felt worlds away from the manicured suburbs I’d left behind.
The first property, a compact two-bedroom cottage in Carolina Beach just two blocks from the ocean, charmed me with its wide front porch and bright, airy interior.
Recently renovated with practical vinyl plank flooring and quartz countertops, it offered turnkey simplicity with minimal maintenance.
“Hurricane shutters installed last year,” Sandra noted as we toured the small but efficient space. “Impact-resistant windows. New roof rated for one-hundred-thirty-mile-per-hour winds. Previous owner was an engineer. Didn’t cut corners on the important stuff.”
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