Village Realty OBX Blog

Lost......OBX style

The Village Realty People — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:05:50 GMT

Today's post was written by Jackie--our VP of Rentals.

Directions…...

This is a subject near and dear to my heart. I’ve lived on the Outer Banks for almost 27 years so “city” driving freaks me out. If anyone can get lost, it’s me. Just ask anyone who has been on a trip with me driving. Map Quest came along and I felt a little more confident and now with my GPS “telling” me where to go, I should be fine but no, the woman ( I decided I didn’t need a man telling me where to go) will warn me of a turn or an exit, tell me what lane to get in and all but drive for me and I still get a stomach ache with big trucks whizzing by. And don’t get me started on “merging”. Those folks just don’t have any manners!

SO… I’m very patient and compassionate when our seasonal visitors lose their way. This afternoon, I was walking my two dogs around my neighborhood, First Flight Village, which is Westside and mostly year ‘round in Kill Devil Hills about a mile from the ocean. A man and young boy flagged me down from their car window waving a printout from Map Quest. If only they had known what a “direction-impaired” person I am, they might have driven on to the next pedestrian. To make it more difficult, he said he was Russian but could speak English. My southern English and his Russian English didn’t quite mesh but anyway, he had really gotten on the wrong road… he was trying to find Schooner Ridge Road in Duck! I guess the shocked look on my face said it all. I told him he had gone in the wrong direction but sent him back to Hwy 158 turning left (good luck at that with no light and Saturday ck ins) and go about 6 miles and then on with directions to Duck warning him to slow down when it said 25 mph because they were serious! I asked if he was renting from a rental company or did he have a phone # of friends or relatives. NO to both. He just had keys to a house that belonged to a friend. Our encounter was about 4:30pm and with Saturday ck in traffic, he might get to Duck in a couple of hours. I told him if he had any problems finding his right turn into Schooner Ridge to just stop at any business (I hope he picks one on the right side of the road) after he gets to Duck and it will be easy to find.

This reminds me of another encounter with a couple who had REALLY gone the wrong way. I was in Corolla at the Villages at Ocean Hill checking out the oceanfront pool on a Saturday in 1995. A shiny red sports car pulled up, again waving a piece of paper with directions. However, these were handwritten and oddly enough, this couple’s accent was also much different than my southern English. In case you don’t know, the Villages at Ocean Hill is the northernmost subdivision before 4 wheel drive territory which ultimately leads you back to Virginia. Where was their destination? Rodanthe on Hatteras Island. I looked at them at 3pm on another very busy Saturday ck in day and said, “Wow! You took a left when you should have gone straight!” Then, I proceeded to tell them how to go to Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, over the Oregon Inlet Bridge and on to Rodanthe on Hatteras Island!

I guess I’m not the only one that has problems with directions. Surely they didn’t have knots in their stomach because although they were all going to be on the road longer than expected, they will see beautiful scenery along the way with a glimpse of the ocean here and there.

We hope all our visitors return year after year and will have no problems with directions.

Till Next Time,
Your OBX Bloggers

PS. Don’t ask about a trip to Parsipanny, NJ with my boss some years back. Thank goodness for MapQuest!

Corolla Check In Fun

The Village Realty People — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:56:37 GMT

One nice thing about our new Corolla office location is that we can have a party and not worry about disturbing our neighbors. We still have neighbors we have to worry about, but they aren’t right next door like our old location.

This season we have weekend entertainment for the first time. On Saturday we have Tim the Juggler, and on Sundays we have Steve the Dream, a DJ and master entertainer.

For most parents, driving a long way with children can be a challenge, “are we there yet,” “I’m tired of riding!,” or “I need to use the bathroom AGAIN.” I’m sure are all things parents are tired of hearing by the time they arrive at our office. If they arrive earlier than the house is ready, these two entertainers can at least keep the kids occupied, entertained or even help them burn some energy with a little limbo contest or try their hand at juggling. The quickest way to making parents happy is to put a smile on their child face. We are fortunate enough this season to have some entertainers who can do that, and they also keep the Corolla Village Realty staff entertained as well.

Next time you're in Corolla on a summer weekend, stop buy for you hand at the Chicken Dance.....enjoy a cold drink and say hey to the Village Realty people!
Till then
Your OBX (Guest) Blogger
BK in Corolla

The Ocean

The Village Realty People — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:19:21 GMT

Guest Blogger BK writes:

One of the things I enjoy the most about where I live is that I am very near the ocean. I also have a big lawn that requires at least an hour a week to mow. The part I enjoy after mowing is that I almost always go over to the beach and jump in the ocean to cool off and get cleaned up. Most of the time I think how wonderful life is that I have the luxury to jump in the ocean only a few yards away whenever I want, I mean how many people can say that?

There have been a few days, not many, but a few where I am drenched in sweat and grass clipping and itching from the bugs that I literally run across the street to jump in the water, only to be stopped dead in my tracks as I spot jellyfish in the surf. I haven’t been stung yet, and I do everything I can to avoid a jellyfish encounter so that I hope I never do get stung.

I just read an interesting article in the Virginia Pilot that indicated the jellyfish are becoming more numerous and wide spread largely due to man made reasons. They say we are over fishing the natural predators of jellyfish, such as Tuna, sharks and sword fish, and as the water temperatures increase due to global warming, the jellyfish are starting to thrive. Jellyfish float haplessly with the currents and discharge their venom automatically when they bump into something warm, such as people. We don’t have the most venomous kinds in our waters, but some of them such as the Portuguese man-of-war can be deadly or deliver a painful sting producing wounds that can last for weeks, months or years depending on the person and amount of contact.

They say that more jellyfish are a sign of a sick ocean, and describe them as the cockroaches of the ocean. Human caused stresses including global warming and over fishing are encouraging jellyfish surpluses in many tourist destinations around the world and most pronounced in the Mediterranean sea where the jellyfish are thriving in the damaged environment.

The good news is either our oceans are pretty clean or we have been very lucky. The number of jellyfish encounters this season has been at or below my personal recollection, only once this season have I been stopped in my tracks at the oceans edge debating whether I would let one or two jellyfish stop me from taking the plunge.

(**Note: BK volunteers at the NC Aquarium in Manteo every week and cleans the shark tank--while the sharks are in it!

Till Next Time
Your OBX Bloggers

Outer Banks

The Village Realty People — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:40:12 GMT

If you’re looking for a great place to eat lunch or dinner, you can always try Tortugas’ Lie Shellfish and Raw Bar. This restaurant is a small place on the beach road about mile post 11 in Nags Head that is very popular with the locals and tourist alike. They have great food that could please most tastes, and my personal favorite has always been the Wednesday night sushi, which during the summer doesn’t start until late night.

I go down there regularly 2 or 3 times a week, but I don’t eat there as often as I would like to, I go for the beach volleyball. One of the owners of the restaurant is a big beach volleyball player and fan and built two very nice sand volleyball courts behind the restaurant. We can always tell when the place is getting full because the restaurant patrons waiting for a seat will often walk around back and watch us play and enjoy a cocktail as they wait.

If you’re a sports fan and like watch some good competition, you have a good chance of seeing some tough games being played out back. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the nights you will most likely catch some games. There is the local group of regular players as well and many out of town players who will stop by for a few games while on vacation. There may be nights where only 4 people show up, or nights where 20 people are trying to get on the same two courts.

If you get a chance to try Tortugas’, I highly suggest a visit for some great food, and if you want to show up a little early to enjoy some sports action, we usually play a little better if we have spectators.

Guest Blogger BK

Christmas in July.........on the Outer Banks

The Village Realty People — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:50:49 GMT

Today's blog was written by KT in our Corolla Office

"'Twas the night before 'Christmas in July,' when all through the Corolla building…not a rental agent was stirring but bells were a jingling…the stockings were hung by the mini Christmas tree with care…in hopes that St. William (a.k.a.) Bill soon would be there…"

As the lyrics to 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town' by the Jackson 5 rang through the halls of Village Realty~Corolla Saturday July 26th…we were getting ready for another zany rental check-in day…but it was not to be just any other Saturday check-in day…it was CHRISTMAS IN JULY!

We decided we wanted to offer a fun-filled day to break up the monotony of the summer and we wanted to 'give something back' to our wonderful staff. So, Bill treated us to a terrific holiday meal of baked ham, mashed potatoes, zesty corn, green bean casserole, rolls, pecan pie and apple crumb pie. Most of it was homemade as well! Kudos to Bill…everything was delicious!

Bill and I had discussed what we wanted to do and we split up our tasks earlier in the week. His job was to find a few 'real' gifts to give to the Rental staff to match each person's unique personality and he completed his task successfully. Everyone loved their special gifts! I was given the task of purchasing lots of little gag gifts for stocking stuffers, candies and such for all Corolla staff in the area including housekeeping, maintenance, rentals and Sami, our beloved Rental/Sales Coordinator who does everything else!

I knew that I still had most of my Christmas CDs and decorations within an arm's reach....including a mini Christmas tree that still in my bedroom (yes, really.......that is for another post).

Friday night before our Christmas extravaganza Bill and I strung Christmas lights everywhere we could in our conference room, we hung Christmas balls from light fixtures, we hung stockings everywhere, we set up my mini Christmas tree next to our fireplace, we sat a miniature Santa right beside our mini tree and I even tossed around about 100 little doilies to resemble snow flakes! We really had a great time…great food was enjoyed and fun gifts were appreciated! Cheers to a great staff!

Hmmm…what must be do in August?? We'll think of something…until next month!

Your OBX (Guest) Blogger

So you want to live at the beach.....

The Village Realty People — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:19:31 GMT

When I was a freshman in college, I had a life changing event occur during one of my English classes. My teacher decided to show us the movie Office Space and it was then that I decided that I never wanted to work in a corporate environment. I do understand that the corporate ideas displayed in that movie were somewhat exaggerated, but I knew that there was some truth to what was being said. My dad had told me many stories that mirrored situations that I saw in that movie and I had many friends who went off to work in those environments that had similar stories to tell as well. I didn't want to wear a suit and tie to work everyday, or work in a cubicle, or have to worry about handing in TPS reports to 3 different bosses. So I decided that I was going to take a chance and move the Outer Banks. My family has had a home in Duck for about 13 years and we would always come down during the summer for vacation. I thought it would be great to live at the beach and be able to go surfing or fishing whenever I wanted. I was able to get a job at Village Realty within a month of moving and thought that things were working out according to my plan. I had a place to live, a job and I was within walking distance to the beach.

Well, about a month after I moved down, Hurricane Isabel struck the Outer Banks. The harsh reality of living along the coast hit me right in the face and I began to wonder if this was a sign of things to come. I had to evacuate and upon my return, I had to deal with unhappy tourists who were anxious to continue their vacation after the storm. It was at that point, that I realized that their is a huge difference between vacationing here and living/working here.  My idea of relaxing on the beach each day and being able to ride waves whenever I wanted was becoming less and less of a reality. The Outer Banks is a tourist destination that thrives on the money visitors spend on food, souveniers, attractions, etc.  It goes without saying that local businesses increase their pricing somewhat because they know people will spend more money when they are having a good time. This unfortunately does not help those of us who live here. The Outer Banks is a very expensive area to live..there is very little affordable housing available and the majority of people rent rather than own.

Aside from the cost of living, I found it was very difficult to get through the off seasons. There is a vastly different atmosphere down here in the winter months and it is almost depressing. Many stores and restaurants close and the number of people down here drops dramatically. I found it very hard to meet people my age and find things to do. So needless to say, I was ready for the warmer months to come again. Well, I soon realized that the months I used to long for while in school would become the months I would dread. All of the aspects that used to be part of my great vacation were now part of the reason I was regretting my decision to move here. Not to mention the traffic that made me late for work, the long lines at restaurants and all of the noise on the beach. How could I not have been bothered by all these things before when I was here on vacation? The place that I spent so many memorable summers was now the place that I couldn't wait to get out of.

I spent my 2nd winter trying to figure out what I should do next. Should I move to a big city and get one of those corporate jobs that I tried to hide from? Should I go back to school and take more time to figure out what I want to do with my life? I had no idea...I decided to go for a walk on the beach to try and think of some options for myself. As I began walking, I found myself more in tune with my surroundings than I had been since I moved down here. I was walking on the beach alone.....I began to hear and see things that I never noticed before. The sound of the sea oats blowing in the wind, the sound the waves made as they crashed on the shore and retreated back to the ocean, the laughing gulls arguing over food, and the sound of my feet as they hit the sand with every step. This was the Outer Banks in its truest form and I stopped to think....how many people have the chance to do what I am doing right now? Of all the people that are unhappy with their work, home life, place of residence, etc...how many of them can go for a walk on the beach to clear their head? Not many....I felt lucky and I figured out that my outlook on life at the beach needed to change.   I work hard...a full time job and at times 2 or 3 side jobs is my weekly routine. It isn't easy....I still have to deal with life challenges just like everyone else. However, after 5 years of living here, I know I made the right choice and I wouldn't trade places with anyone. The Outer Banks is a great place to vacation...but also a great place to live. If you are planning to move down here...just remember....the vacation will always end, but life on the Outer Banks goes on.

Say It Forward

The Village Realty People — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:25:05 GMT

Today's blog is the second in the series of "Say It Forward"........where we thank one of our co-workers for the work and effort they put forward on behalf of Village Realty or First Colony Inn.

When I think of this next person here are words that come to mind:

"quietly efficient"
"unflappable"
"always pleasant and professional"
"a team player"

as well as someone I would immediately hire if I was starting my own company.

She works at the front desk in our Nags Head office and is one of those people that just "gets it done". If you ask her to help with something there is never a reason to check behind her.........she will do all you ask and more.

Christine is one of those rare individuals who gets along with everyone, is respected and trusted and can be counted on to help with whatever is needed.   Working at the front desk means you (a) take reservations all day long (b) answer questions from guests and owners who either call or walk in (c) check guests in and out on the weekends (d) and a thousand other things on a daily basis.

I have heard her supervisors say on more than one occassion how valuable she is to the company and how much they enjoy working with her.   That pretty much says it all.

So, Christine........this one's for you!   Thank you for your dedication, customer service skills and your caring attitude towards both guests, owers and your fellow employees.

You are appreciated and we want you to know that.

Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
J

BK The RM

The Village Realty People — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:20:46 GMT

*(The Corolla office of Village Realty is comprised of a group of people who are very close and who work well together. The Rental Manager is Bill Koebernick and his team sent the following comments to me this morning. This is part of the "Pay It Forward" philosophy that was mentioned in a recent company newsletter. When you admire someone for who they are or what they do, or even for a specific act of kindness or courage that they have performed, never hesitate to let them know this. Your kind words or kind gesture could make a big difference in someone's life at any given time. Bill has no idea, I am sure, that the people he supervises/work with feel this way about him and knowing Bill --he used to be MY rental manager when we both worked somewhere else---I am sure he will be a little embarrassed but also quite touched by the sentiments expressed here. )

From Krista Templeton; The Owner Liasion and also the official Corolla cheerleader and one of my dear friends:

It is our pleasure to work with Bill Koebernick! Bill is a great friend, person and manager to us all! Bill is often one of the first people in the office daily. He is often one of the last in the office daily as well. And, I say 'daily' because he is here often on his days off attending to business that could not be addressed during the regular work week. Now, I know this can often be expected of upper management especially in the summer. But, Bill recently came in on his day off to have a cook out for us…now come on…how cool is that? And, I was actually put in charge of it but simply could not manage to find the time. Bill did all the shopping and Andrew Darling had the helm at the grill! TEAMWORK at its finest!

I just don't know where to begin and end because Bill does it all! Where is he when a package needs to be picked up or delivered? There he is…backing his truck up to help. He is off right now picking up our Corolla Light packets for the upcoming weekend. He recently helped guests relocate from a Currituck Club house due to unforeseen damages into a new home that was vacant that particular week. And, he has physically moved guests on many occasions. He is a very caring person and manager. He offers excellent customer service daily. He tries very hard to find a win/win solution so that owners stay and guests return. He can often be found disposing of trash for guests, owners and the office. He also helps haul off our recyclables. He is a great communicator. He keeps our office 'in the loop' with area events and information from our local Currituck Chamber and/or Board of Tourism. He keeps us posted on marketing committee decisions and web team highlights. He delegates well but jumps right in with the front line to do whatever it takes to run a smooth office. He is much appreciated for this as he is one of the team more so than the team leader but he wears well both 'hats.' He too is greatly appreciative of his staff and values deeply their input and opinions on the daily operations of the office. He is well respected and is respectful of others. He always has a quick answer when anyone is in a pinch; he trusts well his instincts and is often right in doing so. It is best to make a wrong decision that one can make amends of later than to make no decision at all. He takes full responsibility when something goes wrong in our office and is accepting to be made accountable if the 'goof' is ours. He is flexible with our schedules as long as our work is done and the front line is covered. I can always count on him for anything! He does not ask for or require a pat on the back to do all the things he does but he is well deserving of one!

Who can say it best but the staff that works alongside him........

From Sami…....I've only recently started working for Rentals...but I think Bill is an Awesome Boss. He stands up for his staff as well as the whole Corolla Staff, be it rentals, sales, maint. or housekeeping. He has a wonderful, fun way about him…

From Karen.....…I have lots of good stuff to say about Bill. I think he is a highly effective manager, who truly understands the meaning of customer service. Rarely does a guest not feel satisfied once Bill has intervened on their behalf. I feel as though Bill has a wonderful way with his staff - he gives guidance and then encourages his staff to handle situations to the best of their ability. This makes a staff member feel like a valued contributor to the mission of Village Realty. I admire Bill's athleticism; he runs, he dives, he plays volleyball, and all with the same commitment that he has to his professional life. And he probably qualifies as the Outer Banks Most Eligible Bachelor!! (*Personal note here from writer--Bill is quite handsome!)

From Bernie…....Bill is hard working and is always willing to try to resolve problems he is always available for us. I have never worked for a better Rental Manager. His dedication and loyalty should be recognized.

From Dianna…Bill is one of the best bosses I've ever had.

From Holli....…Bill, I just wanted to 'Thank you' for the flowers (he gave all of us girls flowers the other day for no reason) and as well 'Thank you' for all you have done for me. But, I will tell you that that is what makes you who you are as a great manager. I am very happy to have you and Krista as my managers and I couldn't ask for better because you both are the best. You are a great person and I am honored to work in Corolla.

This post gave me an idea and I will be featuring different Village Realty employees once a week. We have so many dedicated, talented, loyal and innovative people who all work together........that is part of what makes this company what it is. So, my wonderful co-workers........start thinking about what you want to say about who!

And Bill........I hope this gets your weekend off to a great start!

""We are not put on this earth for ourselves, but are placed here for each other. If you are always there for others, then in time of need, someone will be there for you." -- Jeff Warner"

Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM

And the Winner Is............Mike from Indiana

The Village Realty People — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:12:39 GMT

For the second year, Village Realty was happy to co-sponsor the Great Vacation Giveaway in conjunction with the Outer Banks Connection (www.obxconnection.com).   There are no strings, nothing to buy to qualify. Just enter on the OBX Connection website.   The winner's name was drawn on July 4th and will be staying in one of our beautiful homes in The Currituck Club.

Village Realty pays the owners for the week and we take care of the cleaning, make sure the towels and linens are at the house, make the beds and do all we can to help the winner have a wonderful week.   The lucky family will be staying in a soundfront home, one of my personal favorites. The name of the home is 'Panache' and you can Click Here for more information.

Good kharma gets paid forward and the owners of this home discounted the rent by half which helped us, since again, we pay for the week.   Kharma is working because the winner, Mike S from Indiana, posted a great story on the OBX Connection Board that he said I could share with you all. Here are his comments:

"Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

First, I have to say Thank You to Will, to Village Realty and to all of you for your kind words. You have no idea how timely is was to win this vacation at this time, so I have to tell you all a little story. (this will be long, sorry)

Some of you may remember me posting about how long it’s been since our oldest son, Andy, has been to the beach with us. The last time was in June of 2001. That was just weeks before his going into basic training and then air borne school down at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He signed up for the Army National Guard earlier in the year. Ever since then if it wasn’t one thing it was another. If it wasn’t his two week annual training with his guard unit (which always falls in the summer months and never with enough notice) it was his year long deployment in Afghanistan. (which covered up the summers of 04 and 05. This year he couldn’t go because he was signed up for the Army Ranger School down at Ft Benning. He has been there since April 18. If any of you have ever heard anything about ranger training then you know this is absolutely hell on earth. You may even hear soldiers talk about actually preferring to be in combat then going through this school. If any of you are interested, go to youtube and do a search for “Army Ranger Training”. You will find a nine part TV documentary about it.

The training starts with two weeks of “Pre-Ranger”. This is where guys find out real quick if they really have what it takes to be a Ranger. Some drop out on the first day. After that comes the three phases of the school itself, The Benning Phase, The Mountain Phase, and The Florida Phase (or swamp phase). Soldiers get a short leave in between each phase so they can call home. We heard from Andy after pre-ranger. He was doing fine but was already starting to get lean, “ripped” as he called it. We heard from him again at the end of The Benning Phase”. He was still doing Okay and was moving onto The Mountain Phase. He told me that 430 guys started The Benning Phase but only about 230 finished successfully.

During this time his wife, Julie, was planning a short surprise vacation for the three of them. That is, Andy, Julie, and little George. Since it has been so long since he has been to the beach, any beach, she had made arrangements to go from Ranger graduation on July 3 to somewhere down on the gulf coast for about three days.

Well…the end of The Mountain Phase happened to fall on the Friday of our week in Duck. We did not get to hear from Andy but Julie did and the news was not good. He was not successful in The Mountain Phase and was being “recycled”. That is, he had to do that phase over again. (along with many other soldiers) Julie tells us he was really down and especially disappointed because he may have ruined her surprise. (he knew of it but not what it was) Remaining positive, Julie moved the reservations for the condo on the gulf to the end of the next possible graduation, July 25.

So now, another three weeks of silence pass while we hope to hear good news at the end of the phase. The call came on July 4 and once again the news was not good. He was not successful in that phase…again. And neither were 40 of the 45 other guys in Bravo Company. And since you can’t be recycled twice in the same phase he would have to do a “day one restart”. That is, go back and start over at the Benning Phase. They offered that he could stay down there and wait for the next Benning Phase in two weeks during which time he might recover physically. But by this time he was down to 160#s from 190#s on a six foot frame, both knees swollen, and tingling sensations in the fingers on both hands, likely from carrying very heavy ruck sacks for days and miles on end. Obviously two weeks would not be enough time to heal up enough to go through all of this again. So, he elected to come home. (perhaps another time)

To say that he is very depressed and disappointed would be the understatement of the year. To go this far and have to leave without having that Ranger tab on his uniform must be heart breaking. Especially, with two of his best buddies in his guard unit already having their’s. At this point he just wants to get home, get back to a normal life and more importantly to be re-united with his wife and reacquainted with his son, who is nine months old today. Not so fast! The fourth is a four day government holiday so there’s no one down there to “out process” these guys until Tuesday. This is probably just as well. This way Andy could get some food and rest before making the ten hour drive home.

If you know our daughter-in-law then you will never know a kinder, more caring, and more importantly, a more determined individual. Now she had to cancel the condo on the gulf but was already scheming on new vacation ideas for the three of them.

Well….now comes Saturday morning. It’s about ten o’clock or so and I’m still in bed, awake and thinking about getting up. (I’m a night owl) In walks my wife with the cordless phone, “Here, it’s someone from…ah…the obxconnection???” All I could do was stare at her and I think my mouth probably hung open for a few seconds before I said “No Way”. And I think that’s pretty much all I could say for the first few seconds of my conversation with Will. In fact, I’m still not sure I believe it.

I think my wife ran down stairs to get her cell phone to tell Julie who immediately proclaimed it as “Devine Intervention”. We have since talked to Andy several times and this news has really helped to pick up his spirits. We may see him again late Tuesday night but more likely on Wednesday.

So, again, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
And George Thanks You!"

It is always nice when good things happen to nice people, and to deserving people and this certainly qualifies. Last year's winner was Maureen and she couldn't have been any nicer or more appreciative and Mike sounds like a genuine person with a caring family who I am positive will enjoy their time here.

It was a nice way to start the week!

Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
J

Outer Banks FairWeather Fest

The Village Realty People — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:03:56 GMT

From the desk of Matt Myatt, Sales Agent Extraordinaire..........and all around good guy:

"FISHING ENTHUSIASTS from all over the country participated in the First Annual Outer Banks FairWeather Fest on June 5 through June 8, to help raise money for the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD). More than 50 participants raised $2,000 for the organization, which is focused on providing the best pediatric care in southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina.

Pictured are (from left) Chris Smyers, Matt Myatt, Lea Ternes (CHKD), and Dave Wigginton. Plans for next year's event already are underway. For more information, please visit www.theburningreel.com."

Going for Broker

The Village Realty People — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:32:54 GMT

Kudos to one of our own today; the adorable, hard working and most efficient Jenny M. Jenny has been taking the mandatory classes needed in order to be eligible for the state exam to obtain her NC Real Estate Broker's License.

This is a big deal. The classes were held 3 nights a week for 5 weeks and from past experience (many years ago), I can tell you it is not easy to go and sit and even harder, learn new things after you have been working hard all day. There are laws, rules, regulations, real estate math and more to learn.

Jenny was a little nervous about taking her final exam but the rest of us, her co-workers, were very confident she would pass and she did. Now she goes on to take the state exam which, for me anyway, was not nearly as difficult as the class test was.

Being a licensed broker means Jenny will be able to answer specific questions from guests and owners about a variety of topics including rates, discounts, and much more. Jenny is our Reservations Supervisor and this was a logical step for her. She is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is a huge help, along with Kara, to our Nags Head Rental Manager and I know both Maggie and Kara are very happy for Jenny too.

Now, she gets to attend the always uplifting, exhilarating and informative 8 hour continuing education classes each year.

And the best part..........those nightly classes are over! Congratulations Jenny!

Summer Time

The Village Realty People — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:00:02 GMT

As a high school student and full time resident of the Outer Banks, I have summer different than most. School let out only two weeks ago, so I have been spending lots of time at the beach, enjoying not having any school related work. After about a week and a half, I decided that I needed to get a job. Since I am a heavy computer user, I looked for a job in which I could further this interest. I needed to look no farther than Village Realty, where both my father and grandfather work. I feel quite lucky that I enjoy my job as much as I do, and after my 3 or 4 hours of work I take off for the beach to relax. Sometimes I can't believe how amazing it is to be here on the Outer Banks.

Your guest blogger from Village Realty in Nags Head,
R2

Seashells and Sandspurs

The Village Realty People — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:50:21 GMT

Seashells........the nice, unbroken, beautiful seashells you find after a storm.........go to:

People who stop and let pedestrians cross on the Beach Road (it is the law)

Men who still hold doors for women

Kids who says "Yes Ma'am" to their elders

Emergency Personnel

Teachers

Good waiters and waitresses

Village Realty reservation agents, housekeepers, maintenance staff and sales agents

Sandspurs................for

Profanity in public

T-shirts with inappropriate sayings or pictures

People who throw cigarettes out the car window

People who dig big holes while at the beach and do not fill back in before they leave

Talking on cell phone while driving

Being rude to your waiter in any restaurant

Disrepect of any kind

Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM

OK.....Summer is Here

The Village Realty People — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:50:55 GMT

Well I have just realized that the summer is here. I am not ready for it but it came anyway. On the way to work this morning I must have passed 30 joggers, 20 people walking and countless bikers; both the casual bikers and the Lance Armstrong in training types. So keep that in mind when you are driving around....be careful. And speaking of being careful remember that on the Beach Road there are now clearly marked crosswalks for pedestrians. You cannot miss the big yellow signs. If you see people waiting to cross the street...........STOP. It is the law and is it also the nice thing to do.

There is always so much going on in the summer. The Lost Colony has reopened with all new costumes this year, due to the fire last Fall. They have an excellent website containing lots of information not only about the outdoor drama but about the other performances and productions that run throughout the summer. Ever had tea with the Queen? Now is your chance. There is also a performance of Sleeping Beauty, which the kids will love and you can even stay for brunch. Sounds like a good family day plan to me.

OK, back to work!
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM

Off Island On Island

The Village Realty People — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:12:41 GMT

I had the pleasure of spending a few days on Ocracoke Island last week. My oldest daughter and I had a getaway and stayed in a beautiful condo right on the harbor.   The condo was immaculate and very comfortable and decorated with some unique artwork including pottery and some original oil paintings. Even the dishes were hand painted.

The views were both peaceful, relaxing and interesting. We could see the Ocracoke Lighthouse and watched the Portsmouth Island Ferry leave each morning and return at night. Watching the pelicans and seagulls dive for fish was fascinating.   I got up early the first morning and went upstairs and just sat by myself for an hour or so...just enjoying the quiet beauty of this small island.

Breakfast was decadent Eggs Benedict with crab meat at the The Pelican Restaurant.....along with a Mimosa.   Then it was time for shopping and walking, along with some stops for more liquid refreshments.

Ocracoke is just far enough away that you do feel like you are on vacation but not too far away that you dread the drive to or from the island.

There are definitely some characters who live there, just as there are those who live on our island. Local color is the politically correct term I believe.   This includes people who truly want to get away from it all and those who have been born and raised on the island. Then you have all the transplants.......from all over.   It makes it interesting for sure.

Time for work..........
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger
JM

North Beach Outfitters

The Village Realty People — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:35:43 GMT

I had a great opportunity this past Friday night to attend along with my husband and a few co-workers a local event at North Beach Outfitters. North Beach Outfitters is located at 1240 Duck Road in The Waterfront Shops in Duck. The owners are past owners in the Village Realty rental program but were finally able to realize their dream of moving here after owning and renting for many years. Good for them!

Their store was celebrating its 21st birthday and they invited many friends, neighbors and area business owners to enjoy an evening of food, drinks and live music on their tab! It was a great social event as I was able to connect with some friends and acquaintances that I had not seen in a while. As a matter of fact, I saw our Nags Head Sales Coordinator, Adrienne, with her grandparents who live in Ocean Sands. I had heard great things about them but had never had the pleasure of meeting them. We soon realized that they were good friends with Bernie, one of our Corolla Reservationists, who lives in Monteray Shores in Corolla…what a small world…I mean beach…upon which we live!

Good times were had by all…but we were also able to hob-knob with a few area business owners in order to stay connected in that respect as well. It's always nice to make new business connections…pass around a few business cards…but have fun while doing it. We tried a few new beers as they had 8 different kinds available. We did have a designated driver as always…it's a must on this beach! We had some delicious appetizers provided by Coastal Provisions; their second location is just down the boardwalk from North Beach Outfitters. Their first location is located in Southern Shores Crossing right at the end of Rt.12 before approaching Rt. 158 or the Bypass (The Big Road) in Kitty Hawk/Southern Shores. They provided finger sandwiches of all kinds, a beautiful vegetable display with dips, an Asian tuna ceviche atop thinly sliced cucumbers and miniature crab cakes with a delicate remoulade sauce. I am certain I could have eaten the entire chafing dish of these…perfectly prepared! All meat…nice and crispy!

In addition, there was a raffle to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. There were 8-10 incredible prizes that were being given away. I bought three tickets and I had no idea of what my chances were as there was quite a crowd. Well, I just found out today that I WON one of the great prizes…a sweet watch valued at $135! I can't believe it! I was so excited! So, I may have to scoot out a bit early to 'collect' my prize today before the shop closes for the day…shhh…don't tell anyone! Please do check out these two websites for additional information. These guys know how to throw a party…

www.northbeachoutfitters.com

www.coastalprovisionsmarket.com

Your Guest Blogger from the Corolla office,
KT

Bambi and the ByPass

The Village Realty People — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:23:57 GMT

Some background on this post: The Outer Banks has two roads once you are in Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head.   The Beach Road is the two lane road that fronts the beach and the ByPass is the five lane road --two lanes each way and a turning lane.

The speed limit on the Beach Road is 35 MPH and there are fewer stop lights and it is more scenic. The ByPass has a speed limit of 55 MPH and more stoplights and a lot more traffic. Depending on where you are going, and how fast you want to get there..........sometimes the Beach Road is just as quick or only a few minutes slower.

I always, almost always anyway, take the Beach Road. However, last Thursday for some unknown reason I headed for work using Hwy 158, the ByPass. I was moving along at the speed limit or slightly under since I had just pulled out onto the ByPass when all of a sudden I saw a deer's head .........right beside my side view mirror on driver's side. By the time I realized what happened the deer had slammed into my car (on my side), then bounced off the hood and onto the side of the road. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw another deer crossing the ByPass. Then I looked and saw that my side view mirror was gone.

Stunned.......I said to myself "A deer just hit my car"........and since I was in traffic and do not have a cell phone (really, no cell phone) I kept driving till I reached Sun Realty where my daughter works and stopped.

I slid out on the passenger side because I did not want to see deer blood or worse fall on the ground if I opened my door and then walked around. My car was in bad shape.   Drivers door will not open, fender bashed in and of course, the mirror was totally gone and there are just wires hanging our where it used to be.

One of the Sun Realty Sales agents drove me to work (thank you Mike Davenport) and I then called the police and my insurance agent (not in that order). Everyone was very nice and understanding and by the end of the next day the car had been towed to a body shop where it will sit till the adjuster sees it.

I keep seeing that deer's face .......and I feel badly but who would expect two deer to be running from the ocean side to the ByPass at 8:30 in the morning? The deer was already gone by the time I left work at midday which I was very thankful for.

So that was my traumatic event for the week. My husband was amazed that I did not wreck the car, swerve off the road, freak out, etc. If my window had been opened the deer's head would have been IN my car and I feel pretty certain I would have indeed freaked out at that point. But, it is only a car (although paid for and in great condition) and I am thankful it is a BIG car (a 97 Cadillac Deville) because I think I would have been hurt if I was in a smaller vehicle.

Since then I have heard numerous deer/car stories and I am still thankful that I am OK.

Back to work and hey......be careful out there.
Your OBX Blogger
JM

Nags Head Woods Run

The Village Realty People — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:24:53 GMT

The 25th Nags Head Woods Run took place recently and and what a beautiful day for a race. The participation was great and everyone had a smile on their face and had a great time. The setting for this run is great as we run the road through the unique 1400 acre maritime forest.

Many of the usual locals turned out for the good cause and the pride of having another NH woods t-shirt. Last year for this event, most of the kids and teachers were at school for a make up day. This year there were lots of kids, and three of the front runners were teachers.

The perception that I think our beach has gotten is that people always think of the beach area as a party place and a time to sit around and drink beer, which may be true for the vacationers, but for many of us locals, having a reason to drink beer at 9am is a treat that we don't pass up often.

Village Realty once again sponsored the 1 mile Fun Run and also had some employee participation in the 5K race as well. I set my PR (personal record, a term I learned on Saturday) and our Vice President Dorie topped her time from last year as well. While our beloved owner Bob didn't do as well as last year, his time was only a few seconds off that of his daughter, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he was in the race for family reasons, not necessarily trying to set a record pace.

Whether you like to run or not, Nags Head Woods is a true treasure on the Outer Banks. I usually run the 3.75 mile trails a few times month to get my 'mountain fix' as the trees, trails, and paths take me away from the beach for a few moments. If you ever get a chance, this is a wonderful attraction the Outer Banks has to offer and its family friendly and free thanks to funds raising events like the 5K, with donations always welcome.

Till Next Time
Your OBX Guest Blogger
BK

Summer at the Beach

The Village Realty People — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:03:50 GMT

I truly cannot believe it is almost June. What happened to the off season? Was there one?.......I must have missed it. Memorial Day is always the official kick off to the summer season and we celebrated by hosting two parties; one at each office. It is always nice to see owners and for that matter, coworkers who you talk to a lot but do not actually get to see because they are in Corolla and I am in Nags Head.

Good food......good music......great weather and a good crowd all combined to make both parties a success. Sitting up here in Web World we do not get too many phone calls (many many many emails though) and do not get to interact with guests much so it was nice to brush up on our social skills and mingle.

Between the High Cotton BBQ and fixins on Saturday and the hamburgers, hot dogs and all the sides on Sunday -courtesy of BJ's Catering.........I was full all weekend. The food was perfect.   Food always tastes better when I do not have to cook it.

The Corolla Party was a two-fer because it was also in honor of our move to the former Spa at Corolla building. The building looked great, I could tell that a lot of Village People had put in some long hours moving, hauling, painting, hanging photos, organizing and so on. They are not finished yet but I was very impressed.

I think there is some fancy Open House scheduled for early June but I do not have the details yet.   In the meantime, here are some pictures of the Corolla office party............
Till Next Time
Your OBX Blogger

Movin on Up....or Over

The Village Realty People — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:14:06 GMT

Now that we are 95% moved in and getting comfortable in our new location, I wanted to say thank you to all of those people who helped make this move smooth and quick. It was truly a team effort and it couldn't have happened without everyone involved. I thought we all had a lot of fun and enjoyed the change of pace and the excitement of moving into our new home.

I wish I could pat each person on the back because it was a team effort, but a special thank you should go out to a few team members who deserve some recognition.

A big heart felt thank you goes out to Steve and his maintenance staff and all the work that was done in the last 4 days. As we usually see in construction, it looked like 2 weeks worth of work was done in the last 4 days and Steve did a great job. He took the stress well; just to give you an idea of how closely this move came together, when the moving truck arrived, it contained the wood flooring that needed to be installed in the new building. Curtis and Calvin were awesome, they drove the truck and provided lots of needed muscle and had a positive attitude the entire time. Amber Goins and Karen Gregory came in to help on their days off, and Holli Keating came in from her vacation break to help, and our newest maintenance tech Tim also came in on his day off.

It took 4 truck loads, two on Wednesday and two on Thursday, plus all the packing and unpacking, organizing and straightening which couldn't have happened with out the team effort. Our Nags Head reservation team thankfully took all our phone calls on Thursday which allowed us to focus our efforts on the task at hand.

The "Most Patient" and cooperative award goes to our housekeeping staff of Nick and Amy. They had the monumental task of cleaning 5 years of spa build up, which included wax on the walls, scrubbing the kitchen floor with a sponge and layers of dirt from the cabinets. That wasn't the challenge, what really showed their team spirit and cooperation was that construction, moving day, and cleaning all overlapped and were occurring at the same time. They were following the electrician and cleaning each room as he finished putting up the new lights, they were trying to clean the kitchen as we were moving furniture through the back kitchen door, and they were trying to finish the offices and bathrooms while the maintenance crews were sanding and sending clouds of saw dust and debris through out the air. Considering our cleaning crews like to keep guests out so they can focus on their cleaning, this cleaning assignment tested their flexibility and patience, and we greatly appreciate the effort and time they spend cleaning and re-cleaning.

Add to the mix, we also had our IT guy Vince hooking up our computers, and our new phone system support staff installing and testing the new phone system.

Andrew pulled his back out after the first day (please don't let any BC/BS reps read this), Sami had blisters on her feet, and I found Karen almost passed out at the end of the day sitting on the beverage cooler. I know Krista was feeling guilty for being on vacation while the move was occurring, but we saved all the picture hanging for her to do when she returns.

Now that were mostly up and running, I think we are pretty happy with our new digs, and starting to make ourselves right at home. We're all excited about having a real kitchen with a full size fridge, and for those of you who know me, my staff will now see me with my Tervis Tumbler of Mountain Dew all day long now that we actually have an ice maker and fridge space.

Thank you Bob, we like our new home.

Till Next Time
Your (Guest) OBX Blogger
BK