Congratulations College of the Albemarle

Posted by Mike Bishal on August 24th, 2016

Great news for anyone looking to move to the Outer Banks, who wants a good local college program. The College of the Albemarle has just been announced as the #1 Community College in North Carolina by Schools.com.

The DailyAdvance reported:

In an article last month, Schools.com ranked COA the best of the state's 58 community colleges, praising it for its affordability, accessibility and other factors. Taking second and third place in Schools.com’s rankings were Craven Community College and Pitt Community College, respectively.

COA's service to its seven-county region is “widely acknowledged,” Schools.com said on its website, noting the college’s campuses in Elizabeth City, Edenton-Chowan and Currituck and Dare counties. The company also…

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Will the Outer Banks Water Park Have an Effect on Real Estate?

Posted by Mike Bishal on August 11th, 2016

    We reported back on Wednesday, April 20th, 2016 that a proposed water park could be coming to Currituck County. It has now been reported by multiple news stations that the water park has been approved and it is slated to open in 2017.  From reports it seems that the water park will handle up to 5,000 visitors a day. It could be quite the positive change for the area, as one of the criticisms the area faces is the lack of things to do for vacationers. The ability to give an additional 5,000 people an outlet for family fun is great.   From initial reports it seems like the park is going to have a very Outer Banks kinda-theme with lighthouses, pirate ships, and more. Wavy-TV writes:   Right now, the plans are to construct…

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Growth of Currituck County Is Good for the OBX

Posted by Mike Bishal on June 14th, 2016

A recent article from thinkcurrituck.com, Opportunities in Currituck County Abound, has some excellent reasoning behind why we could see continued growth along the corridor to the Outer Banks. In their article they list, 3 potential factors but we see two of them as the main driver for the Outer Banks.

1.  Construction of the Mid-Currituck Bridge 

After more than 40 years of discussion and debate, the $440 million project is now on the fast track to get underway. Gov. Pat McCrory’s fiscal year 2017 budget accelerated the project timeline by two years, which now calls for construction to begin in fiscal year 2019, with a completion date by 2025. In addition to making the famed outer banks more accessible to tourism-based businesses, the bridge has…

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Storm Surge Maps on the Outer Banks

Posted by Mike Bishal on May 27th, 2016

The Virginia-Pilot reports that the National Hurricane Center is launching storm surge maps for the Outer Banks.

Hurricane Center to launch new storm surge maps after successful tests on Outer Banks

The National Hurricane Center will launch storm surge inundation maps for the first time this summer, predicting where and how deep flooding will hit here and elsewhere.

Two years ago the maps were tested on the Outer Banks. Data from hundreds of hurricane forecast scenarios was fed into a supercomputer. Hurricanes and tropical storms are measured according to wind speed.

The new maps turn attention to flooding. Storm surge threats could be worsening as the ocean level rises and more people build on the coast, said Jamie Rhome, storm surge…

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Water Park Coming to the Outer Banks?

Posted by Mike Bishal on April 20th, 2016

The Outer Banks Voice is reporting that a proposed waterpark in Currituck may receive approval and become an important destination for Southern Currituck County. From the OBX Voice...

Although there have been rumors of various attractions coming to southern Currituck for decades, this is one that might be completed, said Currituck Planning Director Ben Woody.

The county’s Planning Board has approved the company’s initial plans, and has recommended that the county commissioners give it their OK. Residents will have a chance to speak out on the project during the county commissioners’ meeting in early May.

“This is probably the most tangible project we’ve ever approved,” Woody said. Recent plans for county growth included a solar farm and a ropes course…

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3 Myths About Buying Cheap Sunglasses

Posted by Mike Bishal on March 25th, 2016

Go get yourself some (cheap) sunglasses When you wake up in the morning and the light is hurt your head The first thing you do when you get up out of bed Is hit that streets a-runnin’ and try to beat the masses And go get yourself some cheap sunglasses

 

ZZ Top knows what’s up. And thankfully, it is pretty easy to find a pair of sunglasses that looks good and protects your eyes — no matter what your budget is.

To help make the experience of buying a pair of sunglasses a little less confusing, here’s the truth about some of the most common myths about sunglasses:

3 Myths About Cheap Sunglasses 

Myth #1: Sunglasses with 100% UV protection are expensive

False: You do not have to pay a premium for proper UV…

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Will Virtual Reality Technology Change Real Estate on the Outer Banks?

Posted by Mike Bishal on January 23rd, 2016

Coming across this recent article, The Impact Of VR On Real Eestate In 2016, got me thinking about whether or not it would be useful for virtual reality technology to be applied to real estate on the Outer Banks? After reflecting on it, I think it's closer than you would think.

Buying a destination vacation home would be aided if virtual reality or 360 video home and neighborhood tours were available. I think we would see more homes being bought on the Outer Banks as anyone interested in learning more abou the area would now have access to video that will enable them to experience it almost as close as being here.

whether or not we see this technology adopted early in 2016 remains to be seen.

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Sunrise, Sunset.....Outer Banks Offers Both

Posted by Mike Bishal on June 11th, 2015

Being a nearly 30 year resident of the Outer Banks I have come to enjoy the naturalness of the area. The beaches, of course, bring most to a relaxed state of mind and the biggest reason why folks choose to live or own a second home here. Whether it is a walk along the shore in the fall or winter, or sunbathing and soaking in the warm surf waters in the summer there is much to enjoy on the Outer Banks beaches. 

The big water views that folks think of here are about the ocean, first. While most vacationers sleep in (who wouldn't when no alarms need to be set!) some get up early enough to see a glorious sunrise. It begins most times with the soft hue of purples that move to a deep blue. This all depends on the amount of clouds and humidity in the air.…

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Check Your Insurance Before Starting Any Home Remodel

Posted by Mike Bishal on September 4th, 2014

Are you planning on renovating or remodeling your home on the Outer Banks? It is important to understand the ramifications it could have for your homeowner's insurance. For a general idea on, The Importance of Insurance During a Home Remodel.

Importance of Insurance While Remodeling

Having the correct insurance coverage is an often-overlooked aspect of starting a home improvement project. Building an addition or making renovations may leave you without adequate insurance coverage or could expose you to unexpected liabilities. Before you start your project, take a moment and consult with your personal insurance professional.

Read the Entire Article 

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5 Ways to Make Your Home More Hurricane Resistant

Posted by Mike Bishal on August 29th, 2014

September traditionally marks the beginning of the most active part of the Atlantic Hurricane season. Here are a few tips from the Insurance Information Institute on ways to make your Outer Banks home more hurricane resistant.

 

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