Just like that summer is here, and Memorial Day seems like ages ago! Despite all the negative news we hear daily, there is still a chance to find tranquility along the Outer Banks. Whether it’s the longer daylight hours, the warmer weather, or the possibility of taking a beach vacation, summer is a season of joy. However, this year will entail some adjustments because of restrictions such as social distancing and limited occupancy rules. Things as simple as going out for a meal and eating inside the restaurant, or going into a store without gloves and a mask seem like novel ideas right now. We have faith that things will return to normal in the near future, but perhaps for now, we can use this time as a reminder to appreciate the positive aspects of our lives, the things that make us happy. Stay positive and stay healthy.
In pandemic local news, the Outer Banks was the first community to formally put into effect a tourism pledge for the Coronavirus. The OBX Homes Team will also be adopting the following pledge to ensure the safety of our clients: My business cares about the health and well being of our employees, our community, and our customers. We pledge to take the specific actions shown for our business to help slow the Coronavirus and prevent its further spread. Please do your part too! If you have a house in the Twiddy rental program or plan to rent with Twiddy, please see below for the policy our company has adopted (as employees of Twiddy we are included).**
In real estate news, the Outer Banks has been one hot market! The uncertainty of what might happen after the pandemic left many of us worried, but that feeling came and went almost as quickly as a storm passing in the night. There is not a playbook for this type of recovery. As economists struggle to understand and predict the future impact of recent events, the local market is experiencing one heck of a roller coaster ride. Most of April and the beginning of May had basically come to a halt with activity levels. Then, after May 16 (the opening of the bridge for tourists), the number of showing requests on our listings, and requests to show other properties from potential buyers has been off the charts. To be honest, in the beginning, we noticed some hesitancy with buyers, but that faded quickly once we pointed out that the number of properties that went under contract since mid-May was record-breaking. There is never a guarantee that buying property along our beaches will be the best decision for you. However, a few websites support investing in this area. Recently, Forbes.com ranked the Outer Banks as Number One among The 20 Top Places Americans Are Dreaming About Right Now, and another report from RENTcafe found the following: “North Carolina’s Outer Banks came out as the No. 1 ‘most resilient’ location.” What more of an endorsement does the Outer Banks need?
We’ve included the OBAR statistics for May* for your review. If you would like a more tailored report with specific figures for your neighborhood, please let us know.
If you’ve been thinking about selling, we are happy to assist you with a free market analysis of your property. If you or anyone you know is interested in buying a property, we would love to help find the perfect home on the Outer Banks. Please note we are more than happy to preview homes for anyone, and we can video call from a property if that is of interest to you.
The OBX Homes Team is making an effort to help the environment and decrease our paper output. If you’d like to help in reducing our paper use, please send us a current email so we can add you to our paperless mailing list. We will send you an email each month with a copy of our updated owner note and statistics report. We appreciate your effort to help with this and thank you.
Please don’t hesitate to call or email us if you have any questions or should you need anything at all.
