Which beach would you recommend for owning a vacation condo?

[des1rees]

I am looking right now...

Thanks,

D.

[betts1]

Hi des1rees we have been looking also in the topsail area.check out Topsail landings Condos web site.The condos are 1.5 miles from topsail beach. Price seems decent at $164,000.Good luck in your search.

[des1rees]

Originally Posted by betts1

Hi des1rees we have been looking also in the topsail area.check out Topsail landings Condos web site.The condos are 1.5 miles from topsail beach. Price seems decent at $164,000.Good luck in your search.

Thanks for the pointer, will check it out.

Good luck to you as well,

D

[rmebrt]

I am travelling to NC in May for vacation and possible property purchase - would ya'll provide me with any information you can on the three areas I've narrowed it down to? Topsail Island, Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach (of course, any other suggestions are welcome!). Also, are the last 2 weeks of May and 1st week of June a good time to visit? Thanks in advance from a parched desert dweller...

[LLN]

I would recommend Beech Mountain.

lln

[NancyfromNC]

Emerald Isle would be my preference vs Atlantic Beach. Morehead City and Atlantic Beach have gotten rid of ALL entertainment for young people (your two sons)mine included. Emerald Isle on the other hand still has the fishing pier, water park and just across the bridge you have a brand new bowling alley/arcade which I've heard is awesome. If I had known all of this 3 1/2 years ago, I would never have dumped 3/4 million dollars into a place in Atlantic Beach. So sad......

[NC man]

I you sure you want to own a condo at the beach? Dont take this the wrong way but let me share what I have learned over a life time here,(totally my take on this and I know how dreams can change to nightmares.) have grown up in Cary and spent my life on the coast growing up, my dream was to have a home on the waterway in Emerald Isle or Salter path. Well that happened about ten years ago and what I had dreamed of wasnt what we got. I have two kids and they love the beach and I have boats and fish all the time. The reality was the costs kept killin the dream, salt air eats up every thing like ac units and plumbing, Storms and high winds could always be an issue for damage and repair, flooding and flood insurance is high. constant tourists and people from out of town crowding every good place to eat and grocery store. worrying every time a storm was forecast. As the kids grew older sports and school and every thing else took all the free time away and almost never got down there to use the huge money hole. Ended up getting rid of it. My family has a place in Newbern on the river now where I keep my boats, but we rent a place at the beach two weeks a year. We find a nice house and if we dont like it we try a different place nothing to hold you down and lots of beaches to try. No cleaning ,no pest contracts, no storm damage no worries. 200,000 will never get used up renting but would sure look good towards college for those kids. This is my take on it but if you must buy be sure to check your flood zones and sewer hookups..PS Bill is a good guy and he knows what he is talking about if you need a RA...good luck.

[Bill Hitchcock]

NC man,
Your beach experiences and observations are pretty much dead on. I moved off the beach almost 20 years ago for similar reasons. But I must add that for some folks-It's a small price to pay for the enjoyment of the sun, sand and surf.

Let me pass along a little saying I learned when I first showed up to the beach 30 years ago:

If it's metal, it will rust.
If it is wood, it will rot.
If it is plastic, it'll get stolen.

It's a tongue in cheek saying peppered with a lot of truth!

NC man-I did what you did-moved-Just not as far as New Bern. Mainland soundside does not have the same problems as the beach. I have had waterfront property on Gales Creek and Goose Creek and now live one block off the Sound near the Marine Fisheries. Soundside is a completely different environment than the beach. And for the most part (depending on where you live of course) you can be away from the tourist traffic. And with the exception of the 4th of July week-Tourist traffic pretty much is a Friday afternoon/Saturday thing anyway.
Bill