The typical investor would seem to fit the profile for Outer Banks home buyers.  This is from the NAR.  The typical international buyer purchased a single-family vacation home costing $297,400. Four in 10 paid for their U.S. property with cash, compared with 7 percent for all domestic buyers. The typical international owner stayed at his or her U.S. property for 2.6 months during the year. 

The NAR also found that many foreign investors were looking to purchase the more expensive homes in an area.  Sometimes as great as 36 percent more than the same domestic home buyers average.  One aspect of foreign home buyers preference, that for condos and townhomes, may not fit well with the Outer Banks.  Besides this small fact it is shocking we have not seen an increase in foreign investment along the Outer Banks. 

This first appeared in the Coastland Times:

SEWER MORATORIUM

The Village at Nags Head Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facility

Carolina Water Service in Dare County cannot accept the discharge of additional waste to The Village at Nags Head Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facility effective August 19, 2008 due to problems associated with the treatment system.  Therefore, The Village at Nags Head Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facility is hereby placed on a sewer moratorium at its waste water treatment plant effective August 19, 2008.

On the basis of thorough staff review and application of Article 21 of Chapter 143, General Statues of North Carolina, Public Law 92-500 and other lawful standards and regulations, the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission has determined that The Village at Nags Head Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facility is unable to adequately collect and treat waste tributary to its wastewater treatment facility.

North Carolina General Statute 143-215.67(a) directs that no person subject to the provision of NCGS 143-215.1, 143-215.108 or 143-214.109 shall cause or allow the discharge of any wastes to a disposal system in excess of the capacity, which the disposal system cannot adequately treat.  The moratorium on additional sewer connections will remain in effect until Carolina Water Service has rectified the current noncompliant condition of the facility and has obtained written permission from the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission suspending the moratorium.

The permit and other information may be inspected during normal office hours at the Division of Water Quality, Central Files, Archdale Building, 512 North Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, telephone: (919)733-7015.  Copies of the information on file are available upon request and payment of the costs of reproduction.

Questions regarding the status of the sewer moratorium should be directed to Mr. Danny Lassiter, Carolina Water Service at 252-240-1398.

It would appear their is a direct relationship between the beach driving injunction and loss of revenue along Hatteras Island. Many local groups are gathering to work to repel Judge Terrance Boyle’s injunction. Local politicians like Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr have joined the fight along with Congressman Walter Jones. Some of the local groups working together include: Dare County Commissioners, Outer Banks Preservation Association, local fishing groups, and most town councils. The Outer Banks Association of Realtors has even issued a resolution supporting bills S3113 and HR6223. This issue is becoming a major topic of all Outer Banks conversations.

According to the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation, state parks generate an estimated $289 million dollars annually to the local economies. The parks economic impact also creates an estimated $120 million towards locally generated incomes. The research was done by N.C. State University for the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Needless to say, the effective preservation and management of state parks is essential.

The study also found the average visitor to a North Carolina state park spends $23.56 a day. Proper management is essential in maintaining our state parks. One of the parks studied was Jockeys Ridge State Park.

The study found over 871, 572 visitors in 2004. It is a interesting breakdown of visitors. Twenty five percent of all visitors came with the intention of seeing the park. Sixty-nine percent were casual use, non-local visitors, (visitors residing out of Dare County that are in the area for reasons other than visiting the park). The numbers basically confirm that the park is a great draw for the area. 1 in 4 visitors to the park have come from outside Dare County to visit. The fact is the park helped to draw 214,988 visitors to the Outer Banks.

One of the top draws to Jockeys Ridge has always been hang gliding. The is even a hang gliding school operated within the park. Besides the obvious draw of hang gliding, hiking and educational activities actually make up the two biggest draws. These draws add up to over ten million dollars.

Actually the study found the estimated economic impact was over $10,700,000. The money spent by the visitors to the park are vital to helping drive tourism in the Outer Banks and especially in Nags Head. The study found the economic impact equates into 247 jobs for the local economies. With such impressive statistics a case can be made for an additional state park in the Outer Banks. For more information on the study.

The traffic over the Wright Memorial Bridge was extremely heavy on Saturday.  The heavy traffic would seem to what appeared to be a booming 4th of July weekend on the Outer Banks.  Many local business owners were reporting record sales.

The combination of increased traffic and what seems like strong numbers should bode well for Outer Banks businesses.  A slower June had some local business owners concerned about the state of the season.  The numbers are not in but it does seem that it was a booming weekend for tourism in the Outer Banks.

One of the most important weeks of the year is here.  July 1-7 is National Clean Beaches Week.  Locally Dare County is sponsoring a beach clean-up on July 5th.  This week is an important part of maintaining tourism in beach communities. 

Personally I think week’s like this should garner more exposure.  Maintaining the beaches and especially tourism is an important part of all areas affected by tourism.  Beach communities account for over 85% of all tourism revenues generated in the United States.  The total revenues are over $640 billion. 

Using those simple numbers it is easy to see how important it is to maintain high quality beaches in the Outer Banks and throughout the rest of the world.  Sustainable tourism should be the goal of everyone in every beach community.

Currituck County in particular is experiencing a budget surplus for 2008.  Revenues are not down all along the beach as shown by Currituck’s increased revenues.  Dare County on the other hand has seen their revenue fall for 2008.  The numbers so far do not show the season being bad at all.  Actually some are now calling for a booming 4th of July.

     Repeat guests are incredibly important to maintaining strong home rentals year after year.  Taking such a simple step can reap benefits year after year.   Some ideas for owner’s gifts can include:

Owner’s Gift Ideas:

Gift Certificates to local restaurants

Bottles of Wine

Gas Cards

Gift Baskets

Discounts to repeat guests

Discounted or free show or local attraction tickets