More Snow at Holden Beach....

My wife and I got up this morning at 6:30 am to get our kids up and ready for school. I looked outside and saw that it was cloudy with the sun peeking out every few minutes...but nothing unusual. Then I turned on the weather on and it said we could see some flurries along with some high winds. Again, I thought nothing of it. We got the kids up and fed and left the house to take them to school which is about 10 miles away. We left house at 7:35 am. As we were returning back to the beach we noticed a few flakes beginning to fall. Within 20 minutes of leaving home the temperature dropped from 36 to 31 degrees. The wind started blowing a little harder and the snowflakes got larger and larger. By 8:30 am some acculmination was beginning to show on the car and on the ground. Slowly the ground was beginning to become covered. While it did snow pretty hard for about an hour it began to slowly let up as the morning passed. By 11:30 am the sun was out, the temperature began to rise and the snow began to melt. In all, I would saw we got a nice dusting of maybe less than half an inch. It was fun but wish the kids could have been home to play in it a little while. This is the second time it has snowed at Holden Beach in the last 3 weeks. However this is the most we have had in a good while. It was fun while it lasted.

We did get our 2009 vacation rental brochure available online for you to view and download to print out. You can also email the brochure to family and friends. Please take a look at our new sales site for RE/MAX at the Beach Of course you know there are some deals to be found on the island and mainland right now.

For those of you stuck in "real snow" now is the perfect time to begin planning your 2009 summer vactation to Holden Beach. While you are wrapped up by the fireplace, just think of those relaxing days of rubbing sunscreen on you legs and going to eat seafood at the local restuarants. Please give us a call now while there are openings available to rent a home for your vacation week.

Merry Christmas from Holden Beach, NC!

First and foremost we here at Alan Holden Vacations and RE/MAX at the Beach want to send you and your family warm beach wishes this holiday season and to have a very Merry Christmas. We hope you get everything you need and are you are able to spend time with all of your loved ones.

These past few weeks have been really busy for us here at our office. We did get our new 2009 rental brochures mailed to all of our past customers. They were mailed about a week before Thanksgiving. If you did not get the new 2009 rental brochure, please give us a call and let us know and we will be more than happy to send one to you. We are working on getting the new brochure on our website very soon. Once we get it online, you will be able to view and print it out at home at your convenience. Please go to our "Request a FREE Brochure" page to see if the new brochure is online.

Also, we are FINALLY excited to report that our four RE/MAX at the Beach offices have our new website up and running. The fast link to the web address is RE/MAX at the Beach There are a few minor issues that are needing to be worked out but we wanted to get it up and running before the holidays. That way when you have your new computer at home and it is snowing outside, you can think of how warm Holden Beach is (it is 75 degrees outside now!) and start planning your trip back to the beach. Begin planning on looking at some of our real estate and vacation homes that are for sale. Of course there are some REAL steals on the island right now!

When your family has dates set and your beach house confirmed for your next trip to the area think of the great memories you are making! In order to preserve those memories I suggest you give John Urban a call. He is a local photographer who does family portraits, weddings and receptions and just some general photography. He is a great photographer and his rates more than reasonable. John does our family photographs every year and we have always been extremely pleased with his work. You may want to call him at 910.233.7420 or email John at Bskyp@hotmail.com if you have any questions. If you would like to see some of his work, please visit his website at Blue Sky Photography. If you are thinking of getting married here in our area...his wedding photos are amazing! Please set up an appointment for the week you are here to have your memories captured. John usually books up early due to the high demand of his photos. I suggest you choose a day early in the week you are here in case of bad weather. You know how those summer thunderstorms pop up in the afternoons!

Holden Beach is now becoming more bicycle friendly for families in 2009 with designated bike trails! These local trails really are just part of the roads and sidewalks but they will be marked by signs and brochures that will be available to the public. Follow the brochure routes to learn about more information and the history of the island. You can learn cool things about the old Holden Beach airstrip on the east end of the island and about the Civil War shipwrecks located within swimming distance of the beach. These trails will have varying distances the total trails are about 20 miles long. To see a local news story please go to WWAYTV3.com and please make sure you watch the video on that page along with the story.

Again, all the staff here at our office wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Tropical Storm Hanna!

Well....we made it through T.S. Hanna with only a few scratches here and there. Mostly Holden Beach "weathered" it pretty well. In the beginning of tracking Hanna, she could not quite make up her mind as of where she wanted to go. When she got around the Bahama's she seemed to wander to the North, then back to the South, then Southeast, then Northwest. Finally, she decided to take aim on the NC/SC border. Holden Beach officials had a good grasp on how to handle the situation. Thursday Sept. 4th, Holden Beach Mayor and Town manager decided to make it a "Voluntary Evacuation" beginning the next day at 10am. Holden Beach town employee's, rental agencies, and local businesses began going into lockdown mode. The rental companies, begin calling all of the renters to notify them of the voluntary evacuation and how to get the latest updates from the town. During these phone calls we ask that our renters to please bring in all outdoor furniture and anything that can become blown around in the wind that might be dangerous. After the guests lock all of the windows and doors, most decided to checkout late Friday afternoon. After our guests leave, then we go to all of our rental homes and double check these windows and doors to be extra cautious for our homeowners.

After all homes were checked that evening, we all went home to wait on Hanna. My wife and I along with our three young childen decided it was not going to be much of an event and stayed on the island. The night went on as usual with the wind slowly beginning to increase just before dark. When bedtime came at 9pm, the kids were put to bed and we put the Weather Channel on. Slowly the rain began to fall and the wind picked up even more. I believe the wind really was at it strongest around 3am Saturday morning. My wife and I went downstairs to get something to eat....as usual. While we were eating, we noticed that a large 6ft pane glass in our living room was bending inward about 1/4 inch. It looked like it could go at any moment. The house was shaking and you could hear the wood in the walls bending and flexing from the wind. I tried to open the back door and I could feel a suction on the door and could hardly open it. This suction was actually from the eye of Hanna passing directly over us. I shut the door and we went back upstairs to try to get some sleep. We had just gotten to bed and then the power went out. So I got up and looked out the window and saw that the entire neighborhood was out as well. I knew this was not good.....because then the house starts getting hot inside and you can't open the windows. The kids were sleeping through this whole thing and never made a sound.

The next morning we had to go to work back here at the real estate office to take calls from incoming renters and our homewowner's. As we got out and were able to look at the island things looked pretty good! There were a few places that the ocean came over the dune and put some debris on a few lots. Also there many homes with shingles and siding off. For the most part, that was really about it. We escaped the wrath of the storm this time, but next time we may not be so lucky. We will keep our eyes on the Weather Channel for another few weeks.

Polynesian Show at Holden Beach

Ohana
Originally uploaded by SurfHB

This island is a great place to meet all of kinds of different people from different ages, backgrounds, history and culture. About 2 weeks ago ago we had a Polynesian family that came and did a Hula show under the bridge on the gazebo. The name of the group is called "Ohana"....meaning "family" in Hawaiian. The family was Maila (the mother) on uke and drums, Bruce (the father) on uke and drums, hula dancer Emma (a daughter), another hula dancer named Dore (a daughter), a third hula dancer named Ainslee (a friend), Jarrard (a cousin on Drums), and a friend named Arnold on guitar, and another friend on Guitar. Even the children of two of the dancers were involved in the show!

The show was part of the Holden Beach Merchant's Association free Concerts on the Coast that occurs every Sunday night during the summer months. The show lasted about an hour and 40 minutes with a whole lotta shakin' hips, singing and just having a good time. The turnout for the show was really good, but it began raining during part of the show and we lost some spectators. Most of the people hung around long enough to see the entire show. The group performed songs and dances from Hawaii, Samoa, New Zealand, Tahiti and other places. Most of this family had been performing professional shows for years until several of them moved out to live in the Holden Beach area. This show was special treat for sure. For more info on how to book the family for a show in our area (wedding party, retirement party etc.) please contact me at Shane@atTheBeachNC.com and I can get you in touch with the family. To see more photos of the show Click on this link/

Holden Beach on the Local TV News....

The local TV station out of Wilmington, NC called WWAY TV3, who travels around our part of the state during the summer months doing a series called "Cape Fear Pride". It does a story on a town or island about once a week. This past week, we here at Holden Beach was chosen for this wonderful recognition. As most of you know, Holden Beach is known mostly for what we DON'T have. We do not have neon lights, high rise hotels, or any buidings over 35ft in height. The locals and town pride themselves as being known as "The Family Beach" due to our family atmosphere. Holden Beach has come a long way since it first got it's name. The island use to be nothing but farm land basically for my great great grandparents. There was a small "creek" or very small river that ran just behind the island. The Intracoastal Waterway is man made and was built in the very early 1930's. Before it was built, our family raised cows and goats and were allowed to roam the eastern part of the island. Then a few homes were built and sold. Holden Beach officially became a town on Feb. 14, 1969. Today Holden Beach is the permanent home to about 900 residents.

As for the story that was done by the local TV station, you can see the video here. At the 1 min. 16 second mark, you can get a quick glimpse of me talking with my father Alan Holden in the kitchen of our real estate office Alan Holden Vacations and RE/MAX at the Beach. The photos that were used in the story are from the book called "Holden Beach History", which was written by my grandfather John F. Holden. You can buy this book and others from our office. Just give us a call at 800-720-2200 and tell us which one you want and we will be happy to mail it to you. You can see other books we have on this page.

If you are looking for more stories on the development of Holden Beach, be sure to read his second book called "The Beginning and Development of Holden Beach" that is on the same page as the other books. To get a sneak peak of what is inside please read this quick story...

I thought the news story was great and reflected our family values here on the island. For all of you who have visited here before, you do not need a news story to tell how great the island is.......you already know!

Blah.... Blah.... Blog!

I am just going to hop right into it today. Summer is coming on strong! I can see people out mowing their yards and trimming the bushes. People are swimming in the warm ocean in regular bathing suits (no wet suits anymore!) The reservations are picking up slowly but surely, and soon the weekly mayhem will begin. This past week was a good warm up to the full rush.

I hope the gas prices decide to go on vacation too. They are working way to hard and have a lot of over time. Maybe the "gas fairies" need a 3 YEAR vacation....since they are way ahead of schedule. The cheapest gas within 10 miles of here is right around $3.77 a gallon for regular 87 octane gas. Did you know, back in 1999 gas was only $0.89 a gallon here at Holden Beach? Talk about a pain in the wallet! I just find it ironic, that the cost of fuel keeps going up, and up and up. Then we see on the Nightly News that oil companies are profiting BILLIONS a year. I am not the smartest fellow at math I must admit, but I do know it does not add up.

On to more positive things......in order to help you find a few deals, we have been keeping our "Special's" page updated on our site. Some of our homeowner's have decided to try to help their fellow renters out. Several are offering money off to help pay for gas. Stroll on over to that part of our site, and give them a look. Please keep in mind that rental prices are set back in August or September of the year before.

Come on down to the beach to help relax and shake off those winter blues. The water temps are in the mid-70's and the air temps are averaging in the mid-80's and sunny. You can also keep and eye on the waves and surf report with our beach webcam. We look forward to seeing you!

New Website Features

I know....I know. I have been really slack lately about updating this blog. It is honestly hard to find the time to do it at work. I have been thinking about some of the changes we have been making to our vacation rental site this year.

Let me first begin by saying that we have added a new webcam to our office that overlooks the wonderful and beautiful Atlantic Ocean. We have had tremendous success and such a positive response, that it has been one of the biggest highlights of our site. Our camera is run by EarthCam.com which is pretty much the largest webcam site in the world. You can see pretty much any large city you want....and that includes the huge town of Holden Beach, NC. So if you have time, stroll on over to Earthcam.com and take a look at some really cool places.

Some of the other changes we have made in the past year or so has been the addition of a bed linen program that is offered to about 75% or more of our rental homes. The first summer we tried to make it work was in 2007 and was extremely poplular. Now more and more homeowner's have signed onto the program for 2008. We hope to keep increasing the numbers of these properties that offer bed linens to make your rental properties more comfortable and enjoyable.

Another great feature that homeowner's have jumped on, is the offering of High-Speed internet. Due to the changing of times, more and more people are working while on vacation. This is also making certain homes more poplular for rentals. So if you need to check back in at home or at work, you might want to get a home that offers high-speed internet.

Where is Uncle Bruce and Aunt Maila going to sleep? Well.....that answer will get a little easier this year as we add floor plans to homes for this 2008 season. As of now (March 2008) we have about twenty-five homes that now have their floor plans on our site. We will keep adding a few more as the weeks go on. Due to the large amount of time it takes to do these, we will add more as time allows us to. You can find these floor plans on the property description page.

One last feature that we have been working on for a few months is the new search engine on our rentals page. The new search options should be on our webpage in the next few days. You will soon be able to search by price range and by certain amenities. Please be mindful that the more amenities you search by, the harder it will be for the system to find you a home. So it is best to only choose one or two amenities that are most important to you.

With the early Easter we will be having this year, we expect things to slowly increase in the rentals as the year goes on. We hope that with the gas prices and slowing economy everyone will still take their hard earned vacations as they have in years past. While you are here, please dont forget to get those rental bikes, kayaks, grills etc. Hope to see you soon.....because the warm weather is already here! It was 72 degrees today!