OCRACOKE VACATION RENTAL INFORMATION

As you Plan your Ocracoke Island Vacation:  Remember you are coming to a place with limited resources. It is important to conserve water and limit the number of vehicles you bring; many of our homes do have limited parking, so please check the property page for the number of standard size vehicles allowed at that specific home. You cannot exceed the maximum occupancy of 2 people per advertised bedroom as all the properties are on individual septic systems. All of our vacation properties are owned by families just like yours who have realized their dream of owning a small piece of paradise so please care for it as if it were your own.

Weekly Rentals:  Most of our vacation homes rent weekly from Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday, however we do also offer a few properties with a Friday to Friday rental. Friday check-ins enable you to miss the heavy weekend traffic, plus have two days to get “back to reality” once you get home. The only additional fees will be state and county taxes and the trip insurance, which is highly recommended, but optional.

“Stay Your Way” mini-vacations:  A limited number of properties are available for  Stay Your Way vacations. For these specific properties, you can book a stay with any arrival and departure date, subject to the three-night minimum, months in advance. For rates and more information on Stay Your Way vacations, please call our office at 1.888.973.1395 to speak with one of our vacation specialists.

Partial Week Stays Available: This means that the property will allow reservations of less than one week, but these can only be booked two weeks prior to your actual arrival date. For a list of available properties, and rates for a partial stay, please contact our office. The three-night minimum also applies to partial stays. For any stays of less than a week, an additional cleaning fee may be charged.

Next Year “Pre-Reservations”  Ocracoke Island Realty is happy to offer our guests who stay with us  first option to pre-reserve the same home for the same corresponding dates (not weeks) the following year. If you are staying with Ocracoke Island Realty, you become a member of our Vacation Club. This entitles you to the same vacation home and dates next year … you have first choice! But please remember, if you choose not to take advantage of this pre-reservation privilege, the week and home you had will be open for rent to the general public on a first-come basis. If you would like a different home or week than the one you had this year, you may reserve that home if this year’s guest doesn’t take it. This option is available the Tuesday after that week has passed. Tentative reservations are priority reservations for the following year. It is neither a guaranteed reservation nor is it a guaranteed rate, because next year’s rates have not been set and the owner’s time has not been reserved.  We will do our best to provide the accommodations you have requested and will contact you in the fallwith the next year’s rental agreement and to arrange initial payment.    As always, the Vacation Rental Agreement will reflect advance rent payment, amount due, and the due date. Also, please review the house amenities and dates of the reservation carefully. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at (888) 973-1395.

Property Features:  Please read each property description carefully as amenities vary greatly by property. Each property has a stove, refrigerator, coffee maker, cookware, dishes, silverware and toaster. Pillows, blankets, and bedspreads are provided. For properties that do not provide linens (sheets and towels), linen rentals are available through Beach Outfitters.

Remember that all the rental properties are individually owned, furnished, and decorated to reflect the individual tastes of the homeowner. Ocracoke Island Realty will make every effort to repair or replace any advertised item if something should go wrong during your stay, but please remember that “Island Life” is at a slower pace and repairmen are limited. The nearest Wal-Mart is 2 ½ hours away, and repair parts must be shipped in via UPS!

Non Smoking Properties:  Please respect this policy! If you do smoke/vape in one of our non-smoking houses, you will be held financially responsible for the full cost of remediation.

Pets:  No pets are allowed in any rental home, except where noted “Pets Allowed”. The term “Pets” refers to dogs and/or cats only and are limited to two (2) domestic, housebroken dogs and/or cats, unless otherwise restricted by individual homes (i.e. dogs only). A NON-REFUNDABLE pet fee is required.  If pets are discovered in a home not allowing pets, Tenant may be evicted immediately and security deposit if applicable will be forfeited. Pet damages will be charged to the Tenant.

Occupancy Limits: We ask for strict adherence to the occupancy limits, regardless of the bedding. These limits are calculated based on two people per advertised bedroom, unless otherwise stated. Not only do additional people increase the basic wear and tear on our homes and use additional utilities, but most importantly they stress the septic system of the home. The occupancy limits are set by the Hyde County Health Department as well as state regulations and are based on septic system specifications. Over occupancy of any of our homes can result in eviction with no refunds given. Remember, Ocracoke is a small community and violations are often reported.

Motor Homes: May not be plugged into electrical outlets at cottages, connected to septic systems or used for additional accommodation. Covenants of certain subdivisions prohibit motorhomes on the property. If you are found to be using a motorhome to increase the occupancy of the property you may be evicted with no refund of monies paid.

You’ve Made Your Vacation Property Choice: Whether you make your reservation through our reservation department or book online, your advance rental payment of 50% of the total rental amount (plus Trip Insurance if elected) is due at time of reservation. Trip insurance is recommended, but optional. The only additions to this total are state and county taxes.  Payment by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, personal checks, certified checks, eChecks and money orders are accepted, and all monies must be in US funds.

Final Payment of your Reservation Total:  Final payment is due no later than 30 days prior to arrival.   Reservations made within 30 days of arrival require payment in full by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, certified check, eCheck or money order. No personal checks or eChecks can be accepted within 30 days of arrival. State and county taxes are subject to change without notice. A $35 service fee may be charged for any returned checks.

Payments:  All funds will be placed in an interest bearing account with First National Bank, Ocracoke/Nags Head or Towne Bank Juniper Trail, Southern Shores, NC 27949 on which the interest shall accrue to the benefit of Village Realty Holdings, LLC dba Ocracoke Island Realty.  All funds must be in US Dollars.  

Taxes:  Current tax rates are 11.75% and apply to all rental cottages. This total is comprised of the current 6.75% North Carolina Sales tax plus a 5% Hyde County occupancy tax. These rates also apply to any services provided or rental items ordered through Beach Outfitters. All taxes are subject to change based on state law.

Trip Cancellation Insurance is Highly Recommended:  Ocracoke Island Realty has partnered with Red Sky Travel Insurance to provide you with Trip Preserver vacation rental insurance for important insurance coverage, travel services and emergency assistance to take care of you while on your trip. Please see their website at www.trippreserver.com. Trip insurance is available to cover hurricane evacuations, medical emergencies and many other unexpected events. According to NC law, if trip insurance is offered and you decline it, you waive your right to a refund in the event of an evacuation or unforeseen emergency. Trip insurance is currently 7.95% of your reservation total. The charge for trip insurance is automatically added to your reservation. Once the trip insurance premium is paid with your first payment, it is non-refundable, as it has been paid to the insurance carrier and your protection is in place. If you do not want trip insurance, you must decline it on the Vacation Rental Agreement. We highly recommend the purchase of this coverage for your financial protection.

Cancellation Policy:  If you must cancel your reservation after making payments, we will do our best to re-rent your vacation period to another party. If re-rented at the full rental rate, your rental monies will be refunded by Ocracoke Island Realty, less the trip insurance premium paid, if applicable. You may be subject to a $50 cancellation fee. If the property is not re-rented, all monies paid will be forfeited. If re-rented at a lower rate, or rented for a lesser time period, you will be responsible for the difference as the homeowner is to receive the full amount of the original lease.

Refunds & Relocations:  The Vacation Rental Agreement is a legally binding agreement between the renter and the homeowner. Both parties have specific rights and duties as outlined in the NC Vacation Rental Act. Your reservation and Vacation Rental Agreement with payment binds you to a specific home and period of time. There should be no expectation of refunds or relocation because you are disappointed with the property you have rented or something associated with the property is not working to your satisfaction. Unlike a hotel, we cannot relocate you without specific authorization from the cottage owner. We will make every effort to correct any problem that arises during your stay in as timely a manner as possible. Ocracoke Island Realty provides certain back up electronics in the event you encounter a problem with an item. These items are subject to availability.

When You Arrive:  For homes with keys, Ocracoke Island Realty’s check-in office is located on your right as you first enter the village from the Hatteras ferry—five doors from Howard’s Pub. If you are coming from either Cedar Island or Swan Quarter, our office will be located on the left approximately one mile from the ferry landing. Simply follow Highway 12 north. If you need directions and/or want to check the ferry schedules, go to www.OcracokeIslandRealty.com; or www.ncferry.org. Ferry reservations are highly recommended for the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter ferries and can be made by calling 1.800.BYFERRY (1.800.293.3779). There is a charge for these routes which depends upon the length of your vehicle. The Hatteras ferry is on a first come, first served basis, and there is no charge at this time to ride.

On Your Arrival Day:   Plan for a 5 p.m. check in, although we will do our best to get you in earlier. We have cleaning and laundry to do, maintenance to perform, pools and hot tubs to clean…there is a lot going on between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. If your house is ready prior to 5 p.m., we’re happy to check you in early, but we can’t guarantee it. Please give us a call when you get to the Island and provide us with your cell phone number, we will be happy to notify you as soon as your cottage is ready. If you want to arrive early and will be comfortable hanging out on the beach all day, biking, shopping or visiting the sights, then arriving early may make your first day more fun. However, if you have infants, elderly family members, pets, or anyone requiring special needs, you need to plan for a later arrival. Please pack perishable items in coolers with plenty of ice to keep them fresh throughout the day until your cottage is ready.

If You Are Planning to Arrive after 5 p.m:. On your check-in day, please notify our office in advance so that we can make arrangements for your after-hours arrival. If you are staying in a keyed property and you arrive after the rental office has closed, your check-in package will be in the late check-in box on the front porch near the rental door. Guests staying in keyless entry properties are not required to stop by the office. The packages are left in alphabetical order by leaseholder last name and will show the name, number, and street address of the property and will have a map with highlighted directions to the house and your keys. 

Time to Leave:  All too soon, vacation is over and it’s time to go home. We will take care of your departure cleaning. All we ask is that you wash all your dishes and put them away, take out your trash (must be bagged and in a trash can at the road) and basically leave the property as you found it. Check carefully for all your belongings. Return all keys to the office by 10 a.m. If you choose to leave prior to office hours, simply put the keys in the key drop box outside the office door.