What you are about to read only applies to certain areas. Most of the ocean front property along the Outer Banks is fairly stable. But not all ocean front properties are equal. Some ocean front properties are sitting in areas where the erosion rate is extremely high, i.e., the erosion rates for some of these areas is 14 feet per year. The predominate areas with a high rate of erosion are primarily Kitty Hawk, South Nags Head, and the north end of Rodanthe on Hatteras Island.

A good rule of thumb is when you see low prices for an oceanfront home you can expect the area to have a high erosion rate. Areas with low erosion rate typically have much higher prices.

A lot of times when we explain this to a potential buyer, they always respond with their ideas of how to fix the erosion problem. The idea of a discounted oceanfront house is very appealing. So, in an effort to make this more understandable for everyone here are our responses;

If the house washes away, you will not be able to rebuild. This only applies to the areas listed above where the lot has become too small from erosion to hold a house. In most of the areas on the Outer Banks you can tear down the old house rebuild on the oceanfront lot because the lot is big enough. Whether the lot is big enough to rebuild can almost always be determined by the price. A high-priced ocean front house should have a lot big enough to rebuild on. A cheap ocean front house will not have a lot big enough to rebuild on.

Bulkheads of any kind are illegal, so you cannot build a wall in front of or around the house. Likewise, you cannot pile rocks, build a jetty or make any kind of hardened structure on the beach in North Carolina.

Sand bags are temporary. If you can get a permit to install them it will only be a temporary permit. Sand bags were tried awhile back and the bags ended up scattered all over the beach and have been discouraged ever since then.

You can extend the pilings so the ocean just washes under the house but then the ocean washes away the septic system.

If the septic tank washes away and there is not enough land left to replace it then the house is condemned. Once the house is condemned it is only a matter of time before the insurance company cancels the insurance policy.

Insurance only pays if the house is washed away. The typical scenario is the first storm washes away the stairs, decks, heat pump and septic system leaving the house condemned. Some houses have been in this condemned sate for years while the owners are still committed to paying the mortgage while they wait for a storm to come and wash the house away. All the while hoping that when the house does wash away their insurance policy is still active.