Grande Villas starts off 2012 with two new sales in January! Two new families
took advantage of the great pricing and incentives currently being offered at Grande Villas! Our four bedroom Penthouse A-7 and our two bedroom unit B-6 are no longer available. We are now into our final year of sales at Grande Villas, so the opportunity to own one of our luxurious oceanfront condominiums is quickly passing. To get a list of our current inventory of two- to four-bedroom condominiums, please contact us today at 877.845.4438 or john@gvcondos.com.
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January 23rd, 2012Vote for Beaufort, NC as One of America’s Coolest Small Towns
January 11th, 2012Budget Travel readers nominated a record 647 towns this year – and now we’ve narrowed that list down to just 10 standout communities across the country. Read all about them, and then vote for your favorite! Read more…
Six Great Shopping Destinations on the Crystal Coast
November 8th, 2011
Now that autumn is here and the holidays are just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get your shopping groove on. Check out the cool shops and local boutiques that are a short drive away in Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, and Beaufort, NC.
1. Find a terrific read. Make your first stop the Morehead City Bookshop. This independent new and used bookstore carries everything from the bestsellers all your friends are reading, to books that are rare and out-of-print. 4915-C Arendell Street, Morehead City. For more information, call 252-240-1163 or visit www.moreheadcitybookshop.com.
2. Bring home local art. Since 1985, the Down East Gallery, located on the historic Beaufort waterfront, has been exhibiting and selling the artwork of local artist Alan Cheek. Alan’s work is inspired by the beautiful landscape of the coast – and you’ll find an impressive inventory of collectibles and canvases available. 519 Front Street, Beaufort. Call 800-868-2766 for or visit www.alancheek.com for information on the gallery and artist.
3. Make a splash with ceramics. Featuring a selection of beautiful hand-painted ceramics from Spain, Portugal, and Mexico, Tierra Fina offers gifts for both the home and garden. Find everything from flowerpots to cookware to the ever-popular house number tiles. 415 Front Street, Beaufort. Call 252-504-2789 or visit www.tierrafinanc.com for more information.
4. Enjoy a unique gift from Asia. The Dragonfly Import Company in Atlantic Beach offers unusual gifts, hand-picked by the owners on travels through Southeast Asia. If you’re looking for something that’s not your typical beach souvenir, this is the place to go. 1010 W. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach. Contact the shop at 252-222-0080.
5. Go fly a kite. In the same shopping center, make sure to visit Kites Unlimited & Bird Stuff – where they care about the things that fly! Browse through high-end games for kids, an amazing selection of great kites, and functional and decorative birdhouses. 1010 W. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach. Call 252-247-7011 or visit www.kites-birdstuff.com.
6. Get some Mistletoe Magic. The Mistletoe Magic Holiday Gift & Craft Show will be held Saturday, Nov. 12 and Sunday, Nov. 13 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City. Find great gifts for the upcoming holidays including pottery, jewelry, purses, accessories, art of all kinds, and food ideas for the holidays. For more information, call 252-247-3883.
Any fun or funky shopping spots that we’ve missed? Join the conversation and share your recommendations in the comments!
Blackbeard’s Cannon Recovered
October 26th, 2011RALEIGH, N.C. – A piece of pirate history that’s been
resting on the ocean floor for nearly than 300 years was brought to the
surface Wednesday morning and is on its way to the North Carolina Maritime
Museum in Beaufort. Discover more here…
N.C. Existing Home Sales Continue to Post Double Digit Growth
September 27th, 2011(Greensboro)- North Carolina existing home sales posted double digit growth for the second consecutive month in August with a 21 percent increase in units sold. Existing home sales have not been this high since May 2010.
According to statistics compiled by the North Carolina Association of REALTORS®, total units sold for the month were 7,878 and total dollar sales were $1,572,790,747. The average existing home sales price declined 4 percent to $199,643.
Brunswick County led the state with the highest year-to-date sales growth with an 8 percent increase in total dollar sales. Rocky Mount and Carteret County followed closely with a 7 percent and 3 percent increase, respectively. Brunswick County also led the state with the largest price appreciation at 5 percent, while Rocky Mount and Carteret County followed with a 2 percent increase, respectively.
For detailed information, visit the market statistics area of the NC REALTORS® website at http://www.ncrealtors.org/uploads/August11.pdf
Top 7 Ways to Enjoy the Crystal Coast this September
September 15th, 2011
Summer may be winding down, but there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the beautiful Crystal Coast as we ease into early fall. Here are a few interesting recreational and cultural activities going on around our region this month.
1. Take a nice walk
Come on out and join the Emerald Isle Parks & Recreation’s fall walking club at the Community Center, 7500 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle. Walks start at 6 PM every Tuesday now through October 17. For more information or to register contact Sheila Lowe at (252) 354-6350 or slowe@emeraldisle-nc.org.
2. Celebrate children
Emerald Isle’s Sixth Annual Day4Kids takes place at Emerald Isle Park and Rec Center from 10 AM to 2 PM on Saturday, September 17. Bring out the kids fun-filled day of vendors, activities, games, face painting and more! Call (252) 354-6350 for details or email Laura Lee Davis at ldavis@emeraldisle-nc.org.
3. See history come alive
See Civil War Reenactments at Fort Macon on the weekend of September 17 and 18. Members of the 1st N.C. Volunteers will perform different programs from 10 AM to 4 PM each day, including historical talks and musket firings and drills. For more information call (252) 726-3775.
4. Bike along the beach
Cycling for the Coast begins at Bogue Banks on Saturday, September 17 at 8 AM. Pedal through Emerald Isle, Salter Path, Indian Beach, Pine Knoll Shores and Atlantic Beach. to raise awareness for our coastal estuaries and white sandy beaches, and raise funds for the North Carolina Coastal Federation. Visit www.nccoast.org to register or contact Sam Bland at (252) 393-8185 for more information.
5. Fish the surf
Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation and The Reel Outdoors are sponsoring the 5th Annual Flounder Surf Fishing Tournament to kick off the surf-fishing and beach driving season that starts September 15. The tournament runs from Saturday, September 24 to Saturday, October 8. Registration is free and the Reel Outdoors will be providing prizes for the top 3 anglers! Contact Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation for further information or call (252) 354-6350.
6. Dine on great seafood
Don’t miss the 25th Annual North Carolina Seafood Festival in Downtown Morehead City, September 30 – October 2. Carteret County’s annual seafood celebration is the second largest festival in North Carolina, playing host to an average of 200,000+ people each year. While sampling the large variety of seafood available, you can also experience educational exhibits and take part in hands-on activities for young and old alike. For more information visit the North Carolina Seafood Festival website.
7. Experience floating art
A $40 million dollar floating art gallery will be docked in Morehead City for the North Carolina Seafood Festival. ArtSplendor on SeaFair is a juried art show and sale of original artwork during the weekend of September 29 – October 2 on the Morehead City waterfront. For more information visit www.expoships.com or www.artscouncilcarteret.org.
Crystal Coast Real Estate Market Heats Up
July 11th, 2011According to a recent report by the North Carolina Association of Realtors Carteret County led the state with the highest year-to-date sales growth with a 13 percent increase in total dollar sales. This is great news for properties along the Crystal Coast. Grande Villas recorded two additional sales over the past week and is currently enjoying its strongest sales year since opening the project. We still have a great selection of available units and great purchase incentives.
Contact us today at 877.845.4438 or sales@gvcondos.com for a list of available properties.
Crystal Coast July 4th Celebration Roundup
June 28th, 2011
Underwater Bike Race (photo courtesy of Discovery Diving Co.)
Cookouts! Live music! Fireworks! The Crystal Coast knows how to celebrate the Fourth of July in patriotic style. Make your plans to attend some of these great Independence Day events scheduled around our region.
Beaufort Fourth of July Parade & Community Picnic
This celebration along the downtown Beaufort waterfront is an old-fashioned tradition in historic Beaufort, NC. The parade includes all the Norman Rockwell ingredients: kids, pets, wagons, flags and music. Parade starts 11 AM. Potluck community picnic follows at the Carteret County Courthouse at Turner & Broad streets. Come and bring a dish to add! For more information contact Martha Barnes at (252) 728-3917.
Emerald Isle Fourth of July Celebration
The town of Emerald Isle again presents July 4th fireworks over Bogue Sound at the Chapel By The Sea. Fireworks will begin at 9 PM on July 4. The fireworks can be viewed at the Chapel By The Sea and the adjacent site of the new public boat launch facility (6800 block of Emerald Drive), and from nearby neighborhoods. Parking will be available along NC 58 and nearby streets. The fireworks will also be visible from Bogue Sound and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. For more information call (252) 354-6350.
Morehead City July 4 Celebration
The Morehead City Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor the Morehead City celebration on July 4th. The fireworks display will begin at approximately 9:15 PM from Sugarloaf Island. A free music concert will be held on July 2 at Jaycee Park, 9th & Shepard Streets. For more info call (252) 726-5083.
Atlantic Beach Fourth of July Fireworks
Enjoy a day full of sun, fun, fireworks, great music, and dancing at the annual Atlantic Beach Independence Day Celebration. The featured band will be playing from 7 PM until 11 PM, with a break at 9 PM for a beautiful fireworks display. Please bring your beach chairs and blankets and enjoy the show! For information call (252) 726-2121.
4th of July Underwater Bike Race
Organized by Discovery Diving Company of Beaufort, the Underwater Bike Race is a unique annual event held on the Fourth of July to benefit the Children’s Mile of Hope in support of cancer research. The race begins on the starboard side of the Indra shipwreck at approximately 3 PM. Contestants may swim, pedal, push, or drag, but only human power is allowed — no motors — and only one biker is permitted per bike. For details call Debby Boyce at (252) 728-2265.
Cannon Firing at Fort Macon State Park
A cannon crew of volunteers in period attire explain the loading and firing of a typical War Between the States field piece. They use an original 6-pounder cannon in the demonstration and actually fire it with a blank gunpowder charge at the conclusion of the program. For times and more information call (252) 726-3775.
Fireworks Cruise on the Crystal Coast Lady
Enjoy a spectacular fireworks display on the beautiful Morehead City waterfront. This Fourth of July voyage includes a scenic harbor tour, sunset and water-view fireworks display. Refreshments and food available for purchase, and we carry a full bar with ABC permits. Trip runs from 7:30 PM to approximately 9:30 PM, or to be determined. Please call (252) 728-8687 or email info@crystalcoastlady.com for more information or reservations.
A Home Away from Home: Make a Smart Investment in Your Family & Your Future
June 2nd, 2011
“Let’s get away!” This is a shared cry of the typical overstressed family, plagued by too many activities and too many hours at work. In the Southeast, a common destination for such an escape is the beach – specifically, the gorgeous beaches of North Carolina. But then there’s the hassle of exactly where to go, where to stay and then making all the arrangements.
So why not get away to your own home away from home? Owning a vacation home is the perfect solution to creating a relaxing haven for your family. And there are few more ideal real estate locations than the still-pristine beaches of North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. From the primary cities of Beaufort, Morehead City, Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach to the smaller villages like Salter Path, Pine Knoll Shores and Indian Beach, the Crystal Coast offers abundant opportunities for weekend getaways and summers by the beach.
Henry Tanner, a Raleigh resident, is thrilled to own a second home on the Crystal Coast. His wife and two kids spend about half the summer at their coastal condo, with Henry joining them each weekend. According to Henry, “We chose to purchase a vacation home in Carteret County because of its close proximity to Raleigh, its relaxed atmosphere and the fact that it’s not as crowded as other North Carolina beach destinations.”
Because single-family homes are significantly more expensive on the coast when compared to the rest of North Carolina, condominium developments provide the density that allows affordability for many second-home owners like the Tanners. And, of course, a second home can also provide a source of income when not being used by family and friends.
But is coastal real estate a good investment right now? Although economic conditions nationally are impacting real estate values negatively, the Crystal Coast – Carteret County, in particular – has not been nearly as affected as other markets in the region. According to the Triangle Business Journal (8/23/10), data shows the values of coastal homes in Carteret County are projected to grow at a faster rate than those in neighboring counties, with a projected growth of between 16% and 25% by 2015. So the answer to that investment question is definitely a resounding “Yes!”
For residents and visitors alike, the Crystal Coast offers a wide variety of maritime activities, including the unique coastal villages, nature preserves and even pirate hunting. “Our family really enjoys the various day-long excursions to Sand Dollar Island, Shackleford Banks or Cape Lookout,” says Henry. “We are central to so many amazing destinations,” he continues, “but we also love just staying close to home, hanging out on the beach or fishing.” The Tanners also appreciate that although the Crystal Coast isn’t heavily commercialized, there are plenty of exceptional restaurants and shops.
As far as an investment, Henry couldn’t be happier with his second home at the beach. “I consider it paradise,” he reflects, “and seeing my family’s appreciation and love for the Crystal Coast makes this investment worth its weight in gold!”
Coastal Home Prices in Carteret County Expected to Increase
August 27th, 2010Prices in Carteret County expected to Increase 16% to 25% by 2015
In a recent article in the Triangle Business Journal geographic research firm ESRI was very bullish on the Carteret County Real Estate Market. The article stated, “Some areas are holding up better and could experience significant appreciation over the next five years. Home values in Carteret County – home to Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle, among others – have held steady over the past year, ESRI data show. The values of coastal homes in Carteret are projected to grow at a faster pace than those in neighboring New Hanover and Brunswick counties through 2015.”
This information coupled with Grande Villas’ strong pricing and incentives make it a great time to buy at Grande Villas! To view the entire article click here.
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