners lies.
Because the majority of Outer Banks weddings occur in the shoulder seasons…
2012 Real Estate Outlook
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 at 8:33am. 79 Views, 0 Comments.
It’s
hard not to be optimistic at the beginning of a new year, although with real
estate it’s a little more difficult than feeling good about your favorite
sports team, as an example. The analogy with sports teams seems reasonable though. Their success tends to be somewhat cyclical--some more cyclical than
others--a reasonable guess can be made about their chances for success (or
failure) based on observable facts, but ultimately it is the game itself that
decides how well a team does.
That comparison, however, doesn’t really hold up all that well. No matter how much we care about our favorite teams, no matter if they win or lose, in the big scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter. The value of our property, though, the largest…
Holidays on the Outer Banks
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 at 1:44pm. 60 Views, 0 Comments.
Set against the ever-changing sea
and the inevitable march to the heart of winter, holidays on the Outer Banks
become a gift to be cherished. To be here during the holiday season
takes a certain acceptance that nature will have its way but the shelter
against any storm is ultimately the family and traditions that are so much a
part of life on the edge of a continent.
Some of those traditions are a little bit quirky, and certainly unique. Old Christmas, celebrated on January 5 in Rodanthe, is probably one of the few places left that mark the day. Dating from the mid 18th century when 11 days were dropped from the calendar to create the modern Gregorian calendar, the day is welcomed with a stuffed bull (an English tradition) and a lot of…
When is the Right Time to Buy?
Monday, November 28th, 2011 at 1:21pm. 111 Views, 0 Comments.
Buying a house is a lot like having kids--there probably isn’t a ideal time for either, which roughly translates to, “Don’t wait for the perfect moment, because it will never happen.”
That being said, if there is such a thing as an ideal time to invest in Outer Banks property, this is it. Prices in the area seem to have fallen about as far as they’re going to fall, interest rates are at historic lows and banks are starting to write loans again--although they are being very cautious. “The time to buy is now,” Roy Singletary, sales manager for Resort Realty, says.
Like any market, there are unique characteristics to the Outer Banks that both buyers and sellers need to know. The vast majority of homes bought and sold are…
OBX Thanksgiving Festivities
Monday, November 21st, 2011 at 12:22pm. 120 Views, 0 Comments.
After the crowds go home, life on the Outer Banks is pretty much a village atmosphere--maybe a small town but nothing bigger than that.
Except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And Thanksgiving is the big one when, for one glorious week in late autumn, this place explodes.
If there is such a thing as a homeowner’s week, this is it. That’s not to say that other people do not come down for the week, but homeowners really seem to take advantage of the extra long weekend, pack up the bags and bring the family plus cousins, aunts and uncles to the beach for a holiday feast.
It is remarkable how many people make coming to the Outer Banks during the Thanksgiving holiday part of a family tradition.
Needless to say, with everyone…
Outer Banks Fall Fun
Monday, November 14th, 2011 at 1:42pm. 81 Views, 0 Comments.
It’s been a weekend of fun on the beach--if, that is, you consider running 26 miles 385 yards fun. This has been the Outer Banks Marathon weekend.
Actually it’s much more than just a marathon now. Four races--the marathon, a half marathon, the Outer Banks 8K and Bucanner 5K. And for good measure there is a one mile fun run on Saturday.
For the record, Tim Surface from Raleigh was the overall winner with a time of 2:38:40. The overall women’s spot went to Megan Hovis, Charlotte at 2:54:38.
This was the fifth marathon and it has been growing in popularity and importance ever since the first one was run in 2007. It is now one of the qualifying races for the Boston Marathon, and it doesn’t hurt, either, that the course…
Newly Constructed Coastal Homes - Showcased in Annual Parade of Homes
Friday, October 14th, 2011 at 3:40pm. 152 Views, 0 Comments.
The
Outer Banks Parade of Homes is one of those events that seems to combine just
about everything. Certainly it’s about the business of building, buying and
selling homes--yet it’s way more than that. There is the design, innovation and
craftsmanship that goes into the homes; and there is the setting, for the
Parade of Homes is very much about a way of life and the beauty of the Outer
Banks.
It’s difficult to tell how successful this type of event is until after the fact, although both brokers and contractors felt there was better, and more qualified, interest in homeownership than there has been for several years. It’s difficult to know just what is creating the increased interest in Outer Banks homes, though two thoughts kept…
Easy Home Inventory
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 at 10:12am. 132 Views, 0 Comments.
The great thing about the
American success story is how creative we have become in achieving it. It’s not
so much that we reinvent ourselves, it’s more that we invent new ways to use
the skills we already have.
Mike Siers and his wife, Stacy, got to the Outer Banks about seven years ago, just in time to see the real estate bubble burst. Stacy, with her real estate license, and Mike, with previously having a general contractor’s license, knew it would be tough, but they were committed to being here, committed to succeeding and began taking the steps necessary to realize their dream.
At Stacy’s suggestion, Mike got his realtor’s license. “It seemed like a good idea,” Mike recalls.
He’s been working in Outer Banks real…
Parade of Homes 2011
Thursday, September 29th, 2011 at 1:29pm. 229 Views, 0 Comments.
For
19 years the Outer Banks Parade of Homes has been a showcase for everything
that is best about owning a home on the Outer Banks--true craftsmanship in
construction, innovative design and beautiful settings. For the second year in
a row, Resort Realty will be teaming up with SAGA Construction to show the
outstanding features of a SAGA built home and talk about the advantages of
property ownership on the Outer Banks.
“We are pleased to partner with SAGA construction in representing their fine homes to our Parade of Home attendees,” Chris Toolan, Business Development Director for Resort Realty, says. “These superior investment homes and our experienced and dedicated real estate brokers will provide an elevated experience to those…
