I was lucky enough to be a part of a couple’s incredible Outer Banks ownership journey (and develop a friendship with them along the way). Here’s their story.
Back in 2012, I received a call from a couple considering an Outer Banks property purchase. I had no idea at the time, but Debbie and Tom would go on to become lifelong friends of mine. We spent many days looking at homes together, but it soon became clear that building a new home from the ground up would be the best fit for them.
Together, we reoriented our search towards vacant land – specifically, a generously sized parcel with water frontage. Off we went on our search, wading through marshes and dense vegetation. Creatures that crawl, sneak, and slither thrive in this environment – I, on the other hand, do not. In the name of the search, though, I put on my big girl pants (and my muck boots) and charged on (but only because the walking stick that Tom gifted me had emboldened me!).
After months of hunting, Debbie and Tom grew weary – they sat me down and said they were going to expand their search to other areas. I was bummed, but not about to give up on finding the perfect property for my new friends and promised to keep at it and keep in touch.
“They sat me down and said they were going to expand their search to other areas. I was bummed, but not about to give up.”
About a year later, I came across a piece of undeveloped land that had been on the market for a bit. I could see that for the average buyer, taming this wild, unspoiled property might be a bit daunting. I scheduled a showing, grabbed my trusty walking stick, and pulled on the muck boots once more, and took some videos to capture what I could of this massive parcel to send to Debbie and Tom. I sent them the videos and held my breath waiting for their response. Their intrigue and excitement matched my own and we scheduled a time to see it for themselves.
We knew that the property was soundfront but could see no viable path for approach: the dense trees, shrubs and marsh grasses rendered it in accessible on foot from the sound side. We decided to plant a flag as close to the water as the vegetation allowed, then the three of us piled onto a borrowed Jon Boat to search for a flag by water (this is probably a good time to mention that Tom is well over 7 feet tall). Teetering to and fro and barely staying above water, we slowly skimmed across the sound. Suddenly, we caught a glimpse of the flag.
This was the place that would become “Breezy Point.”
Over the course of the next ten years, Debbie and Tom would make their vision a reality, turning this wild, unspoiled property into their own private paradise with multiple piers, a main residence and semi-attached carriage house, gazebos, and meandering walkways. Along the way, our friendship grew.
After all those years of molding and shaping Breezy Point to fit their vision, Debbie and Tom were ready for the next chapter in their adventure. While I was understandably sad that my friends were leaving the Outer Banks, I was excited for their new chapter. As we reminisced about all the ways they had transformed this property, it really hit home for me that it would take a special buyer to appreciate all the facets of this once-in-a-lifetime kind of home. Someone who loved nature, who didn’t get overwhelmed by upkeep and who understood the care and attention that was put into every detail.
“As we reminisced about all the ways they had transformed this property, it really hit home that it would take a special buyer to appreciate all the facets of this once-in-a-lifetime kind of home.”
Although Debbie and Tom had always taken impeccable care of their asset, they knew that in order to capture buyers’ attention, the property had to be in beyond tip-top shape. They spent a few months getting every last detail in order and we implemented a multi-faceted marketing strategy. We went on the market with a bang in late October and negotiated an offer with their amazing buyers within seven days of listing.
At $2.175Million, Breezy Point was the highest-priced real estate transaction in Colington Island history, and it was all because two people had a vision.
“Breezy Point was the highest-priced real estate transaction in Colington Island history, and it was all because two people had a vision.”
I’m so grateful to have been a part of Debbie and Tom’s Outer Banks journey, but I’m even more grateful that we’ll be forever friends. Congratulations, Debbie and Tom, and cheers to your next chapter!
