Crystal Coast Vacation Rental Show

Happy Friday everyone! I took some time to do winter work on one of our own rentals. Now, I’m caught up and back to our posting schedule. Expect news on Mondays and a longer form item on Fridays, with occasional extras in between.

This starts a two part series titled “Making Someday Today.” First, we will be looking at renting a vacation property and having a beach vacation on the Crystal Coast. Part 2 will examine purchasing a property. Credit goes to my wife regarding the second part, which is the inspiration for the first part. So I guess all credit goes to her.

Let’s take a look at planning your first Crystal Coast vacation.

Start now. Reservations are being made right now for the prime time. Even if you’re not looking for Independence Day it’s best to start early. Many properties use Dynamic Pricing, which is similar to what airlines do. If getting a certain week is critical, I urge you to nail it down early. However, it may cost more. If cost is more of a concern and you’re flexible, waiting for bargains can be helpful.

Two caveats: not all properties are doing this. This is true even within the same management company or rental platform. Secondly, anecdotally, I’m hearing a lot of guests are waiting this year. I see this leading to some property types looking very open and giving potential guests a false sense of what’s going to be available. If it’s a small to mid sized unit oceanfront, it will almost certainly rent every week between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Set an objective. Every time I post an image like the one above someone replies, “Someday.” If your going to make someday today, first look at what you want to achieve. Often the answer is “Just hang out on the beach.” But is that actually what you want to do for a week? Do you mean “on the beach” or do you want to sit in a comfortable chair out of the sand and look at the beach? Do you want to fish? Do you want to shop? Is everyone in your party willing, or able, to do this? What will make everyone happy? I’ve spoken to people who were disappointed there isn’t an outlet mall near Emerald Isle. If that’s what you want, take it into account.

Answer those questions and be realistic with yourself. Looking at this will help determine where you want to be, what time of year is best, and what the property needs to have to make you happy. Over the years we have learned that two things are non-negotiable when we have our family weeks at our rental. One of these is a large seafood boil. We have an oversize table that allows everyone to sit together at once. Being all together makes the experience special. (My son-in-law’s cooking plays a bigger part.) If there is something like this you want, be sure to keep it in mind. Make an actual list. I keep mine on my phone, so I can add to it anywhere. My wife insists on pen and paper. Just do it.

As a tip from someone who lives year round where others vacation, be open to fall. There’s a reason it typically costs more than the spring, yet is still less than summer. It is hurricane season, but from our first trip, it’s been our preference. Crowds are greatly diminished, the water is very warm, and the fishing is at its peak.

By the way, our family’s other non-negotiable is an inshore fishing trip with our favorite local captain. If you decide that’s for you, I’ll give you his information.

Finalize your needs and choose targets. Hopefully now you have an idea as to your needs. Number of beds and baths, proximity to the ocean, amenities, and time of year should all be determined by now.

All of the local management companies have searchable databases and the ability to browse properties. Of course VRBO and AirBnB do too. The big guys have some advantages, often cost, but I really prefer the local management companies. They have teams of people standing by ready to handle any issue and they take your happiness very seriously.

If you want a little hand holding, one of the services that some local management provides is vacation planners. They will help you find the right property for your vacation. They are local experts who often know the nuances of areas and properties. One of the extra bonuses, is they may know of a property that has become available but is not yet online.

Nail it down! Once you know where and when, get it booked. You don’t always have to pay all at once. Familiarize yourself with policies for payment, cancellation, and tropical storms.

This is also a good time to rent any extra items, such as beach chairs, umbrellas, or cribs, if needed.

Tropical weather is not something to worry about. However, if you are coming during hurricane season, you should be aware of any potential impacts on your trip. Atlantic hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30. Peak season is August and September. The thought of this can be scary for those unfamiliar with it. As a reformed Midwesterner, I’d much rather deal with hurricane season than tornado season.

Now add some zing. I seldom have a meal without adding a little hot sauce. I think most things need a little something extra. Now is the time for you to plan to add something extra to your trip. Your favorite search engine is your friend, but here’s a few items I often recommend. I’ll probably do a more detailed list in the future.

A trip to another island accessible only by boat.

Inshore or offshore fishing charter.

A day trip to one of the other towns in the area.

We usually do a group trip to one of the nicer restaurants in the area.

Enjoy. Not everything will go as planned, but when the time comes, make a point to enjoy yourself. Sometimes what seems like a negative works out to be a positive.

I once ran into a woman who had just arrived in Emerald Isle. She typically would vacation on the gulf in Florida. She was great to talk with, however, she was disappointed that we didn’t face west. She wanted to watch the sunset over the water. I explained that by facing south, she could catch both sunrise and sunset over the water. Then I pulled out my phone and showed her a variety of pictures of both. She was happy and I like to think I made her trip better.

Feel free to leave any questions or comments below.

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If you are interested in owning a vacation rental in the area, remember the Crystal Coast Vacation Rental Show. It takes place on October 18 and 19.