Thinking of Retirement? Check Out Indian Beach, NC

2008-05-05

    When Joel and Charlotte Fortune of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, located some five miles from downtown Chattanooga, started thinking about where they wanted to retire, their decision was a no-brainer. The mid-60s couple knew without a doubt they’d be moving to North Carolina.

    “We wanted to be close to my son and his family who live in Kinston and also have a beach house at Indian Beach,” says Charlotte Fortune. “Since we’ve always dreamed of retiring on the Atlantic,” adds her husband, Joel Fortune, “you can pretty much guess where we decided to buy.”

    Indian Beach is a jewel in North Carolina’s Southern Outer Banks. Comprising just a half square mile (one and a half if you include the surrounding water), this barrier island town offers sweeping views of both the Atlantic Ocean and Bogue Sound. Incorporated as a town in 1973, it’s a cozy community with a permanent population of around 100 people (102 after the Fortune's move there) that swells annually with the influx of vacationers but not to so much that the area loses its charm.

    The beauty of Indian Beach is that while it offers a quaintness and solitude to get away from it all, it’s also just a stone’s throw from practically everything you can imagine such as boating, kayaking, offshore fishing, museums, golf, horseback riding, nature walks, fine dining and more. Morehead City is the largest town in the immediate area with a population of almost 8,000. Boasting to have one of the deepest ports on the East Coast, this working port city is lined with antique shops, boutiques and a variety of restaurants.

    Beaufort, pronounced “Bo-furt” by the locals, is another picturesque seaport town that offers visitors the opportunity to dine and shop while enjoying views of feral horses on Carrot Island. The town also carries a bit of historical lore. The presumed wreckage of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard’s ship, was discovered in the town’s inlet about a decade ago and many of the recovered artifacts can be seen at the North Carolina Maritime Museum, also in Beaufort. As a matter of fact, the stern post (the principal timber at the ship’s stern upon which the rudder would have hung) was recently recovered. This 1,500 pound, seven foot long piece of wood with letters etched on part of it promises to be a vital artifact in positively identifying the wreck as Blackbeard’s ship.

    In addition to quaint seaport towns, there’s also the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores which contains exhibits about the area’s maritime and marine history, historic Fort Macon, a five-sided fort that dates back to the Civil War, and the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, one of North Carolina's seven famous lighthouses.

    Yet, in spite of all the area has to offer, the Fortune’s still wanted to make sure they were making the right decision.  A few years ago, when the couple first entertained the notion of retiring to Indian Beach, they began to visit often to get to know the surrounding area.
“We must have made at least a dozen trips over a four-year period,” says Mrs. Fortune. “Joel and I wanted to be certain that we’d be happy spending the next several decades here.”

    During one of the couple’s frequent visits, they came across a development still under construction. The aptly named Grande Villas (www.gvcondos.com) is an eight-story high, 90-unit condominium community that capitalizes on Indian Beach’s dual water views. Slated for a 2008 move in, the luxury residence is adjacent to the 22-acre Theodore Roosevelt Nature Preserve and the beach is easily accessible via a short boardwalk from the community’s pool area. The Fortunes have since put their Tennessee home on the market and plan to move in to Grande Villas permanently upon its completion.

    The Fortune’s aren’t the only ones looking at North Carolina for retirement. According to Housingpredictor.com, which provides independent real estate market forecasts for local housing markets in all 50 states, “North Carolina is becoming the new Florida for some retirees.” The website goes on to say that North Carolina is now the number one retirement destination in the U.S. and shows no signs of slowing, certainly in stark contrast to the sluggish national housing market.

    “The North Carolina Coast has become a treasure chest for active adults looking for a place to call home that has the vista of an ocean, recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing, as well as some historical adventure,” states Mark Tipton, Chairman & CEO of Whistler Investment, a co-developer of Grande Villas. “We set out to develop a community that takes advantage of all this while allowing people to enjoy it by freeing them from the burden of upkeep that goes along with owning a single family cottage.”

    That’s exactly what Carl and Cheryl Rosberg of Waynesboro, Virginia had in mind when they bought their place at Grande Villas. But unlike the Fortunes, this mid-50s couple doesn’t plan on living at Indian Beach permanently.

    “We love our home in Waynesboro and plan to stay there, even after I retire next year,” says Carl Rosberg. “But we also wanted to have a second home at beach.”

    The Rosberg’s settled on the Southern Outer Banks and Indian Beach in particular because they were looking for a place that wasn’t crowded or overdeveloped. They were drawn to Grande Villas because the liked the idea of owning a luxury condo over a single-family home.

    “We want to spend our time enjoying our second home and not maintaining it,” points out Mr. Rosberg. “There just weren’t many condo developments in the Southern Outer Banks. Thankfully, we found out about Grande Villas.”

    The Rosbergs will have plenty of time to enjoy their second home too since the development also offers access to on-site concierge services for homeowners and their guests. Whatever is needed, from dinner reservations to tee times to planning day trips, can be taken care of either by phone or in person at the front desk.

    Melissa Kenward, Marketing Director for Emerald Isle Realty, the agency managing the concierge service says it’s all about enhancing the coastal experience by having an on-site island expert to turn to.

    “We want to make sure that everyone feels special and takes full advantage of everything there is to do here,” says Ms. Kenward. “We’ll even order flowers for your anniversary or stock your villa with groceries prior to your arrival.” She adds, “And for those homeowners who plan on renting out their properties as well, we also have a rental program to find and book vacation rentals, provide housekeeping services, handle repairs, and more.”

    With an estimated 72 million Baby Boomers set to hit retirement over the next two decades, developments like Grande Villas are certainly poised to become highly sought after. Rest assured, you’ll being seeing more people like the Fortune’s and the Rosberg’s in the coming years.

Craig Venezia (www.craigvenezia.com) is the author of Buying a Second Home: Income, Getaway or Retirement (NOLO).