We stayed for a week in June 2026 had no issues throughout the process. Staff was attentive and friendly every time we called, emailed or texted them! The home we stayed in was amazing. Photos on their site were accurate. Housekeeping did an amazing job as well! Our property manager Many was super attentive. read more

We've been coming to the Outer Banks for at least 40 years and past several years we have used her first Realty they always take care of us! This past trip we did not have any issues at all and we thoroughly enjoyed staying at making waves. We were concerned it was between the two campgrounds but it was really nice. It wasn't too crowded, and we enjoyed the occasional width of roasted marshmallows. read more

The Seaduduction. We came into a dirty house with uncleaned explosive diarrhea in the toilet. The hot tub is said to be serviced before you come in and mid week. It had 6" of water in it and was unplugged from the breaker. After calling and asking for service, no one came. Only 8 towels for 10 people. Again we informed them and no towels brought. Musty towels and sheets left in washer. They were supposed to come clean the pool on Wednesday, nothing. Socks on the floor in the bedroom and under the couch. In the bunk room there is a dresser stuffed between the bunk and the wall but you can't open the drawers bc the room is so small. Bloody boogers on the chair in the main room. Crusty something on the sliding door. Jelly on the night stand. read more

Such a great house and we love the proximity to the ocean. Everyone enjoyed the pool and downstairs recreation area, as well. Would definitely stay here again! read more

Where to begin. Thursday 7/10 my mom has end stage leukemia with TP53 mutation she has about a couple months left this is what she wanted to do to come to north Carolina with her husband, daughter and three grandkids. She is the reason we came here and I am just so sad this is happened. We get here and the elevator does not work there is 4 floors at this house and I specifically got a place with an elevator as she would not be able to walk. The air conditioner for the second floor does not work where four of the main bedrooms are, so they have portable air conditioners put in and venting out the sliding doors to the balcony's of the rooms and taped with painters tape ? So no one can even go on the balcony's To enjoy the "oceanfront" view. The doors in each bedroom can not shut and can not lock because of the vent through it which 3 of the rooms have my children in it one which is 10 years old With doors wide open with stairs that go to their balcony's. Also So is my whole family suppose to feel safe going out and leaving all our valuables here with unlocked doors ???? One rooms air conditioner is in the window it does not work and it's just leaking water everywhere. Not to mention the air conditioners filter were caked with dirt and mildew I spent the first 24 hours basically cleaning. There are bugs everywhere drain flys, beetles, carpet beetles, and bugs hopping all over the floors which I still do t know what they are. A couple rooms smell like cat and cat urine. I scrubbed the rooms, vacummed, cleaned all the filters as my kids were sleeping in there. This house is definitely on the beach but you can't see the beach, I'm not sure if oceanfront means you should see the beach but that would be my impression on what "oceanfront" means. I specifically looked for a place on the beach for the convenience for my mother who definitely can't even go to the beach because the hill is so massive behind the house I can't even pull a wheel chair up it. All the screens in the sliding doors were ripped and wholes everywhere. The outside trash cans were overflowed with trash. We have no where to put out trash. The toaster doesn't work, the pots and pans are simply disgusting. I am so disgusted, this place isn't worth a half of the 8,000 dollars I paid. The amount of bugs everywhere are out of control. In the beds, on the ceilings, all in the rugs. At one point there were about 40 to 50 bugs all hopping around the carpet in 2 of the rooms. I have literally spent the past 5 days trying to clean and maintain everything so my kids and parents can be alittle more comfortable. It is Wednesday and still no answers no one is answering the phones, emails, or live chat on website. Wednesday 7/15- went to surf or sound realty office in hatteras. One person working, said someone will call me. Went there around 11:30am Someone named Wendy called me at 3:45pm and stated she will put a task in for an exterminator and her guy has been installing air conditioners for years he knows what hes doing ???????? Wait I'm not that smart but I even know painters tape is not appropriate at all and leaving opening everywhere isn't how you do it either. Her next response was if it was my childrens safety I was concerned for because of their bedroom doors being open to the outside Wendy said she will bring a stick to wedge in the door and then says nothing will happen anyway it is really safe around here ?? I'm sorry how can one even say that especially in this world today. By Thursday they sent an exterminator mind you we been here since Saturday and they have known all of this since saturday. The exterminator believes the sewer flys could be coming from the filthy drains in the portable air conditioners that were just thrown in disgusting and not cleaned. The exterminator couldn't even tell me what all the insects were all over the rugs. She sprayed the second floor and that was it. We drove here from PA on Saturday 7/13 we were about a hour away around 5:30 is when we were notified the air condition the second floor was not working and they put portable ac units all through the second floor but come to find out the air conditioners on the second floor one floor been broke for a week it was broke before i even booked this house. This company is not helpful at all in all honesty they are extremely unbusinesslike I could not get in touch with anyone, no one ever answered their phones and then if you got the chance to talk to someone one day the next day they were conveniently off, or on the phone and then never called back. Many many photos and videos, I guess you can't post them on here read more

DO NOT RENT Second Wind, a horrible oceanside Avon, N.C., house offered by Surf or Sound Realty. We were in it for a week this summer. It's worn-out, unsafe, smelly and cluttered. We've been visiting OBX for decades. This was our worst house rental ever, by far. Two service calls produced a couple of minor fixes, but this place was close to beyond repair: - Lower-floor hall lights wired through one switch, overburdening single circuit and causing electrical burn odor in stairwell, fire hazard. - Elevator doesn't work. Repairman came and said he fixed it. We took one ride down from third floor to ground and it never worked again. - Trash and junk scattered on ground around and beneath home. - Top floor bedroom has no smoke alarm, no closet, no bathroom. - Over-toilet bathroom cabinet not fastened to wall, could topple over. - Living room AC return grate and vents covered in moldy grime. - Nail heads protrude from floor planks on top deck. - House infested with stink bugs. - Interior staircase carpet damp, sticky and smelly. - Exposed pine walls on top floor show extensive water damage. - Aging dishwasher does poor job of cleaning and leaves residue. - Kitchen has no pantry and needs a thorough overhaul. - Broken-down outdoor fish pond full of water, breeding mosquitos. - Top-floor bathroom door delaminating, strange towel rack could poke child in face. - Top-floor bedroom and bathroom window blinds are worn out. - Unpatched holes, peeling paint and ceiling cracks throughout. - Junky clutter of personal paintings, baskets, carvings, old and soiled thrift-store furniture do the place no favors. - Plastic film on all four clerestory windows in top-floor is peeling away. Surf or Sound rents some top-quality homes, but Second Wind was a huge disappointment. To be fair, it has good top-deck views. There is plenty of parking. The deck furniture is decent. The mattresses were adequate. The composite flooring looked new-ish. But the problems with the house were so numerous and obvious that we were shocked. If the owners won't invest enough to make the place safe, sanitary and attractive, Surf or Sound should cut them loose. A house like this only damages Surf or Sound's reputation, already hurt by a Covid refunds scandal. We will not be renting again from Surf or Sound. read more

WOW!! I cannot say enough about Surf or Sound! We paid for early check-in. Imagine our surprise when we got the massage our home was ready before 11am! The home was impressively clean from top to bottom, inside and out. The team is VERY responsive and go out of their way to make sure everything is satisfactory. Someone from S or S came by to make sure the trash can was out and brought it back in for us! Linens were dropped off at the home before we left for the changeover! We've used them several times in the past, but they have taken customer service to a new level! Kudos!! read more

The house was clean and inviting. Very spacious. I would suggest handrails in at least one of the master bathrooms in tub area. We really enjoyed our stay. read more

I sent this review to the opertions manager and her reply was "Thank you so much"... A great week at Rhythm of the Sea. Perfect weather. Kudos to housekeeping, concierge trash collectors, pool/hot tub caretakers and the well equipped kitchen and bar. Although this is our first rental with Surf or Sound, we have been coming to the Outer Banks for decades. Rhythm of the Sea has a great layout and amenities. However, during our week, we noticed some things that need attention... I will send some photos under separate cover... - Ice Maker. The under counter ice maker in the kitchen is not functioning properly. Upon arrival, we found a solid block of ice in the bucket. We removed it and restarted the ice make. No cubes, just a solid block again. - Broken Screens. There are broken window screens in the south facing screen room as well as the outdoor bathroom by the pool. - The west facing door to the screen room is broken with the parts laying on the ground. - The broken Weber BBQ on the west facing deck should be removed. It has a foul odor which precludes the use of the west facing deck for viewing sunsets. - The slider from the great room to the east facing deck needs track slider/roller replacement and readjustment. The door is very hard to open/close. - The convection fan in the oven makes excessive noise. Most likely a bearing failure. Needs to be replaced. - The hot tub cover stitching is coming loose in several places. This makes opening the hot tub difficult. Cover should be repaired or replaced. - Clothes dryer taking a very long time to dry clothes. Suggest you have the vent inspected for build up of lint which would be a very dangerous fire hazard. - Wifi reception on the top floor is weak. Connections drop often. Works extremely well in other parts of the house. Most likely, a repositioning of an access point would resolve this issue. - There are a few wooden chairs in the kitchen that have loose legs. If not repaired, these chairs are likely to break upon further use. - The railings on the top east facing deck are loose. This is very dangerous. On one of the posts, you can see the severely rusted supports. Needs repair ASAP. - The pool railing at the steps into the pool is loose. Makes using it especially dangerous. - The mold on the bottom level of the home is very bad. We were unable to use that level of the home and people sleeping on the second level had breathing issues. This needs to be remediated immediately. Hope you will see this note as constructive. Looking forward to renting again soon. Best, Captain Ron PS.. One of other issue... the puzzle is missing some pieces. ;) read more

Overall, this was a great vacation and a good house. It does need some basic maintenance and upgrades, which is understandable since these houses are constantly rented. With that said, it had everything we needed and the view of the sound is spectacular. We did have to put in some service requests, but the individuals who managed this property were friendly and easy to contact. I was impressed with the amount of contact and service we had while visiting. Having two people with contact numbers that handle any property issues is a very nice amenity and not something I have experienced with other property management companies. I do wish that rates would go down to a more reasonable price point, but, in the post 'Rona world we are in, I'm afraid reasonable rates are a thing of the past. Rates are comparable to other rentals on the island. As a NC native, I just hope they decades of family vacation tradition can continue and we not get priced out of the area. read more

Such a wonderful house, lots of room, oceanfront w/no houses to block the beautiful view! Surf or Sound's staff were so quick w/responses to any question we had. will def use them in the future! read more

The pictures on their website are not always a true reflection of their homes. Rented a home from them in July 2025 (Sail On) and it was nasty and in need of major repairs. Safety issues throughout the house and black mold in the bathrooms. Hair in the drains and liquor bottles from the last renters. If I could rate a zero I would. read more

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Rented Second Wind starting on 10/18. Got a text that it was ready to move in. It was not. I have been going to the Outer Banks for over 40 years and this is the worst house ever, The elevator didn't work. I have two knee replacements and my wife was coming off surgery so schlepping our stuff up 3 flights of stairs ain't happening. Got inside and the place smelled dank and musty and no perfumed air fresheners could hide it. The top floor sliding door was barricaded with a pile of deck furniture. All of the trash bins were still under the house and piled to overflowing with the previous renter's garbage. Must have been a band of gypsies. We refused to move into this dump and instead rented another property on the spot. Surf or Sound manager, Orville, refused to return my requests to discuss this god awful property. They should be ashamed to put it in their catalog. read more

Excellent communication from Surf or Sound. Consistent progress and updates from booking to departing. The house booked was extremely clean and in good condition. Look forward to booking with Surf or Sound on my next visit to the OBX. read more

Our property at Redemption #912 is not how it is pictures. This property was not clean shower door broken, tub jets non-working AC questionable?? Broken stairs on decking mold everywhere, burnt microwave, oven not cleaned. Bulbs in light burnt out. Even hot tub had big time leak first two days. Blinds on main floor broken. After contacting fixed one stair and hot tub, only. The management company felt it had to address. This house needs a better company handling it could be a nice place if it was taken care. We have been to this area many times and never have had to contact a management company for anything. read more

Nice clean home. Quick response to questions. Great vacation. Attentive to needs and requests.

This was probably the least cared for home I've rented in the outer banks. House : Paws in water **. Very clearly kept at the bare minimum as a rental. We've rented up and down the outer banks through many different companies. I've never stayed at a house worse than this. The air conditioner was broken, a rat came into our bedroom in the middle of the night and crawled across our bed pooping on our belongings and oral retainers! I pray the next family didn't wake up to that night mare. Black mold was growing everywhere causing allergy issues for everyone. In the bunk bed room there was dried blood on the lower bunk bed and on the carpet beneath. During the day, WITHOUT NOTICE, there were workers coming and going from the house. Final and certainly not the least. Not a single person cared to answer an email or phone call. We had to drive to an office for someone to come over. They only gave us fresh towels after the rat issue....that's it. This company is terribly ran and won't be in business much longer, and the outer banks as a whole won't see vacationers in the future if this is how things are going. And that's if the ocean doesn't remove it from the map first. Rat issue at the beach or not you need to get traps and bait in place and seal up the houses. what a disgrace. I'm appalled there was not even a hint at some kind of refund. ** and I'm posting this on Yelp as much as I hate to be this person but because consumers should know the truth. We filled out a review requested by the surf or sound co themselves but I'm sure it will get deleted. So cheers. ** find a different beach and a different company to rent from! read more

Surf or Sound Realty - Rat in our bedroom at this paws in sand beach house. - Property Management Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

We had a misfortune to rent from this agency in July of 2024. Photos of the house on their web site were at least 10 years old. The house was dirty, propane stove tank was empty, when we tried to cook we were sickened for a day because of a gas leak. Broken window was just boarded, sinks were clogged, pots and pans were so dirty we had to buy our own. On top of it all, the kitchen garbage slide-out would not close... We had to manage the agency fixing all the issues for a week out of our two week vacation. Probably the worst and most unscrupulous business I had to deal with. read more

Surf or Sound Realty - Broken Window - Property Management Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

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The house was everything that we asked for and Surf or Sound checked in all week, I appreciate overcommunication. The only flaw was the massive amount of mosquitos. Bug spray did nothing and there was nowhere outside that was safe. We got spray later in the week for the surrounding foliage and that worked great, but we couldn't have been the first people in that house with that problem. Overall, 4 out of 5, we will use them again for next year. read more

Great location and great house! We enjoyed access to the sound for fishing, kayaking and watching beautiful sunsets !

So pleased with Surf or Sound Realty for our rental home. Great to work with in every aspect. David and Jimmy in the maintenance department have been above and beyond helpful. So happy with this first class company. read more

the communication between the office and me was great since we were being delayed by a hurricane. I also received a call to make sure everything was just as it should be read more

Surf & Sound were responsive and followed up during our vacation to make sure all was going well. House and pool were clean when we arrived.

Surf or Sound was great. I got a call from our guy(forgot his name) the 1st day we got there and he said if we need anything to call. The gas was low in the grill and we wanted it for supper. Within the hour someone was there to replace it. I would use them again. We stayed at #1105. It was a beautiful house! read more

I want to start by saying I have actually thought long and hard regarding leaving this review as I was afraid we were over reacting however I haven't been able to shake the feeling that I had to leave a review since checking out on Saturday April 29th. We booked Jekyll's Hydeout in Hatteras after viewing the pictures and deciding it would be a fantastic option for our families... wrong. Upon arriving we began unpacking only to find the driveway and ground surrounding the driveway scattered with nails and construction debris. While quickly looking we were able to collect 30+ nails as well as a couple utility knife blades (one of which found by a 6 y/o). Assuming this was from messy carpenters as the exterior stairs appeared to have been recently replaced. After entering the home everything appeared nice on the surface. Once we began actually trying to function within the home we were all pretty underwhelmed with what the house had to offer, nearly every cabinet was empty, mismatched and broken utensils, burned and dirty pots and pans, and not 1, not 2, but 4 BROKEN coffee makers. The dishwasher in the kitchen desperately needs to be replaced as pieces and parts were actively rusting off when we would run it. Not to mention the filth and absolute disrepair. Vinyl peeling off of almost every kitchen cabinet, shower heads coated in mold/sludge, hair stuck into the wall paint, broken and unusable lamps, missing or burned out lightbulbs, non-working bathroom fans, inoperable blinds in almost every room, I could go on. Disappointed is all I can say. We have stayed with Surf or Sound many times and have always had small issues but this home was above and beyond. We have already booked with Midgett next year and look forward to a much nicer home. read more

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we had issues just before arrival with our rental property. surf or sound, Patty in particular, took great care of us as always- got all problems solved this group always goes above and beyond to help with anything. read more

Amazing experience staying in your house! I highly recommend using Surf or Sound Realty. Our property manager Heather was very attentive and prompt in responding. read more

Within an hour, the Surf or Sound's service team jumped on our broken AC. Great job, wonderful service! The trash service was an extra bonus, too. Thank you, read more

We truly enjoyed our stay at 700 sand dollars. From the beautiful, clean, and well maintained house. The kitchen was one of the most well equipped for the large family, who likes to cook their meals at home. The commercial ice maker was probably one of our favorite fratures, which cut down on purchasing ice all week long. The property offered many enjoyable decks for enjoying the surrounding scenery, sunsets, and stars. When we were ready to escape the sun and sand the pool and hot tub became the perfect ending to our day! Sarah read more

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We rented a beach house through Surf or Sound and the experience was amazing! When I had to contact Tommy the response was immediate. The house was just as described, except better than we expected! Everything was sparking clean and well appointed with everything we needed. We plan to go back for THREE weeks next year in the same house! read more

SURF OR SOUND ALL THE WAY! Have been renting amazing homes for family vacations for some years now. The quality of the houses have been outstanding. Fall 2023 we rented TIME & TIDE #1005 and I believe it's our new favorite! TIME & TIDE was every bit as beautiful as the others but felt homier, the kitchen was equipped with great cookware & accessories, and immaculate! read more

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DON'T RENT! HORRIBLE !!! This company does not take responsibility for their properties to ensure they are safe , clean or sanitary . We had a long list of things including BLACK MOLD everywhere , broken pool gate , broken hot tub, CEILING falling in, lights broken, scum and pests around grill and hot tub, broken knobs in showers/lights/chairs/cabinets/doors, steps to beach were broken, railings on top deck rotting and unsafe. Also stated a pull out couch for sleeping count which wasn't there (FALSE ADVERTISING!) so we had 2 family members without beds! Do not spend your money here . They post photos of inaccurate home conditions and then tell you to stay when you find out the "real" home condition and promise to refund you. We were offered a $100 refund after paying near $17,000 for the week !! What a joke! Owner takes 0 responsibility . He stated in an email that the home was in "impeccable condition". This was the "PRINCE OF TIDES" home in Hatteras Island NC . DO NOT RENT! If you join the Facebook group "PURE OBX" you can hear of more customers who had similar experiences with Surf or Sound. They do not care they will take your money with 0 accountability . . They ruined our family trip. read more

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Beware of this company! I rented a house 8/31/24...Filthy,Moldy,Not as advertised! Missing features..They will take your money..But will not do anything about the issues!! They ruined our hard earned family vacation...Sad!! I reported them to BBB .Please look at reviews!! Rent elsewhere!!!! read more

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Our stay was exactly what we expected. Close to the beach, easy beach access and best if all a pool with a hot tub. The house was well worth the money with all our accommodations met to a tee. There was ample enough betting and bathrooms for all of us and we especially loved the spacious living room and dining room. Another great addition was the elevator. Will definitely spend more time in this house. read more

our Family stayed at Second Wind #958 from July 27- August 3. The NIGHTMARE BEGAN as soon as we walked in. The pictures are NOTHING AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE HOME! First thing we walked in the was no AC which was sufficient for the first floor of bedrooms. The AC was down for at least a few days, so trying to remedy they installed window units with the vent pipe going out the window, unfortunately they never sealed them up, so we spent part of the first night trying to attach the exhaust properly, I gave up and went to the local Food lion after midnight to get duct tape so we would have at least some cooling. Additionally one of the delivered units did not work so we could not use that room as it was blazing hot. Add to that the shower / bathtub had rust stains and general soil, along with shower curtains with MOLD! When the first maintenance crew came the said this was not the first time they were there with multiple complaints, but added the owners were cash strapped, like thats my problem for a home that costs over 4K not including taxes or fees. Every day the house got up to 86-88 degrees even with the one AC that worked and the window units. The coolest we could get it was 75 degrees. The top level deck is also in need on major repairs as some of the decking is so rotted that someone may fall through. Then on Thursday night our family was just playing a game we heard a loud crash , not knowing what it was, we proceeded to,walk down the stairs only to find the TV which was mounted onto the wall had fallen and crashed on the dresser then to the floor. Upon inspection the owners failed to attach it to a wood stud, instead only attached it with plugs into the drywall. I believe due to the window units which was not able to cool properly, and leaked all over the carpet creating a humid room it soften the dry wall. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED! Then on our last day we were getting ready for an early dinner, my wife was drying her hair blew the fuse, I think because the outlet was on the same line as one of the AC units, at 3:45 pm I called Surf and Sound to have some one flip the breaker as the panel was not accessible to us, NO ONE SHOWED UP AFTER CALLING 5 TIMES EVEN THOUGH I CALLED WAY BEFORE CLOSING TIME! When I did finally speak with someone I was referred to Stephanie Carey a manger for Surf and Sound. She seemed to be empathetic at least for the first 4 phone calls, as our family felt we should receive at least 1/2 of the rental payment back . She seemed to understand why we would request this. in full disclosure what I'm about to say I promised not to repeat but since after the company decided we were only going to receive 1/3 of our cost back, she would not return any of my phone calls. At no time was I disrespectful, except to say if we could not come to a better resolution I would go to social media to,air my frustration and describe what had occurred. But since she chose to not be professional about this at least for a follow up call, only to send a final email I will state the following. Upon our second call she stated that she couldn't believe that we were able to stay there, in fact her direct comment was " if it were me would I have picked up my toothbrush and left immediately " please know I have witinesses as she also stated that she would deny everything if I repeated it. She also added when asked what are they going to do with the guests who were going to be staying there later that day and the response was they were being moved due to the AC and all the other issues, as at this point it was "condemned " When ask why we were not moved , we pretty much got silence and told there was nothing available. I don't know if this was true, but I have my doubts. Ms. Carey, maybe next time make the call back, as you and I both know I was professional and polite, in fact I apologized for being so frustrated and you repeatedly said I was more than reasonable and kind. In closing I am so disappointed as we have been guests of the island for over 20 years and this was our first bad experience, but it also was my first time with Surf or Sound.... Will also be our last with them! Full disclosure we did receive the 1/3 amount along with an email asking us to give them another try .......All I can add is the owner of the house I hope you can sleep at night with the money you are STEALING from your guests, as I can forgive you, but someone else may not be so forgiving. As obviously you and your family need my money more than I do, which is okay with me. I would add I have photos of everything I have stated. read more

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Dirty Property, very musty, several lights don't work...but above all, NO AIR-CONDITIONING. The Central Air broke the first day of our rental and NO ONE from the company has called us back or come to look at the property. Ultimately our very EXPENSIVE vacation has been ruined due to property managemenr. read more

Surf or Sound Realty - Property Management Near Me - Avon, North Carolina

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We have rented 3 times using Surf or Sound, all 3 times we had issues with the property which were never addressed. In 2020 the toilet on the main floor had not been cleaned, in 2024, the air conditioner had a ice buildup that was leaking onto the car port area which had black mold present. In 2025, the shower on the middle floor leaked into the 1st floor game room which cause a mildew smell the whole time of our visit. The guest staying in the bedroom had to share a shower with one of the other bedrooms. Each incident, I called S & S about the issue and was told they would address the issue immediately and a vendor work ticket was created. Each time, no one showed up at the house to address the issue. Also in 2025, I paid for pool heat only to find out the pool was not heat able. I was told a refund would be issued. I received only a partial refund with no explanation as to why. read more

We booked through Surf Or Sound in June. There were so many issues with the house Ocean's Lore in Rodanthe. Refrigerator was broke and our food rotted The downstairs fridge flooded the floor The ceiling leaked TV's didn't work Internet didn't work Dryer was rusted out The house sways on upper level Grass full of sharp spurs, not safe for dogs read more

Our vacation at the outer banks was wonderful The house was spacious and had all the accommodations we needed. We stayed 7 days and the price to stay was well worth the money we paid, we have already decided to go back again for our family vacation next year! read more

We rented a 9 bedroom house on Hatteras - Forever Moore. The house was spotless and stocked with k-cups, plenty of toilet paper, and extra garbage bags. We also had a number we could text with any concerns or questions which is very convenient! Definitely would use surf or sound again to book a vacation! read more