Lights, Camera, Action!

This is the feeling local builders get this time of the year. Rehearsal materials have been compiled and completed. Tailors have threaded the last stitch. Make-up artists have applied the final dusting of foundation, and the perfect dimmer settings have been dialed to enhance lighting.

The curtain is lifted as attendees look on in silence. Bravo … the 19th Annual Outer Banks Parade of Homes has arrived!

For the past 19 years, Outer Banks builders have built custom homes to showcase in the annual parade event. As the economy has faltered, many construction companies struggle to survive and to grow their business. This four event parade provides attendees the opportunity to see quality craftsmanship and to preview architectural design and upgraded products and materials. Now is the time for all our planning, client meetings, selections, coordination and marketing to pay off!

Marketing efforts start locally and expand throughout several eastern states to encourage participation. Ticket sales are sold at numerous locations and complimentary tickets are available through each builder. The Parade of Homes is very special to us all. Who can resist the opportunity to showcase our best efforts and enjoy a healthy competition amongst other builders? This is a friendly match and a time to

I recently read a MSN article on vacation rental markets, http://realestate.msn.com/10-hottest-vacation-real-estate-markets, and wanted to discuss an important topic. When reading real estate blogs for investment advice, it's very important to remember most of these articles are written to be more general. In order to appeal to a broader audience, the writer typically focuses on discussing real estate trends on a national level. The biggest drawback to this approach is they focus on article topics which generate hits to boost their advertising banners and therefore revenues. There is nothing wrong with the big national real estate blogs. I read them all the time, but it's important to understand they only tell a part of the story. Have you ever noticed that the major real estate blogs rarely provide you with information you can actually use? That's because their content is too generalized to allow people to make solid real estate investments in localized real estate markets. It's true that real estate is influenced on a macro level, but it is critical that it be analyzed at the local level.

I came across this stunning time lapse video, created by Daniel Lowe, and thought it would be nice to share. Living on the Outer Banks, I can testify to the beauty of the stars and cloud formations that we enjoy on a consistent basis. Mr. Lowe is obviously a very talented cinematographer and shows amazing images of the Outer Banks in a very unique and creative format. Enjoy!

Coastal living has been cherished by all regions, both domestic and foreign. The thought of waking up and seeing just water is very attractive, and reading a book or magazine while gazing at the water is soothing to the soul. Enjoying a sunset with a companion, while watching the ebb and flow of the ocean, is like no other romantic experience. The best way to fully enjoy these experiences is a water view that is free from obstructions. For years windows and doors were simply not large enough, and this problem was compounded by new building codes requiring impact resistant glass.