There’s so much to know and learn about the Outer Banks, Resort Realty and your vacation. Below is a list of common questions that guests ask when planning a memorable vacation, after they’ve booked or while they’re enjoying their best vacation ever. If there’s any questions that we have not addressed, please reach out to us with your suggestions and we’ll add to our Q&A list.
Check-in begins at 4:00PM. Homes are not available for check-in earlier than 4:00PM
You can pick up your keys at the designated office listed on your pre-arrival email. Your designed office is determined by your property number. If your home is keyless entry, you will be assigned a numeric code and you may travel directly to the property to check-in.
Corolla: 1000-1999
Duck: 2000-4480
Kitty Hawk: 4575-5402
Nags Head: 5404-6999
Waves: 7000-7999
Unless you have purchased a late check-out, check-out is at 10:00AM on the day of departure. You can check out by dialing (877) 413-7216 at your rental home (will not work from a personal cell phone). When prompted, press “2” for departure. Please leave your keys in the home by the phone.
Your vacation check-in packet (with keys) will be left in the outdoor drop box at the appropriate check-in office. Packets will not be left in the drop box unless your balance is fully paid. Guests staying in keyless homes may travel straight to the property.
Please drop your keys off at your designated check-in office or call us at (800) 458-3830 if you have keyless entry.
Your property's address and phone number will be provided to you once your lease is signed.
Our helpful and knowledgeable Vacation Specialists are available from 8:30AM - 5:00PM daily to help you find the perfect vacation home for your group and to assist you with the booking process. You can chat with them at (800) 458-3830. You can also make your reservation online. Click here for the best vacation rentals.
Keyless entry allows you to open and lock your vacation home by entering a numeric code. Your keyless entry code will be sent to you 4 days prior to your vacation in your pre-arrival email. If your home provides keyless entry you can go directly to your beach house without having to check-in at an office. Keyless entry codes are activated at check-in time and expire at 10:00AM on your departure day.
We ask that our guests leave the home in a similar condition as it was found. Please vacuum and sweep floors, wash all dishes and return to cabinets, remove all food and trash, and lock all doors and windows. If your reservation included linen service, you do not have to launder any bedding. If you desire, you may leave/donate any unopened, non-perishable food using the Feed NC bag provided in the home. This food will be distributed to local food banks and charities.
Cleaning supplies such as all-purpose cleaner/disinfectant, dish, and laundry detergent are not included. Please note that you will need to furnish certain paper products such as toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, and garbage bags. Pillows will be provided. A starter roll of toilet paper will be provided. Dish towels and dishcloths are not included.
An elevator makes for a far more enjoyable vacation experience when moving in and out, carting groceries etc. Elevators can also be a necessity for those who have mobility issues. While helpful, elevators can also be a hazard to little ones (just like pools or the beach). If your home is equipped with an elevator, please take the time to review the safety instructions posted inside the elevator and do not allow children to be unsupervised in and around the elevator.
The Feed NC Project is a social impact initiative developed by North Carolina's professional Vacation Rental Management industry to help fight hunger throughout our state. With the unique nature of vacation rentals, many guests like to cook and eat-in with family and friends. This inevitably leads to excess food at the end of their vacations. Their mission is to make it effortless for our vacationing guests to give back to the local communities that they visit by leaving their non-perishable food behind. Participating companies (like Resort Realty!) work in collaboration with the Feed NC Project to coordinate distribution of this left over food to local food banks and charities.
Most Smart TVs and Roku TVs feature Netflix, Hulu, and other popular streaming apps. Unless otherwise stated, you need to use your personal login for apps in homes with these TVs.
Due to the remote location of our area, issues with internet and/or cable may occur. To troubleshoot these issues, first check to make sure the correct cords are properly plugged in. For WiFi issues, unplug the ethernet cord from the router and reinstall. If the issue is not fixed, contact our maintenance department at (252) 261-8383 for assistance.
The Outer Banks is home to a bunch of flying and crawling critters. The most common of the two are midges and water bugs. Midges are often referred to as “blind mosquitoes” or “fuzzy bills”, they do not bite but can be a nuisance. They are native to aquatic habitats and are common in this area. They come in large swarms and can affect outdoor activities, stain walls, cars, and surfaces upon which they rest. They are attracted to lights and may hoard around windows and doors as well as porch and street lights. Eliminating exterior lighting at night and closing window shades will help minimize their presence. They are part of the Outer Banks ecology and have a short 24-hour lifespan. Water bugs or Palmetto Bugs are typically large, winged insects that can be 2-inches in length or longer. You'll usually find waterbugs around the exterior of homes but they sometimes appear inside the home as well. Waterbugs thrive in dark, damp conditions and if there hasn't been much rain on the Outer Banks, you'll sometimes find them inside your home. Waterbugs do not signify unclean or unsanitary conditions.
Yes, linens and bed making service are included with all our vacation homes.
Cookouts are an important part of any vacation! We have a number of options when it comes to getting a new gas tank for the grill.
• Call 252-261-8383
• Email [email protected]
• Pick up a new tank at our Nags Head or Corolla offices
• Exchange the tank yourself and bring the receipt to one of our offices and we'll reimburse you
Resort Realty offers a wide variety of OBX pet friendly vacation homes that can accommodate your furry family members. Pets are only allowed at homes that are listed as “Pet Friendly” in the property description. Pets are limited to two (2) domestic, housebroken, well-behaved adult dogs (no puppies permitted).
Military Discounts are available at participating homes. Please check the individual property description for discount availability. The program allows for active/retired and reserved individuals in the US Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, National Guard, Coast Guard to receive up to 5% off the listed rate for a full week reservation. Some restrictions may apply. Use code MILITARY at time of booking.
Travel Insurance can be added to any reservation to protect guests if they need to cancel their reservation due to a family emergency, job loss, hurricane, flooding or a mandatory evacuation. View our Travel Insurance page for more detailed information.
Pool and hot tub openings and closings are determined by the individual homeowners and associations and are subject to change.
• Community pools are not heated and typically open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
• Heated Pools are available from 4/4/26 to 10/17/26, Unheated Pools are available from 4/18/26 to 10/10/26
This is subject to owner discretion.Hot tubs are typically open year-round and fireplaces are available to use only during the off-season (from September 2nd to May 1st).
A majority of our vacation homes offer grills as an amenity; please review the property description to confirm. Guests are responsible for supplying charcoal and grilling utensils and for cleaning the grill after usage. Please keep grills in their designated areas and keep them off of and away from wooden decks to prevent a fire hazard. Grills should only be used on concrete surfaces.
Outer Banks communities do not allow campers, RVs and mobile units to be parked at vacation rental homes.
Fireworks and firearms are not permitted.
Beach fires are allowed with a permit on beaches in Nags Head and along the Cape Hatteras National Shore. Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills do not allow beach fires. You can obtain a permit from the Nags Head Fire Department at 5314 Croatan Highway in Nags Head after 5:00PM on the day you plan to build a fire.
Small ground fires can be built within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore with a permit as long as they are below the high tide line and at least 100 feet from dune vegetation. You can receive a permit online at the National Park Service website.
All fires must be attended by an adult and be properly extinguished.
Beach items must be taken in daily. Resort Realty is not responsible for any personal or rental items left on the beach overnight.
Fill it in! Digging in the sand with the kids can be great fun, but holes are hazardous to people, pets and vehicles. Please be sure to fill in any holes you've dug with the sand that came from them.
Please contact our Operations Center at (252) 261-8383 to find out if our Housekeepers were able to locate your missing item. Found items can be shipped to your home address; be prepared to pay the C.O.D. (collect on delivery) shipping fee upon arrival.
Yes, beach and sound parking is free at public beach and sound accesses. Corolla has a limited number of public beach accesses. If you're vacationing in Corolla, you can obtain a parking pass. The Town of Duck and Southern Shores do not have public beach accesses. Their beach accesses are owned by Homeowner Associations and access is limited to residents and vacationers staying in a property within their subdivision. Your rental home's community will provide you with a designated parking area or pass if you're vacationing in Southern Shores, Duck and Corolla.
Liquor can be purchased at ABC stores, but not in grocery or convenience stores. ABC stores are open from 10:00AM – 9:00PM Monday - Saturday. North Carolina does not allow “Happy Hours;” restaurants and bars must run drink specials throughout the day. Alcohol can only be sold or served Monday - Saturday between 7:00AM and 2:00AM. On Sundays, alcohol can only be sold, served, and consumed after 10:00 AM. Alcohol sales must end at 2:00AM and customers have until 2:30AM to consume it.
These items are not standard amenities, but some homes do provide beach equipment for their guests to use. If the home does offer these items, it will be noted in the property description. You can purchase beach items at local shops throughout the Outer Banks or rent them during your vacation. View our Equipment Rental page for more information.
For pier and charter boat fishing, you do NOT need a license; the pier or charter has already purchased a blanket license. If you're surf fishing or fishing on a private boat, you will need to have a NC fishing license (if you are 16 or older). Licenses can be purchased online at with the NC Fish And Wildlife Service.
There are 7 piers on the Outer Banks including the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, the Nags Head Pier, Jennette's Pier and Outer Banks Pier in Nags Head and the Rodanthe Pier, Avon Pier and Hatteras Island Pier on Hatteras Island.
The Outer Banks has plenty of indoor activities for those rainy days (or when you may need a break from the sun). You can visit the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island. See the latest movie at the R/C Kill Devil Hills Movies 10 or at Corolla Movie & Bistro in Corolla. You can make pottery and crafts at an art studio, take a shopping trip or take tour at Outer Banks Distilling.
The Sanderling and Aqua Spa can be found in Duck, Lotus Day Spa & Boutique in Kitty Hawk, Hairoics in Kill Devil Hills and Spa Koru in Avon on Hatteras Island.
Beach Medical Care in Kitty Hawk 252-261-4187
Medical Home Calls 252-475-2007
Outer Banks Urgent Care in Nags Head - 252-261-8040
The Outer Banks Hospital in Nags Head - 877-359-9179
Corolla, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Hatteras Island all have a major grocery store chains within the town. Duck and Roanoke Island have family-owned grocery stores.
If you have an electric vehicle, you can charge your car at one of these charging stations depending on the type of plug your car needs.
