Christmas Rental in OBX? Reccomendations?

[MKCP5]

Hey my budget friends. We are looking to rent an oceanfront home in the outer banks the week after Christmas. We have rented further south, in the cape fear area, but never in OBX. Looking for referrals for a good realtor there, or a vrbo. Sharing it with 2 other families so we have a little bit to spend, but as always want to be careful of the budget. Thanks in advance for any tips or advice!

 

[lauti]

We use and have been satisfied with Twiddy.

 

[mcorbo]

We have used Kitty Dunes and Joe Lamb in the past and have never had any complaints.

 

[ccstrickler]

Check various realtor's sites on-line. Some owners close down the houses for the winter months. Also, many restaurants close after Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, but there are enough good ones still going. Also remember that these houses have been rented all summer/fall and may not have been "refreshed" yet. One with a fireplace would be nice. The winter month rental rates are usually very good, but remember it is winter--not northern winter, but still winter.

 

[3boymthr]

We've used Kitty Dunes for the Kill Devil Hills area and Midgett for Hatteras Island. We were very happy with both.

ETA - our rentals were off season but not Christmas time. Also we like Midgett better as far as getting a "whole picture" pricing scheme. There were no add ons to the advertised rate beyond Travel Insurance and Taxes.

 

[wekhogan]

Have you decided where you're staying? I think we used Hatteras Realty. OBX is so different from north to south - we liked the more old fashioned feel of Hatteras, Avon and Rodanthe much more than the super polished Duck and Corolla. Also decide on oceanfront or intercoastal. Have a wonderful vacation - such a magical place.

 

[queenofthehive]

We have stayed in Avon in the past. We have used Hatteras Realty and Midgett Realty with no issues. Houses were clean and did not have any issues.

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

We enjoy staying south of Nags Head. We usually use Beaches Realty.

 

[mom2t]

We stayed at #675 with Surf or Sound Realty. I looked at all the websites and they were the only ones that the website answered almost all my questions before I called. Super great company would rent from them in a heart beat. They are at Waves on Hatteras Island. We liked it better there.

 

[MKCP5]

All our trips in the past have been summer beach trips, and we have been in Topsail, which is south of the Outer Banks. We love it there, but are vacationing with friends from GA and VA and we are from MA and wanted to try something new. I have NO CLUE about the different areas of OBX. We would like oceanfront, even though we won't be swimming because it will be too cold. Just love watching the waves and walking on the beach, walking right out our door to do it. We do have teens with us who will probably want to wander a bit, but they can all drive so they can explore that way. Will check out the different suggestions for realtors and see what we can find. Any other ideas or suggestions about the area or the trip are very welcomed!

 

[3boymthr]

All our trips in the past have been summer beach trips, and we have been in Topsail, which is south of the Outer Banks. We love it there, but are vacationing with friends from GA and VA and we are from MA and wanted to try something new. I have NO CLUE about the different areas of OBX. We would like oceanfront, even though we won't be swimming because it will be too cold. Just love watching the waves and walking on the beach, walking right out our door to do it. We do have teens with us who will probably want to wander a bit, but they can all drive so they can explore that way. Will check out the different suggestions for realtors and see what we can find. Any other ideas or suggestions about the area or the trip are very welcomed!

I'd avoid most of Frisco, Avon and Buxton then and check views and maps VERY carefully in all other locations. Even ocean front properties can be set back quite a ways from the ocean. For example, the house from "Nights in Rodanthe" (The Inn at Rodanthe - which can be rented BTW) and is ocean front but it sits further back than at least one other row of houses, it's just that there are no houses between it and a direct line of sight to the ocean. Some ocean front houses in Avon and Frisco you'd be lucky to see the ocean from the roof. OTH the house we stayed in this summer was closer to the ocean than the Inn at Rodanthe (which was two houses over from us), we could watch the kids play in the waves from the deck, it took 30 seconds to be in the water, but it was "one back".

We found Rodanthe especially to be "away from it all" We loved it but it was a minimum of 1/2 hour to any activities except kiteboarding and from a grocery store as opposed to the little convenience markets.

 

[shelwoj]

We've used http://www.beachrealtync.com/index.htm for about 10 years now. We've always had great service and highly recommend them.

Matter of fact, we're staying in #157 the first week of November.

 

[Crystal824]

We've used http://www.beachrealtync.com/index.htm for about 10 years now. We've always had great service and highly recommend them.

Matter of fact, we're staying in #157 the first week of November.

We used them to. We had no complaints.

 

[MKCP5]

So I think we have found a house Now to figure out what to do while we are there! To be fair, the bulk of the time we want to just rest, play games, walk on the beach, and cook. BUT if we did want to check things out in the area, and I know a lot of things will be closed for winter, what would you recommend for the Avon area?

How far away is Chicoteague? Am I just being romantic or would we actually be able to see the horses?

 

[lauti]

So I think we have found a house Now to figure out what to do while we are there! To be fair, the bulk of the time we want to just rest, play games, walk on the beach, and cook. BUT if we did want to check things out in the area, and I know a lot of things will be closed for winter, what would you recommend for the Avon area? How far away is Chicoteague? Am I just being romantic or would we actually be able to see the horses?

That's far from Avon. There are several wild horse tours that operate from Corolla that you could take to see the horses, but again very far from Avon.

 

[delmar411]

So I think we have found a house Now to figure out what to do while we are there! To be fair, the bulk of the time we want to just rest, play games, walk on the beach, and cook. BUT if we did want to check things out in the area, and I know a lot of things will be closed for winter, what would you recommend for the Avon area?

How far away is Chicoteague? Am I just being romantic or would we actually be able to see the horses?

Chicoteague is in Virgina. Like 5hrs from the OBX.

Most everything is closed in the off season. I'd suggest bringing your own activities. But here is a list of events in the area
http://www.outerbanks.org/outerbanks-events/

 

[danygirl]

You can see similar horses in the OBX on Ocracoke Island but the will be in a pen. OBX has a cool pirate museum in hateras, there is an aquarium, but I imagine lots of stuff will be closed

 

[mom2t]

So I think we have found a house Now to figure out what to do while we are there! To be fair, the bulk of the time we want to just rest, play games, walk on the beach, and cook. BUT if we did want to check things out in the area, and I know a lot of things will be closed for winter, what would you recommend for the Avon area?

How far away is Chicoteague? Am I just being romantic or would we actually be able to see the horses?

We did one of the horse tours at Corolla when we went this summer. Best money we spent.

 

[3boymthr]

The wild horse tours in Corolla would definitely be much closer than going to Chincoteague but still Avon is probably 70 miles from Corolla.

 

[HeidiGW]

Go see the horses in Corolla...don't know if the tours will be running--they were open air-jeeps with one company when we did them in the summer--but if you have a four-wheel drive, you can drive up there yourself.
WELL worth the trip and lots of shells on thoses beaches.
Pick up some of those ad books and they will explain the rules. Don't go near or touch--they are WILD--but DO NOT FEED! A colt died last time I was there because people fed it a carrot or something.
Also, make sure to hit "Duck Donuts" ...the best one is in Duck, but there are now locations all over. I don't even like cake doughnuts and LOVE them!
Have fun...we LOVE OBX!!!