The early signs of spring are abundant in Duck as the first waves of visitors have arrived for spring break!  After a record breaking cold winter we couldn’t be happier to watch the transformation around us. 

In Outer Banks news, we are pleased that the west bound lanes of the Wright Memorial Bridge should be opening in mid May.  We have enclosed an article about the bridge.  We are also enclosing an article about the strange rumblings we experienced several times over the winter.  We felt what might have been small earthquakes along the Outer Banks, and speculation has run high.  You’ll also find an article about the recent closure of Oregon Inlet to vessels that draw more than two feet of water.  This is a major concern for the area, and we hope there is a quick resolution. 

The real estate market seems to be on a continued path towards a slow and steady recovery.  The numbers for the first quarter look very promising.  Residential sales are up on the Northern Outer Banks with 94 units closing compared to only 78 during the first quarter of 2014.  Land sales are also on the rise, and foreclosures have continued to decline. 

As always, please do not hesitate to call, email, or stop by with any real estate or local-area questions we might be able to help with.

The months of January and February dashed our hopes of a mild winter on the Outer Banks.  Like many of our neighbors to the west and north we, too, experienced record breaking cold temperatures in February.  The Albemarle sound was nearly frozen over for several days.  Schools and offices were closed for several days due to icy roads and light snowfall. 
 
In real estate news, sales are starting slowly for 2015. Total volume for both Dare and Currituck Counties is down by 21%.   However, land sales are up drastically, by 41%, and foreclosures continue to decline.  Residential inventory is up by just 4%, which is typical for this time of year.  With the rental season on the horizon and spring quickly approaching, we expect the sales volume to increase over the next two months. 
 
In a continued effort to streamline our business and to save some trees, our goal for this year is to switch our monthly mailing to an email format. Please send your current email address to [email protected] so we can update or add to our records.   If you have already done so, thank you.
 
Over the last seven years we resided at 1183 Duck Road.  We have moved back to 1181 Duck Road, the main building.  As always, feel free to stop by when you are in Duck.
 
We appreciate your business and take seriously your trust and confidence in our ability to get the job done.

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying 2015 so far.

We had a very productive December and managed to stay quite busy for what is normally the slowest month of the year for OBX sales. We closed 2014 as the top producers for our Duck Office, and we are looking forward to a busy spring.

In an effort to streamline our business (and to save some trees), our goal for this year is to switch our monthly mailing to an email format.

Please send us your current email address so we can update or add to our records. You can send to [email protected].

Thanks so much! We hope to see you all in town sometime soon.

Season’s Greetings
Here’s Wishing You and Yours A Very Happy, Healthy Holiday Season.
“The Matchmakers”
Heather & Edith

It is hard to believe that November is already here.  The holidays will be here before we know it.  Several big retailers have already announced their plans to be open on Thanksgiving Day for Black Friday shopping this year.  October held true to form and was likely the most beautiful month on the Outer Banks all year.  The Duck Jazz Festival drew more crowds than ever before, as did the Seafood Festival the following weekend.  Our area really is becoming a popular destination much of the year.  Later this month we will again host thousands for the Veterans Day weekend and the Outer Banks Marathon and the ever-popular Thanksgiving holiday. 
 
In other news, The Sanderling Resort sold once again.  The price tag was $38 million, and the buyer was New York based real estate trust Carey Watermark Investors.  Management will remain the same, and future expansion is possible. 
 
Real Estate activity has been strong this fall, and we are anticipating closing out the year on the upswing.  The market has seen a 6% decrease in residential home sales this year, but condo sales are up.  Inventory has also increased this fall by 14% for single family homes, but land inventory has decreased by 7%.  Distressed property sales continue to decline.  Interest rates remain low.  We continue to remain optimistic that the market is on a slow and steady path towards recovery. 

Welcome fall! After a very busy summer, we’re quite happy to have some cooler temps and quieter beaches, not to mention restaurants and grocery stores! This really is the best time of year on the OBX. With the upcoming holiday weekend, we’re expecting a good number of folks down here for the Parade of Homes, homeowner association meetings, and of course, the Duck Jazz Festival.

September brought a significant increase in showing activity. Sale statistics still show things aren’t quite where we’d like them to be, but we have until at least Thanksgiving to see some new listings come up and also more properties go under contract. This month’s statistics show inventory is a bit down for the northern beaches, but sales have remained steady.
In beach news, the Wright Memorial Bridge is back to one lane traffic again which is causing some serious backups, especially on the weekends. Beware if you’re heading this way on a weekend anytime soon.

Southern Shores folks are having a bit of a heated debate over the removal of trees for road maintenance, and we’ve enclosed some articles on that topic.
And Corolla seems to be moving forward on a much needed bike and pedestrian path, which we’re hoping will be completed by next summer.

If you’re not here now, you should be! As always, please let us know if we can help with your real estate needs in any way.

Enjoy this amazing weather!