The Outer Banks is still feeling the lingering effects of Hurricane Matthew, but things are just about back to normal here on the Northern Beaches.  Our recent weather has been glorious, and we have seen quite a stream of visitors throughout the remainder of October. Of course the big focus now is the Presidential Election, and no matter which side you are on, it’s likely that everyone will be relieved when it is over.

Real estate sales have been steady, and overall residential sales on the northern beaches are up from last month. And we’re hopeful that trend will continue for November, although election concerns have caused some buyers to sit tight for a few months as the dust settles.

The threat of an interest rate increase in December, however, could spur some activity as we see buyers try to take advantage of the low rates still currently available.

Sales activity typically slows in December as buyers go into holiday mode, but we expect to see activity pick up again in mid-January. The National Association of Realtors predicts a strong year for home sales in 2017, and we will be ready for it!

As the New Year approaches,  our team will be expanding in order to become more efficient and better serve our growing number of clients.  Mandi Jones, a newly licensed Realtor, will be joining Heather as her sales assistant.

As always, please stop in to say hello if you find yourself in Duck. And don’t hesitate to call or email should you need anything from our end.

Although Hurricane Matthew was forecast to turn out to sea before impacting our area, we awoke to a full blown hurricane during the wee hours Saturday night and into Sunday October 9th.  Many of the area’s most popular events were cancelled in anticipation of potential rain and wind, but few were prepared for the brunt of the storm that we got. The Duck Research Pier clocked winds at 80 miles per hour and we experienced torrential downpours totaling 17+ inches.  The result has been widespread flooding due to the rain water sparing few areas of the island.  There was some storm surge flooding too.  The area was just drying out from Tropical Storm Hermine and the tropical depression that followed it, so we were in no way able to absorb the amount of rain that we experienced.  Many homes and roads are still flooded.  Power lines and trees came tumbling down, and the result was widespread power outages and now a widespread cleanup effort.  The good news is that most have power once again, visitors are returning, and school is back in session.  We have no doubts that the Outer Banks will be back to normal in no time.   If you missed your fall Outer Banks getaway due to Matthew, hopefully you will have the opportunity to return before winter.

After a rather cool June, the month of July reminded us that we do live in the south!  Most every day was into the upper 90’s with a few reaching 100!  Of course there were plenty of thunderstorms in the evenings to cool things down.   We hope that you are enjoying summer, our favorite time of the year on the Outer Banks; the fall, is right around the corner.

Dare County has released the preliminary flood maps as of June 30th.  You can view them athttp://fris.nc.gov/fris/ and you can review the frequently asked questions at www.darenc.com/floodmaps.  The flood maps are largely favorable and take many homeowners out of higher risk zones just as they did in Currituck County.  The Currituck County flood maps meanwhile, are now in the 90 day appeal period.

In other news, the area is soon to be home to two new recreational options.  The water theme park in lower Currituck County (on the mainland) is set to begin in September with  planned completion in time for next summer.  The park will sit on 80 acres and plans to host 4,000 to 5,000 visitors each day.  The project’s projected cost is 45 million.  Additionally, the site of the old Dowdy’s Amusement Park in Nags Head at the intersection of Highway 158 and Bonnett Street will soon transform into a beautiful multiuse public park. Construction for that site is set to begin later this month.  The 5 acre site will feature children’s play areas, green spaces, an event area, and more.  The town plans the project to cost $1,275,000.  Many of you may remember the old Dowdy’s Amusement Park, as it was operational for 40 years.  I have many fond childhood memories of it myself.

Many local restaurants are reporting a slight 2% overall decrease in revenues for this summer.  Real estate sales are typically slower during the prime season, but market health is still improving, and we are expecting a busy fall selling season.  This is the time to contact us if you are considering selling your property this year, as fall is a busy time for sales activity.  We hope to hear from you soon!