Uncategorized Archives - Outer Banks Cottage Renovations

The Outerbanks are beautiful barrier islands off of the coast of North Carolina. The open ocean beaches, state parks, and shipwreck diving are what attracts people here. Now, some may ask why this place is so special? Well, there are no high rise hotels or buildings and nothing flashy or noisy. The natural beauty is what makes the Outerbanks so unique. For decades, families have been coming here for vacation and renting beach houses. Owning a home here would be a dream for these frequented visitors. We have listed our top reasons to own a home on the Outerbanks.

Temperate Weather & Easy Going Community

The island style vibe is truly the lifestyle of the Outerbanks. You will catch most individuals wearing sandals to the grocery store with a happy go lucky vibe. There is a lovely mix of Southern hospitality, coastal living, people who love boats or surfing, pristine beaches, and more! When you own a home in the Outerbanks, the more time you spend here, you will get to know the locals. This will make you excited to come back. The normal weather consists of a bright sunny day, and gentle ocean breezes. The year round average temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit! While there may be around 200 sunny days per year, you will need to prepare for hurricane season.

Owning a home in OBX

Vacation Rentals

2020 was reported one of the busiest vacation seasons ever on the Outerbanks! When you own a home in OBX, you can put it up as a rental in the busy season, or for whenever you aren’t staying there. The most popular times for people to visit the Outerbanks are May, September, and holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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Great Investment

The Outerbanks has one of the fastest growing Real Estate markets in the country. The cost of living here is much cheaper in comparison to Florida Keys and Charleston, South Carolina. The pricing will also depend on which town you buy in. With the low housing prices, low interest rates, and vacation rental income going through the roof, you will really benefit from purchasing a home here.

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Fun things to do

The beach is always a main priority here in the OBX! However, there are many other wonderful adventures awaiting.

See wild horses

That’s right… there are wild horses here! In Corolla, you can go on a wild horse tour, where a guide will take you to see the horses. There is a herd of up to 100 Spanish mustangs that live naturally off the land. These horses have been around for years! The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is a non profit organization that dedicates themselves to protecting the horses and preserving their environment.

Eat amazing food

If you didn’t already know this, Outerbanks is known for fresh local caught seafood and classic North Carolina flavors. These islands have so many different locally owned bars, restaurants and shops. You will never get bored of eating here!

Here are some food recommendations

Miller’s Waterfront Restaurant, Nags Head – Enjoy casual dining right on the water! This is a family friendly seafood restaurant. You can even watch the windsurfer’s and kitesurfer’s do their thing while you eat!

Black Pelican, Kitty Hawk – The Black Pelican serves oceanfront lunch and dinner daily. Their menu has a wide variety of options from seafood to vegetarian dishes and even wood fire pizza! Yum!

Sundog’s Raw Bar & Grill, Corolla – This is the place to be if you’re looking for good food along with a fun night of karaoke, live music, or a DJ.

Fish Head’s Bar & Grill, Nags Head – This waterfront pub is located on a fishing pier. On the menu you will find a wide variety of seafood. Enjoy draft beer and live music.

Climb a Lighthouse

There are 5 lighthouses in the Outerbanks that attracts people every year. The lighthouses make for a great photo opportunity, and come with stunning views. You can view a list of the light houses here.

Owning a home in OBX

OBX Cottage Renovations

Another great part about the OBX are the wonderful local businesses that you may get the chance to work with. We have served over 30 years of remodeling experience in Outerbanks. We can help you with any and all of your remodeling and renovation needs. Contact us today for a quote!

We hope that you enjoyed reading about our top reasons to own a home on the Outerbanks. Maybe we’ll see you here soon!

The world has spent much of this past year at home! Making home improvements not only builds your home’s equity, but it also impacts the quality of your daily life. For many people, after this lockdown, their house is now their base for everything: work, school, relaxation, dinner parties, and more! If you are able to understand what truly makes a home, a home, then you will most definitely be building the resale value of the property. We have curated a list of the top renovation and remodeling trends for 2021.

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Why remodel?

It is important for you the homeowner, or the buyer, to get emotionally attached to the home. It needs to be special and stand out amongst the other listings. When people spent more time at home this past year, it allowed them to really analyze what improvements needed to be made in their space. Now, with the way that the world is going, it is more convenient to live in a house that caters to all of your daily needs. Offices, homeschool rooms, gyms, meditation spaces, and reading nooks are all examples of remodels that have taken place in 2021. Being able to not only live in a home, but also function properly, will really bring up an individual or families happiness, as well as the value of the house.

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Outdoor Living

When you are “stuck” at home, you start to get creative about the space and where you hang out.

Here are some ideas to make the most of your outdoor space :

Outdoor dining room
Building in a deck
Adding in an outdoor kitchen
DIY fire pits
Small patio remodels

Incorporating Green Solutions

The pandemic has definitely done one thing, and that’s having a positive impact on the environment. Although the rise in “to go” orders didn’t help with the amount of waste we produce. Car use in the United States declined by 40%. The smog has cleared up from clustered cities. Poaching rhinos declined in Tanzania because of the restriction on borders. Flights were nearly cut in half. Even though these are all great improvements for the environment, it is still not enough. Also, being at home much more than we were before, there is more energy being used. The electricity bills are going through the roof by heating the house during the winter time, kids taking online classes, and connecting with friends online. Eco-friendly upgrades are a bonus, especially once you see the new electricity bill!

Ideas for Eco friendly changes :

Solar panel installation
Energy efficient kitchen
Smart / green home
Geothermal system

More and more buyers are now interested in eco-friendly homes. Not only does this help you, and the Earth, but it also raises the value on your home.

OBX Renovations

The home office

I don’t think any of us expected the pandemic to last for so long. Are you tired of working from your couch or in your bedroom? Well there are many ways to utilize unused space in your house.

Try one of these parts of the house to create a home office :

Nooks
Guest Bedrooms
Basements
Attics

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Installing windows

I bet you didn’t think nearly as much about the light that enters the house until now! It’s definitely not healthy or ideal to go without sun for months and months. It could be a long winter this year! Installing windows is an easy way to bring light into a space and liven up the place. Especially for those gloomy winter days! If this isn’t an option, consider installing some new lighting such as chandeliers, backlighting, or new sconces in the kitchen.

Creating a bathroom oasis or spa

Is the bathroom the place you go to for some quiet and alone time? Do you miss going to the spa and being pampered? Creating the right bathroom space, can definitely decrease stress. Adding in a budget for a bathroom renovation, is definitely worth every penny! Soaking tubs, steam showers, indoor saunas, and aromatherapy shower heads are all some great ideas to upgrade to your dream bathroom.

OBX Renovations

We hope that you enjoyed our list of top renovation and remodeling trends for 2021. Contact us today for a quote and to start planning your remodel!

Why are you renovating? Are you looking to make your house more beautiful and comfortable? Maybe you recently bought a home and it needs a serious update. Whatever the reason, this project is very important! Consider this a special business plan or project that you are beginning from scratch. The key to renovating your house beautifully but also on a budget, is to plan the entire process effectively. Outerbanks Cottage Renovations is here to help! We take this process very seriously and don’t rest until our clients are overjoyed with the outcome. If you are looking for economically friendly tips on renovating your home, continue reading.

Effective planning

As mentioned earlier effective planning is the key to effective renovation. If you are renovating yourself, then you need to focus on both the bigger picture and the smaller parts. If you have hired a team for your renovation, they will assess your requirements and then renovate accordingly. Since you’re in charge, we recommend that you brainstorm your requirements and write your end goal for each space in the house.

Budgeting

Since you would like to renovate your house economically, it is important for you to decide the total expenditure requirements/limit. It is important to remember in budgeting that you cannot overestimate your budget. Keep your budget underestimated and then move on to researching for things you need.

Research

You will be surprised at the number of options that you’ll have once you start your research. Many items that may have caught your eye in an expensive store can be purchased at a lower price from elsewhere! When renovating your home on a budget, don’t forget that if you research to find the furniture you like, paint you want or the decorations you would like in your house, you are most likely always going to find these supplies and items at an inexpensive price. Take advantage of online shopping, thrift stores and second hand furniture shops. You can go very far!

OBX Cottage Renovations

Here at OBX Cottage Renovations, we have over 30 years of award winning experience. From planning to execution, we will work with you every step of the way to ensure we deliver a new aspect to your home that you’ll enjoy for yours to come. Check out our website to see what our services offer in detail. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free estimate!

Throughout this blog, our photos may have caught your eye. These are from a recent home renovation done by OBX Cottage Renovations. The renovation was specifically for the home owners kitchen and west facing addition. You will notice a new outside deck as well.

Photography : @milepostliving

OBX Renovations

We hope that you enjoyed these economically friendly tips on renovating your home! Feel free to comment below, email us for any questions, or follow us on instagram!