All Forum Posts by: Michael Hayes

Carolina Beach STR Investor Meet-Up

📍 The Vault – 612 N Lake Park Blvd, Carolina Beach, NC 28428
🗓 Date & Time: Thursday, October 23 2025 | 6:00PM - 7:00PM
🎟 All attendees will receive our free Linen Protection Playbook!
🥂 First 5 attendees will receive a glass of bubbly prosecco courtesy of North Carolina Cottages!

Calling all vacation rental investors, hosts, and property enthusiasts in Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and the surrounding Pleasure Island area! Whether you’re just starting your short-term rental journey or managing a growing portfolio, the Carolina Beach STR Investor Meet-Up is your chance to network, share insights, and connect with others who are passionate about creating great guest experiences and profitable STR investments.

This in-person gathering brings together local investors, real estate professionals, and hosts from across the Cape Fear region for an evening of collaboration, learning, and networking. The event will take place at The Vault, one of Carolina Beach’s most versatile and beloved spaces — located in the heart of the island at 612 N Lake Park Blvd. Expect a laid-back, coastal atmosphere that’s perfect for casual networking and real conversation.

What to Expect

• Local Networking – Meet other short-term rental hosts, Airbnb and Vrbo operators, and vacation property managers from Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Fort Fisher, and Wilmington.

• Real Insights – Swap stories about what's working in today's STR market on the island, from pricing strategies to guest experience upgrades, cleaning automation, and dealing with seasonality.

• Investor Collaboration – Discover partnership opportunities, renovation ideas, and local contractor or vendor referrals that can make your next project smoother.

• Host Tips & Tools – Learn about the platforms, technology, and property management methods that top local hosts are using to grow their income while keeping operations efficient
  

• Real Estate Agents – Local agents are welcome to attend but solicitation of services is prohibited. This event is for investors!

Hosted by North Carolina Cottages

This event is proudly hosted by the team at North Carolina Cottages. Owned and operated by long-time locals Michael & Jesslyn, North Carolina Cottages has built a reputation for combining professional property care with personal hospitality. Their team manages some of the area's most loved vacation rental cottages and understands what it takes to succeed as an STR owner in a competitive coastal market.

They’re passionate about helping property owners and investors thrive while maintaining the welcoming, small-town charm that makes Carolina Beach so special.

Why You Should Attend

🎉 You’ll make valuable local connections with like-minded investors.

🎉 You’ll gain actionable insights from real hosts who operate in the same market.

🎉 You’ll leave inspired — and with a few new friends who share your love for Carolina Beach!

Whether you own one condo, a duplex, or a portfolio of oceanfront STR's, this event is the perfect opportunity to grow your network and take your STR business to the next level.

🎉 Bonus: The first five attendees to check in will receive a special surprise, courtesy of North Carolina Cottages!

Come for the networking — stay for the community. We can’t wait to see you at The Vault in Carolina Beach for an evening of inspiration, insight, and island vibes.

@Ben Szafran Give me a call, I can help you out!

I am incredibly thankful for your encouragement, @Scott Trench! Your wisdom and insight is greatly appreciated!

Investment Info:

Small multi-family (2-4 units) buy & hold investment in Carolina Beach.

Our first home and house hack is a small duplex built in 1945, 2 blocks from the beach. The bottom unit is where my wife Jesslyn and I live (450 sq. ft. - 1BD 1BT) and the top unit is a STR through Airbnb (850 sq. ft. - 2BD 1BT). The units are completely separate but share a single meter.

Link to Airbnb: https://airbnb.com/h/thesunriseshack

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

My wife Jesslyn and I are inspired by four friends, Grant & Laura Desjardins and Joe & Michelle Prillaman, who both house hack in Carolina Beach, NC. I think we can all agree though that BiggerPockets® has played a huge role in helping us get to where we are today too. It wasn't until Winter of 2019, when Grant introduced me to the term "House Hack," and then proceeded to purchase me a copy of Scott Trench's "Set For Life." Surprisingly enough, it's the first book I've finished since 3rd grade.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

We found this deal off-market and had been searching for 1 year and 3 months. The previous owner had gone through rigorous renovations in 2018, and again in 2021. Due to the rising housing market, we paid full-asking price. It helped that I've lived in the area for the past 22 years and that this was our first home. Otherwise, I don't think the previous owner would have sold.

How did you finance this deal?

Conventional Fannie Mae HomeReady with 3% down.

How did you add value to the deal?

Previously, there was only one parking spot in the driveway so we added an additional driveway to the right which allows for two more cars. We grounded all the outlets and replaced the 30 year old exterior electrical panel. Stained the backyard fence and deck, painted all the interior walls and trim, and updated all the door knobs for a fresh modern look.

What was the outcome?

We have learned so much in our first 6 months as first time homebuyers, investors, and Airbnb Superhosts. We listed our home on Airbnb May 16th and had our first booking in 10 minutes. Within 30 minutes we had a booking for the same night we listed. And within the first 9 days of listing, we had accumulated enough bookings to cover our mortgage for the year.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

Our biggest challenge and hurdle so far has been flood insurance since we're at 4.2ft elevation with a ground level unit. It is expensive and significantly higher than we had originally planned. Even with this hurdle, house hacking makes so much sense and we are thankful to live here!

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

We worked with Mark Tippett, our mortgage broker at Seaside Mortgage and Jesse Canady, owner and broker at Salt + Stone Property Group.