Outer Banks Vacation Homes

April 25^th through April 29^th, the 5th Annual Outer Banks Bike Week coincides with the North Carolina state H.O.G. Rally with over 10,000 registered participants thus far. As the bikers from all over the country roll into town, these visitors on wheels are welcomed with a full week of planned entertainment, great food, events and special attractions.  Sponsors include the Harley Davidson dealerships in Harbinger, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head. There will be a bike show, 100 mile poker run, live indoor and outdoor music, scenic rides to enjoy many miles of Outer Banks beaches and waterways and official nightly party sites.

For more information, call 252-255-5922.

Officially incorporated in May 2002, the Town of Duck on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is beginning the celebration of its fifth year anniversary with a picnic on the newly developed grounds of Duck’s Town Park.  The picnic will be held from 1:00pm to 4:00pm on Tuesday, May 1^st.  Food will be served, “Showstoppers of the Outer Banks” will provide musical entertainment, and a program to recognize individuals whose vision and hard work led to the incorporation of the town will be on the agenda.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact the Town of Duck’s Event Hotline at 252.255.1286.  See you there!

In its 9^th season, the Annual Inter-tribal Powwow will take place on ancient ancestral grounds at the Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center in Frisco, North Carolina on April 28^th & 29^th.  There is a minimal admission fee.  The Museum is located past the town of Avon in the Village of Frisco, at the southern end of the Outer Banks.  This year’s theme is called “Journey Home - where the cry of sea gulls blend with drums and beautiful songs to create a place where ALL can journey home in their hearts!”  If there is inclement weather, the powwow will take place at Cape Hatteras Elementary School in the village of Hatteras.

This project is funded in part by the Tourism Assistance Grant Program of the Dare County Tourist Bureau.  Powwows are traditional, inter-tribal celebrations with an emphasis on sharing cultures and gathering on ancestral grounds. Dancers are in their traditional apparel throughout the weekend and vendors share beautiful crafts and authentic native foods.

 For more information, call (252) 995-4440.

Working as a team, Carolina Designs Realty is well respected in the property management industry not only for the premier vacation rental homes that we offer, but also for the superior customer service that we provide here.  Per the email we just received, it is apparent that we are doing a great job.

“I wanted to send an email to say thank you to Carolina Designs for the customer service provided to us during our vacation from April 1st through April 8th.  We had heating problems with our pool  and contacted your office.  Our children were anxiously waiting by the pool to swim and  I spoke with Samantha who was very helpful and nice.  She reacted quickly and responded to our call promptly.  She worked hard to get the pool heating issue resolved and we wanted you to know how much we appreciated it.

This was my first time in North Carolina in years and I would definitely come back to Carolina Designs not only because of the nice homes selection but more importantly due to the excellent customer service provided.”

Peggy Rapp

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Nags Head residents held a special referendum on April 17^th to determine whether the town would raise taxes to help pay for a beach nourishment project. The votes are in and the final count resulted in a negative response.  The funding for the projected $32 million would have come from the county and an increase of tax rates in Nags Head, North Carolina.  Before the rates went up, both of the taxes considered for an increase had to be approved with a winning number of votes.  This clearly did not happen with an unofficial toll of 324 to 478 votes against the annual increase of 5.54 cents per $100 of value to as much as 32.08 cents per $100 in value for oceanfront homeowners.  The current tax rate for the Town of Nags Head is 14.75 cents per $100 in value with an additional tax rate of 2.6 cents per $100 in value from the County of Dare, North Carolina.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park, located in Dare County on the Outer Banks, is the tallest active sand dune system in the Eastern United States. Because the northeast and southwest winds are constantly reshaping the dunes, it is often referred to as “The Living Dune.”  The entrance to the park is on Carolista Drive in Nags Head that leads you to the Visitor’s Center.  Governed by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, there are State park rangers, administrative and seasonal staff to guide you to the many facilities and activities offered here.  The programs that are offered throughout the year, and free to the public.  Through these 45 minute programs, you can learn about the ecology of the area, the animals and plants that flourish here, and many unusual discoveries you would not even have thought about. 

There are eight picnic shelters with two tables and a grill.  Water facilities and restrooms will also be in the vicinity.  There is a 384-foot boardwalk that runs through the ridge with information panels describing contiguous plants and animals.

It is no wonder the a company called Kitty Hawk Kites resides directly across the street from the park, as this is a kite flyer’s or hang glider’s paradise.  The ever-popular sport of sand boarding is permitted here as well, sorry no 4×4 vehicles allowed however.  You can bring your pet leashed no longer than 6 feet and walk for miles.  You will not need another workout that day.  Many families with small children have discovered the benefit of enjoying the sound side beach located on the west side of the Ridge.  By traveling to the south end of the park and taking Southside Road to the end, you will see the parking area and bridged entrance to this fairly wide beach area.  The sound water is shallow, therefore usually as warm as bath water.  This is perfect for the little ones to play in because no matter how far you go out, the water never reaches your kneecap.

During the summer, the park hours run from 8:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.  The Visitor Center with a museum and auditorium is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.   For more information, contact the staff at 252-441-7132.

Carolina Designs Sales Team is extremely proud to announce that Fran Kapinos has been designated as the Top Agent on the Outer Banks in total sales volume during the first quarter of 2007.

As a member of the Carolina Designs Realty sales team since 1997, Fran has a strong commitment to providing her clients with exceptional service.  An active member of the community, Fran spends much of her free time doing volunteer work. Fran has served as a board member of the Virginia Dare Business and Professional Women’s Club for over six years.  She is a member of the League of Women Voters, the Peace and Justice Committee at the Holy Redeemer by The Sea Catholic Church and volunteers for the Interfaith Community Outreach program, which assists needy people in our community.  In addition, Fran is very committed to the Pathways International program, providing support to the international students who work here on the Outer Banks. 

Congratulations to Fran for her excellent work in the community and especially in real estate sales!

Whatever your goals, Fran can help you achieve your dream of property ownership on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina!

In 1940, Walter Story and his family made their first visit to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  From that point forward, Mr. Story began his life-long love for the natural beauty of the area.  The Story family purchased a summer home as well as a large tract of land along Duck Road in Duck in the mid-1970’s.  Because of Mr. Story’s desire to build the perfect shopping village yet preserve the nature it would reside in, Scarborough Faire Shopping Village was born. 

Among a forest of live oaks, you can stroll at your leisure along boarded walkways and waterfalls enjoying all there is to offer in the 15 shops that showcase their wares there.  Enjoy a shaded courtyard after sampling delectable treats from the bakery or fudgery.  There are fine and casual dining experiences, shops offering clothing, books, pottery, gifts for the home, crafts, furniture, and so much more.  Thanks to Mr. Story’s vision and foresight, visitors come to Duck, North Carolina, and enjoy a very unique shopping adventure, truly one of a kind.  Up until recently, Mr. Story was the general manager of the village.  Now, his daughter, Connie, has resumed this position and continues to carry on his legacy.

During the off-season, usually the time between the months of January to May, our staff spends quality time viewing the magnificent homes in our vacation rental program.  Even though our superior web site provides extensive pictures, floor plans, descriptions, inventory and area maps pinpointing where the homes are located, we are able to tour the vacation rental homes and become familiar with all of the details.  It is also a pleasure to meet with the homeowner to develop a deeper rapport with them.  If improvements have been made in the vacation rental home such as new carpet, an added theater room or new kitchen cabinetry, we make a point to see these upgrades in person as well as update our property photos on the web site.

If a guest or potential guest inquires about specific details about a vacation rental home that is unknown to us, we go above and beyond to get the question answered.  A perfect example to this scenario would be finding out the width of all doorways in a particular home because one member in their party is wheelchair bound.  This type of request is common and we always accommodate our guests in any way that we can to meet their needs.  There are several systems in place that store the findings of specific details discovered about our homes.  In other words, the answer is “yes”, now what’s the question!

Carolina Designs Realty is very pleased to announce the opening of our Guest Services office in Harbinger, North Carolina, just one mile North on Route 158 after crossing the Wright Memorial Bridge.

Waldt Construction handled the renovations of the building.  Monica Thibodeau, owner of Carolina Designs Realty, and Michelle Layne, our General Manager, choose the interior flooring, paint, fixtures and signage.  Gary Walworth, one of our technical masterminds, configured the computer network required between our main office in Duck and our Kitty Hawk Guest Services office.  Kip McDonald used his expertise in programming all telephone communications between the three offices.

Our Housekeeping Manager, Deborah Stone, has spent the last couple of months preparing the Harbinger office according to the specifications required from the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA).

After receiving the Certificate of Occupancy at the end of March, Deborah Stone, Toni Sawyer, Cherylyn Caputi, our Housekeeping Coordinators, and Jimmy Freeman, our Housekeeping Technician, have been diligent in organizing the office and warehouse so that the department will be rearing to go for the upcoming vacation rental season.

The rooms that will store inventory are huge.  The space is very conducive for the organization required to run an efficient housekeeping operation.  Everyone is thrilled with how the building turned out and enjoys their new location.  Chris Peckham, our Media Distributions Coordinator, also works from this location, giving him plenty of room to prepare bulk mailings and store his supplies.  This location is a wonderful addition for us!