Spirit of VR Roadshow: Stop 1. Outer Banks, NC

October 29, 2020

“It’s unbelievably busy.”

The most common comment we heard at the first stop on our Spirit of VR Roadshow, which is a four-city tour sponsored by six companies: Xplorie, TruPlace, Brivo, BeyondPricing, Silicon, and RealTech. Since all industry events for 2020 have been cancelled, the Spirit of VR Roadshow emerged as a late-year, progressive move to get industry professionals together in a safe, socially distant environment. These roadshow stops are like amped up tailgating with food trucks and locally crafted beverages.

It was therapeutic for our clients to be able to come out to Sanctuary Vineyards on Oct. 27 and share their experiences with the rest of us in the industry. As vendors supporting these clients, we’ve heard a range of anecdotes depending on where in the U.S. our clients are located.

For Outer Banks, NC, their 2020 has been a roller coaster, but one that is ending on an up note. One company told us they had about 100 properties booked last year for Thanksgiving and this year they have over 250 booked.

Several managers shared that they have more than made up for the “shut down” in March and April, as well as most of May, when the entire island was closed to outside traffic – meaning if you were not a full time resident, even if you owned a house there, you were not allowed to enter.

What Shoulder Season?

Normally after Labor Day, traffic and visitors to this small, friendly area leave for the year. Instead, this year, they bought homes and stayed. Or, homeowners who normally rented their property out for nine months a year, decided to stop renting altogether. This conflux of activity has drained local cleaning resources and stretched restaurants thin.

Homeowners who would normally refurbish or reshoot their properties during this time of the year are doing neither. The number of available properties to rent is going down and the demand is going up. If you own a rentable house in Outer Banks and want to sell it, now would be the right time.

Cheers!

Vacation rental managers who were able to make it out to the event were thrilled to be able to share stories and bottles of wine. Many of us have not seen each other in almost a year. The mood was relaxed as the sun peaked out from gray October skies and we all enjoyed a hearty “Southern Parfait” from the Coinjock food truck – comfort food perfect for the end of a long, stressful season. In addition to the fun and food, the Spirit of VR Roadshow raised $475 for the Children & Youth Partnership of Dare County at this stop.

The next stop is Myrtle Beach, SC. We’ll report on what the mood is like there next.