Outer Banks Vacation Homes

The USAF Heritage of America Band consisting of several unique musical ensembles performs for over one million people throughout a six-state region from Pennsylvania to South Carolina each year.  On Saturday, June 14th at 7 p.m. the ensemble Langley Winds Woodwind Quintet will perform as the opening event of the summer season for the new Duck Town Park at 1200 Duck Road in Duck, North Carolina.  In a Town of Duck press release, the Town Manager states that the Langley Winds Quintet has been inspiring audiences for over ten years with its repertoire of patriotic and chamber music.  The group is comprised of a flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon.

This is a free event open to the public, but will be cancelled in the case of inclement weather.  For up-to-date information, call their events hotline at (252) 255-1286 for the most up-to-date Town events schedule.

It is so pleasing to hear that, according to an article published in The Charlotte Observer, Stephen Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research a.k.a. Dr. Beach has once again chosen beaches in North Carolina in the top ‘10’ list for beaches in the United States.  Dr. Beach rates Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks as No. 8!  The No. 1 beach in 2007 was Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on the Outer Banks.  The list is compiled after meeting a list of 50 criteria such as water, sand quality, facilities and environmental management.

Here on the Outer Banks, we reputedly have the highest salt content in the air in the United States.  Stainless steel grills are advertised to be rustproof, but here at the beach that is just not true.  Even if the “stainless” exterior lasts slightly longer, the components rust out just as quickly as the cheapest grill on the market.  Many of these parts can be replaced, but cannot be found in local stores. This means that additional grills must be rented while parts are ordered online.

We have two recommendations.  One is to buy an inexpensive grill every spring and count on replacing it annually.  The other is to buy a slightly more expensive Weber grill, which has interchangeable parts that can be bought locally.  Either way, the repair/replacement costs are less expensive and the time involved is much smaller.

These are just two items to consider, but the balance between short and long-term costs is worth considering before buying any product where there are multiple options available.  There are also many consumer reports on grills available for research on the Internet.

Dear Carolina Designs Realty:

We arrived home yesterday from our first ever vacation on the Outer Banks and we felt the need to write and thank Carolina Designs Realty for making our stay more pleasurable than any of us could have ever imagined.  Our immediate and extended family (11 of us all together) spent an unforgettable week in one of the most accommodating homes imaginable, #939 Summer Palace.  Needless to say, it did not take any convincing for all of us to agree that we will continue to vacation in the Outer Banks and will make Carolina Designs Realty a part of our vacations for many years to come.

Having no knowledge of any of the Outer Banks areas, we took the advice of a friend and used your awesome website to choose a home that seemed suitable to all of us.  We chose the home in the Southern Shores community and could not have been happier with the home or its wonderful location.  When we arrived at the home after a very speedy check-in procedure, we were delighted to find the house in immaculate condition.  You should be very proud of your housekeepers for the level of cleanliness they must strive to achieve.

We did have a minor issue with pool heating and a small leak due to a storm, but we looked at both as an opportunity to experience for ourselves the top notch customer service that we have read about so often from other Carolina Designs Realty renters.  And we were certainly not disappointed.  We will definitely recommend your company to all of our family and friends.  Thank you for officially making us OBX vacationers for life.  We cannot wait to see you again on our next visit in May 2009!

Don & Crystal Corson
Ford City, PA

For any past weeks that have not already been pre-reserved for 2009, interested parties may use the search engine located at the top of our home page next to “Online Reservations” called 2009 Availability.  They may simply click on this icon and it will take provide a basic search as well as a more detailed search.

This area can also be accessed by clicking on an icon “2009 Search” located just under the icon “Advanced Search” located toward the middle of our home page.

If there is a property that you want for a particular week but it has already been pre-reserved.  Check back with us around the first or second week of December.  If the guest has not confirmed the reservation by paying their first half deposit, the reservation will be cancelled and placed back on the market.  Keep on the lookout on our web site or simply give us a call at that time and we can advise you as to the potential availability of any home.

From information gathered from an article, Turbines sprout as wind power draws attention in N.C., by Jeff Hampton, a writer for Pilot Online, winds off the Cape Hatteras sea shore generate an approximate 17 mph at 120 feet off ground and rates as some of the most potentially productive in the state, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. 

Brent Summerville with the North Carolina Small Wind Initiative at Appalachian State University stated that the state is windy enough to sustain a total turbine capacity of close to12,000 megawatts.  “Most of that capacity would have to come from turbines built off the coast or in the sounds.  Currently, the handful of turbines in use has a total rating of less than 1 megawatt.  With the intent of creating a market for alternative power production, the state and federal governments are offering tax credits.  Wind energy costs about 5 cents per kilowatt-hour and could provide 20 percent of the nation’s energy needs according to the Department of Energy.

Currituck and Camden counties have recently passed wind turbine ordinances.  In Dare County, a 70-foot-tall windmill has been installed at the Coquina Beach bathhouse and another has been built by the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills.  Interest in wind power surged after North Carolina passed a law last year that will require utilities to buy 10% of their power from renewable energy sources by 2018.  In accordance with this law, Dominion North Carolina Power announced plans to develop a 300-megawatt wind-generation facility in Springfield, IL.  The turbines will produce electricity by 2011; generating nearly 1,300 megawatts of renewable generation.  Dominion also announced its partnership with BP Alternative Energy, a leading wind developer, to jointly develop wind-energy projects.

Meet on Jockey’s Ridge to watch the dune hang gliding competitions Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week for Kitty Hawk Kites 36^th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular.  Every day offers exciting exhibitions from skilled professionals, activities for the family to participate in such as kitemaking.  There will be face painting for the kids.  The street dance to live music begins at 8:00 p.m.  A finale of ‘air games’ from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. offered at the Currituck County Airport takes place on Monday.

For all the details, call 877.FLY.THIS!

“I just wanted to drop a line to thank you all and tell you how much we enjoyed our vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  We stayed in the most beautiful house in Corolla, #289 From Sea To Tee.  It had everything we needed and more.  The staff at Carolina Designs was so helpful when we needed to call.  I’ve told all my friends here in Massachusetts about the great times to be had in the Outer Banks and the people to rent from.  We will be back.  Thanks again!”
Sincerely,
Leslie & Ron Leitao

From an article in the Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals Association newsletter, internal customer service is explained as a service that we provide to fellow employees and to other departments within our organization.  By helping others in the company, you help the company succeed.  Superior internal customer service improves morale, productivity, employee retention, external customer service, and profitability.  To provide excellent internal customer service, treat everyone on your organization with kindness and respect.

Treat fellow employees as your customers-as VIP’s.  Greet all internal customers and find out what their needs are.  View interruptions as opportunities to serve your internal customers, not as nuisances.  Look at every need from a colleague as an opportunity to move our organization toward its goals.  Take pride in helping your colleagues.  Your willingness to help others get their job done will lead them to assist you when you need it.  Exceed your internal customer’s expectations just as you would for any guest or vacation rental owner who walks though our doors.  This is one reason why our company stands out among the rest – our customer service starts from the inside out!

Thanks to the diligent efforts of our beloved Sales Administrator, Sarah Corcoran, our office was transformed one step at a time to become as Earth friendly as possible.  The Styrofoam cups were replaced by glasses that can be washed and used again.  All paper, plastic, glass and cardboard are collected for recycling in an industrial sized recycling storage bin, shared with our next door neighbors at Red Sky Café’.  Paperless procedures and email are used rather than producing copy upon copy of needless wasted paper. 

In addition, we use compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) which give the same amount of visible light as an incandescent light bulb, are extremely energy-efficient and have a longer rated life.  The use of CFLs reduces the release of mercury and greenhouse gases from coal-burning power plants. If every home in America used just one CFL, it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 800,000 cars annually.

We encourage our vacation rental home owners to follow suit and provide tips to become more energy efficient and Earth friendly.�