Tips for a Stress Free Move

August 26, 2020/in Real Estate /by Amanda Gray

Moving can be challenging and stressful, at best. It can be difficult to remember everything that you need to do during this life-changing event. Here are some useful tips for a stress free move.

Preparation

Write down the names and numbers of utility companies and make the transfers. Give yourself at least a week, as many utility companies can’t transfer service the next day. Change your address with the postal service at least a week in advance.

Finding Packing Supplies

Boxes can be expensive. Check with your local retailers, ABC stores and furniture stores. When you’re finished unpacking, advertise the free boxes on Craigslist so you won’t have to dispose of them.

Packing

Consider your move as a time to organize. Designate areas for items to donate and items to sell at a garage sale.
Pack the items you use the least first.
Dust items as you pack so that you won’t have to dust when you unpack.
Wrap small fragile items in brightly colored tissue paper so they won’t accidentally be thrown away.
Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box.
Color-code boxes by designating a color for each room. Place a colored sticker on each box. Be sure to mark boxes that are fragile.
Use suitcases, baskets, hampers and clothes baskets in place of boxes. Pack small kitchen items such as spices in large pots.
Stack plates vertically to save room. Plates are also less likely to break if stacked vertically.
Use newspapers, towels and/or clothes instead of bubble wrap for fragile items to save money.
When disassembling furniture, place screws and parts in a Ziploc bag and tape to the base of the furniture so that it is easily accessible when time to reassemble.

The First Night

Pack one overnight bag or box with the bare necessities you’ll need for the first night. Chances are that you’ll be too tired to search for these items after the big move.

Do you have any moving tips to share? Please let us know in the comments below.

Finding Your Match

August 26, 2020/in Real Estate /by Amanda Gray

Finding your match isn’t easy. Choosing an agent that works well with you and your home search or sells is an important task. You will be spending a lot of time with your real estate agent and there are things you need to know before committing to a annual relationship. Click the image below to watch a quick 2-minute video on what you need to know about your perfect agent hunt.

What to ask:

Read the agent biography. Do they have similar interests to you? Are their skills in line with your buying or selling goals? Are their accolades in line with what you will be looking for in a home or the kind of property you will be selling
Are they familiar with the area you are buying or selling in?
Is your preferred form of communication text, phone calls, or emails? Make sure your chosen agent is comfortable communicating in a way that is convenient to you!
Do you feel like he or she is a good listener? Do you feel that your goals, needs, and desires will be heard? Will they keep what you desire in the forefront when assisting?
Don’t be afraid to interview multiple agents. You are essentially hiring them

What to have Ready:

Have your top 5 priorities at hand to discuss with your potential agent
Make sure you have set a buying/selling timeline
Know how much you are willing to spend

Fly Free in NC

August 26, 2020/in Vacation Rental /by Amanda Gray

Fly Free in NC

– Clarissa G., marketing coordinator

Wright Brothers’s Glider Test Flight in 1902

Photo by OuterBanks.org

North Carolina is the perfect place to take flight. In 1903, the Wright Brothers took off from the sandy height of the dune at Jockey’s Ridge in Kitty Hawk in what is considered (unless you’re from Dayton, Ohio) to be the first powered flight. Two military bases and an air field just moments from the coast keep aviation in the forefront of our minds (and EARS!). Flying is a thrill that many people love. Me personally, I don’t find planes enjoyable. I’m not a terribly social person, and I don’t enjoy crowded spaces, so that probably explains my aversion to commercial flight.

This is not fun for someone with social anxiety. Or anyone else, for that matter!

But when I’m laying on the beach and watching the waves crash against the sand, I’m always wondering what it must be like to be a sea bird. I think I would like that kind of flight… free, open and at my leisure with nothing but air around me.

Pelicans, gulls, even an egret or sandpiper. Of course all birds get to experience the view from above – but to be a sea bird must be a wonderful thing. They get to have all 3 – land, air and water. The sights they must see from above – watching the waves roll in from far out to sea and up over the sand; tiny little specks of people frolicking on the beach – HERE is where they are carefully concentrated, hoping someone will kindly toss a chip or piece of bread into the air; watching whales, dolphins and large schools of fish make their way through the salty waters.

Fly Free in NC

If I could childishly pick “anything” to be for a day, I think I would be a pelican. I love watching them soar through the air in a pack. Sometimes it’s they’re so close overhead that it feels like I could reach up and touch them. When they’re cruising out over the water and see something tasty, they swoop up and then dive bomb down into the water. They hunt and fish in packs, as well. Sometimes if there is a good school running you’ll see them diving in pairs and then floating while they enjoy their catch.

Check out this GoPro video by YouTuber “hkstrongside” of a pelican diving for food right in front of him. He got the full underwater shot, too! Note: If you have nothing pressing to do, check out the “Pelican Learns to Fly” and “Pelican Learns to Fish” clips, too. Pelican’s eye view and the most snuggly pelican ever. Seriously, his name is Big Bird and he loves his people.

Given all of this birdy background, you can imagine that when we decided to get footage for our website with a drone I was completely excited. I love that drone footage is becoming so popular. I love that we get to see what these guys have seen forever – the world from the air – so easily. In the past, we got aerial photos every few years in order to create the aerial maps you see linked to each property. That was really neat to see because some parts of the island look so different from above, and there are some parts you wouldn’t get to see any other way. But the drone footage took that to a whole other level and gave us sweeping views from the air of the coastline sweeping down from the dunes, the waves filing in to meet the sand and how majestic the line of houses looks from out over the water. Watching that type of drone footage is probably about as close as I’ll ever get to knowing what the pelicans and gulls see every day. And you know what? I think those guys have it pretty good, if it’s even half as breathtaking as this footage is. Check out what we did with the footage!

Live Music Returns to The AB Circle

August 26, 2020/in Vacation Rental /by Amanda Gray

Live Music Returns to The AB Circle

3rd Annual Beach Music Festival and 1st Annual Crystal Coast Music Festival

The Atlantic Beach Circle was known for its live music for decades. The Pavilion in between 1957-1995, Chevyz in the 70’s-80’s, Jolly Knave, Lisa’s, and Big Surf to name a few. All these establishments brought the jam! So many musical acts have performed at these spots that we call ‘The Circle’. Some were coastal favorites others national and international musicians that graced this small coastal town with reggae, shag, rock to heavy metal. As I explored the Facebook page that immortalize these places; by sharing photos of the glory days on the circle; I realized the huge impact it had on past generations. The sunny days spent on the sand; dancing and socializing were the norm. For many years the Circle was silent during a period of redevelopment. All things come to an end then begin again! The Circle has begun to welcome back the crowds of new beach goers. This year we welcome back the 3rd Annual AB Beach Music Festival and the 1st (and hopefully not last) Annual Crystal Coast Music Festival to the sands of our coast!

The AB Beach Music festival brought the music back to AB in 2014, drawing huge crowds for its 1^st annual event! Returning for its 3^rd year, May 21st from 11am-6pm on the boardwalk at the Circle, 105 Atlantic Blvd. Admission is free to the public but pets and glass containers are prohibited. People returned to the circle to reminisce of days gone by. Due to the tremendous success of this event, The AB Beach Music festival will return this year with such acts as crowd favorites Holiday Band and Band of Oz.

Featuring

Emcee John Moore | Holiday Band | Band of Oz | Fantastic Shakers | Mighty Saints of Soul

This year the Circle will host the Crystal Coast Music Festival, offering popular 90’s pop rock band Third-Eye Blind along with up and coming Robert Delong an LA based performer. Judah & The Lion an American folk band from Nashville and opening act Amasa Hines which infuses a diverse range of Soul, Afro-Beat, Psychedelic, Blues and Indie Rock. If you’re interested in listening to bands, search them on YouTube and give a listen. (I was pleasantly surprised by Amasa Hines! I could totally see myself at this event.) Sales have began through Ticketmaster or by phone at 800-745-3000 with gates opening at 3pm. Advance admission ticket price is$18 with upgrade VIP tickets available for $75 (This includes preferred entry, viewing area, exclusive cash bar and restrooms) Day-of General Admission goes to $23. If you want more information go to their website to see more. www.crystalcoastmusicfest.org

75th Airshow

August 26, 2020/in Vacation Rental /by Amanda Gray

75th Airshow at Cherry Point MCAS in Havelock, NC

Though it was a bit colder than expected, my husband and two nieces were determined to enjoy the 75th airshow this year. Derrick (husband) is an aircraft engineer at the base the show was held at and becomes a little boy anytime he even mentioned going, seeing or meeting some of the Blue Angel pilots.

The clouds did not deter the awesomness that is the V22 Raptor. You could not even imagine how loud this aircraft was. I kid you not, my heart re-adjusted itself to beat with the sound waves. The Blue Angels only come through the air station every other year and put on a show for the entire community. And may I add that it is FREE! It’s a nice way to promote awareness of the programs and machinery our tax dollars are funding.

Interesting facts:

Derrick got to tour the planes while at work the Wednesday before and got the insider scoop on Blue Angel lifestyle. He found out that all of the Angels are on the road 300 out of the 365 days of the year!

Because they travel so much and live in hotels they are all pretty much Hilton Platinum Gold Silver status time 1000

Ironically their frequent flyer miles are to the sky and back in more ways than one

Fat Albert is responsible for carrying parts that could assist in any maintenance that aircrafts on the team need and it carries enough extra materials to basically build an entire one from SCRATCH

Just in case you hadn’t seen enough

A Few Facts About Swansboro

Founded in 1783, the “Friendly City by the Sea” offers a quaint, historic downtown district overlooking the water, numerous opportunities for coastal recreation, and a progressive town government that works to balance high-quality community growth with conservation of the community’s natural and historic resources.

Swansboro boasts a beautiful small harbor adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway and is only three miles from coastal recreational facilities in the Croatan National Forest. Swansboro is also the home of Hammocks Beach State Park and its unspoiled beaches.

Swansboro’s unique village atmosphere offers the opportunity to enjoy the community’s heritage while shopping in an area alive with restaurants, boutiques, gift shops, nightlife, and family-friendly, waterside parks.

Beach driving in NC
Get some sand on your tires!

…And on your floor mats…and on your seats…and in your soul

Mimi and Clarissa (me!)

– Clarissa G., Marketing Coordinator

There’s something to be said for taking your 4 wheel drive vehicle off the asphalt and onto the sand. Although I’ve lived on the coast since 2002, I’ve never owned a 4 wheel drive vehicle or been graciously toted out there by a friend. As I turned 30 last month, there are many things I’m trying to cross off my bucket list this year in hopes that I’ll feel particularly accomplished.

Myself and 2 other members of the marketing team, Janesa and Mimi, got especially lucky this week at work and were given the opportunity to cross one off of the items on my bucket list WHILE on the clock. (Our job rocks, right?!)

Here’s a visual of “The Point” on Google

It’s the Western tip of Bogue Banks, in the town of Emerald Isle

Maps were disabled by the visitor on this site. Click to open the map in a new window.

As part of our spring marketing plan, we want to start using more video content to share the sounds and sights of the sea with all of our landlocked friends and fans. I was especially excited when Facebook updated and released the “Live” video streaming for admins of Pages. Translation: This means we can run out to the beach with our phones and stream LIVE video of the beach onto the Bluewater Facebook fan pages. We have been waiting on this for MONTHS. **I know, I know, “months” doesn’t sound like long. But when we really want to share something awesome and technologically cool like a live stream of the waves roaring and 80° sunshine with our fans in Ohio who got snow last week, MONTHS feel like FOREVER.

Since the weather was PRIME – our legitimately 80°+ day this year – we decided to head out as a team to shoot some video and post a live stream for all of our fans. On the way out, Mark (our friendly welcome desk dude) offered to take it one step further and chauffeur us out onto the sand in his Jeep. We were elated! We loaded up the beach chairs and brown bag lunches and headed straight for the Point. Beach driving season ends April 30, so he was happy to get in one more dose of sand on the ‘ole Jeep.

We started the stream right as we entered at the driving access between Carousel and Almond House at the Point and headed across the wide stretch of sand toward the water.

CAN I JUST TELL YOU.

I was shocked at how close to the water he drove!

He explained that it’s actually safer to drive on the sand closer to the water because it’s more packed and firm, and that the soft sand further up toward the dunes is where you’re more likely to get stuck. Makes sense, but it was still crazy to be driving at the water’s edge. I may have been holding my handle a little tight at first. We drove all of the way down to the western tip and then turned around and drove back along the beach to just past the access at Channel Drive and Inlet Drive and pulled over to park.

Here comes my favorite part.

We lifted the back of the jeep up for shade and proceeded to dip our pasty April legs in the water and eat lunch in the sunshine. By this time there were more than a hundred people watching the live stream. I was so excited!! There were lots of other 4 wheel drive wielding beach lovers (and dogs!) taking advantage of the sun by laying out, fishing, playing cornhole.

When the tide started coming closer and closer to the jeep, we decided it was time to head back to the office. We had shot videos, taken photos and completed two live streams on the real estate and vacation rentals Facebook pages. Mark took us on one more loop up to see the Coast Guard station from the waterside on the way back (again, something I had never seen!) and showed us the inlets that form and fill in as the tide rises. It was really cool to know that we were driving somewhere that would be under water within a few hours. We passed folks who had tethered their boat and were sitting in the sun with a cooler and a set of cornhole boards, just passing the afternoon. We found out later it was actually one of our co-workers! I guess we know where the cool kids work, eh?

I know that driving on the beach isn’t a huge thing to most folks who live here, but to me it was something new and exciting that I have always wanted to try. It seems to epitomize the “island life” and to a former Ohioan like myself, nothing’s better than the island life.

Want to test your 4WD vehicle on the beach?

Click HERE for EI’s beach driving policy.

Check out the full tour

Stay tuned to our Facebook pages to catch the next live stream

Tips for a Stress Free Move

Finding Your Match

Fly Free in NC

Fly Free in NC