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How to Make Reservations
Begin by searching for 3 homes that interest you. Then check availability for those homes using the website search capabilities. Once you have decided on a home, either call our office with your dates and the house name/number, OR complete your reservation online. To make your reservation online, you will simply click on the "Reserve This Property" button found on each individual home page, and follow the prompts. You may also call and have us help you complete your reservation. You may reserve a home by email, telephone, fax, or in person 7 days a week from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Even if you reserve online, we recommend that you CALL US. There is NO substitute for a conversation with an experienced reservations specialist to THOROUGHLY PLAN your Hatteras vacation.

A deposit of 50% of the total rent is required to confirm a reservation, and payment must be received within 10 days of making the reservation. Reservations are automatically cancelled if a deposit is not received within 10 days. In addition to the listed rental rates, tax and the premium for travel protection insurance, if purchased, will be added to the cost of each rental. Tax rates are subject to change without notice and tax adjustments may apply based on occupancy dates. All deposits received by Colony Realty Corporation are placed in an interest bearing escrow account. All interest from that account shall accrue to the benefit of Colony Realty Corporation.

The balance of the rental fee is due 30 days before check-in. We do not send out a bill or reminder for this final balance. Payments made after the 30 days must be in the form of a cashier's check, money order, certified check or credit cards. Visa and Master Card are accepted with no additional fee. NO PERSONAL CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF CHECK-IN. All rental payments from Canada must be in U.S. Funds. TOP

Phone: (800) 962-5256 or (252) 995-5891
Fax: (252) 995-5744
Email: info@hatterasvacations.com

Cancellation Policy
Please notify our office as soon as possible if you need to change or cancel your reservation. We will make every effort to re-rent the home. If the unit is not re-rented for the entire cancelled period and for the full amount, your payments will not be refunded. If the unit is re-rented, your monies, less a $140 cancellation fee and the travel insurance premium, if purchased, will be returned to you. TOP

Maximum Home Capacity
Maximum occupancy limits are set by the Dare County Health Department. Limits are based on the capacity of the onsite septic system and calculated at not more than two persons per bedroom. Please contact our office if you have any questions regarding the maximum number of people allowed to occupy a home. Tenants not complying will be asked to leave without a refund. We are authorized to rent homes to family groups only. We are unable to rent to fraternities or school or civic groups unless prior approval is given by our home owners. Tenants not complying will be asked to leave without refund. TOP

Rental Rates 2012
Rental rates vary by week for each home. Please check house information for weekly rates.

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Partial Week Rentals
Most homes allow partial week rentals with the following criteria: Winter, Spring and Fall Season rentals can be arranged for a minimum of 3 nights or more. Partial week rentals are taken no more than 21 days in advance and are subject to a $60.00 (2-3 bedroom) or $80.00 (4 + bedrooms) cleaning fee. The prorated rent for a 3-night stay varies per property and is NOT based on a nightly proration. TOP

Check-In
Homes are available for rent from Saturday to Saturday, or Sunday to Sunday. Please check the individual house listing for starting day. We request all guests to check in between 4:00 P.M. and 5:30 P.M., May 29 through September 1. Off-season check in time is 3:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. If you plan to arrive after 5:00 PM, please call our office to make arrangements for a late arrival.TOP

Check-Out
Check-out time is 10:00 A.M. We need time to ready the homes for the next guest. Guest check-out duties should be completed and keys returned to our office by 10:00 A.M. If you plan to leave prior to the opening of the office, please leave the keys in the key box located outside of our office door. TOP

Damage and Cleaning Deposit
Included with your rent is our Accidental Damage Waiver (ADW). Colony Realty does not require a separate security deposit or a security deposit waiver fee in addition to the rent. Under ADW you will not be required to pay for accidental damage to the home or the personal property of the Owner contained within the Premises, up to a limit of $2,000 per reservation. Colony Realty has undertaken this obligation as a part of our Property Management Agreement with the Owner. Damages exceeding $2,000 will be the responsibility of the Tenant. Under no circumstances does ADW release a Tenant or any member or guest of their party from obligations imposed by the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act with respect to maintaining the Premises, including but not limited to, the following: (a) keep the Premises as clean and safe as the condition of the Premises permit, and cause no unsafe or unsanitary conditions in the common areas and remainder of the Premises that You use; (b) dispose of all ashes, rubbish, garbage, and other waste in a clean and safe manner; (c) keep all plumbing fixtures in the Premises or used by the Tenant in working condition and as clean as their condition permits; (d) not deliberately destroy or negligently destroy, deface, damage, or remove any part of the Premises or render inoperable the smoke detector provided by the Owner, or knowingly permit any person to do so; (e) comply with all obligations imposed upon the Tenant by current applicable building and housing codes; (f) be responsible for all damage, defacement, or removal of any property inside the Premises that is in Your exclusive control unless the damage, defacement, or removal was due to ordinary wear and tear, acts of the Owner or the Owner's Agent, defective products supplied or repairs made by the Owner, acts of third parties not invitees of the Tenant, or natural forces; and (g) notify the Agent in writing of the need for replacement and of repairs during the tenancy which continued presence or use would jeopardize the safety of Tenants and guests or harm the Premises including repairs to the smoke detectors or replacing the batteries as needed. You agree not to use the Premises for any activity or purpose that violates any criminal law or governmental regulation. Your breach of any duty contained in this paragraph after commencement of tenancy shall be considered material, and shall result in the termination of Your tenancy with NO REFUND OF RENT. Exclusions within the ADW specifically limit CRC's obligation to repair/replace and does not cover or release the Tenant from liability for damage due to the following: 1) intentional, willful, reckless, or malicious acts of the Tenant or others on the Premises during the tenancy, 2) damage by pets, 3) theft from the Premises of either the Owner's property or property belonging to the Tenant, 4) gross negligence of Tenant or intentional misuse of furnishings, appliances, equipment, or other amenities provided with the home, 5) damage caused while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 6) damages to real property, furnishings, or any vehicles resulting from operation of a motorized vehicle by a Tenant, 7) Damages related to smoking in "NO Smoking" homes. ADW is limited to tenancies of 30 days or less. The conditions of the ADW provided to the Tenant shall extend to all members of the Tenant's party and guests of the Tenant. In order to not be charged for incidents described under the ADW all damages must be reported to Colony Realty before check-out. ADW is not available for non-family or large groups such as weddings, reunions, corporate retreats, etc. Colony Realty reserves the right to request a security deposit. The security deposit is to be accounted for in accordance with the North Carolina Tenant Security Deposit Act. TOP

Equipment and Furnishings
All homes are individually owned and decorated to suit the owner. They are fully furnished except for linens (sheets, pillow cases and towels), bathroom and paper products, and cleaning supplies. All homes are equipped with cookware, dishes, coffee makers, toasters, a CATV hookup or Satellite TV, pillows and blankets. TOP

Barbecue Grills
Some homes provide barbecue grills. Check the brochure listing for your home. Be careful when using a grill, the wind direction or speed can change suddenly, turning over a grill. Grilling on decks or porches is prohibited. TOP

Fireworks
Dare County Law prohibits the possession, sale and discharge of ALL fireworks on Hatteras Island. Federal Law, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, prohibits fireworks. Use of fireworks will be reported to the Sheriff and the National Park Service. Please leave fireworks at home. TOP

Fishing License
All NC fishing requires a NC Fishing License. If you will be fishing from a charter boat or fishing pier, you are not required to purchase a license, the commercial license will cover you. However, if you are fishing, crabbing, clamming, etc., from the land or from a private vessel you MUST have a license. More information can be found online at
http://www.ncfisheries.net/recreational/NCCRFL.htm. TOP

Beach Driving/ Off Road Vehicle Use
Beach driving permits are required by the National Park Service for all accessible areas of the National Seashore. Beach drivers will be required to view a 7 minute video prior to purchasing a permit. Permits cost is $120 per year or $50 per week per vehicle. Permits will be available at 3 different locations in the National Seashore 7 days a week from 8:00 Am to 4:30 PM. More information can be found at http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/off-road-vehicle-use-new.htm
Also available on this website is a brochure for frequently asked questions. TOP

Refunds on Breakdowns
No appliance, air conditioner, TV, CATV, internet service, telephone service, or hot tub service is guaranteed. We make every effort to keep these items in good working order. Any failures will be repaired as quickly as possible. There will be no refunds of any kind due to mechanical failure, or internet, phone, cable or satellite interruptions TOP

Messages & Mail for Guests
Messages will NOT be delivered to rental units. There is a "Message Box" in the rental office for telephone messages and mail addressed to our guests. We regret that we CANNOT DELIVER messages to the units, and suggest that all emergency calls be directed to the Dare County Sheriff's Department (252) 473-3444. TOP

Items Left in Units
Colony Realty cannot be held responsible for personal items left in rental units. However, we will make every prudent effort to return items to you, given prompt notification of loss. Please let us know what you forgot within 7 days of your departure if you wish your property returned. We'll ship to you, and ask you to pay the cost of shipping, plus a $20.00 pick-up charge. TOP

Lost and Found
Items left behind and brought to our office by cleaning/checking staff will be tagged and held in our Lost and Found area for 30 days. After 30 days, items will be donated to charity. TOP

Telephones
Homes providing phones are for local and incoming calls only. Most rental homes subscribe to a long distance call blocking service. Calls from these homes can be charged with a credit card, calling card, or prepaid phone card. Long distance calls MAY NOT be charged to a rental home telephone. Calls charged to a rental home will be charged to you with a $20.00 handling fee. TOP

Directions to Colony Realty
The Avon Colony Realty office is located on the Sound side at Highway 12 and Bonito Road, beside the Froggy Dog Restaurant, at Mile marker 54.6. We can provide to our confirmed Guests printed directions from your home to our office by fax or mail. Please call, and our staff will be happy to provide you with directions. TOP

Ferry Schedule
If you are traveling to Hatteras from the South, you may want to ride on the North Carolina Ferry System. You can view ferry schedules on this website. To receive a ferry schedule or for information about making reservations. please call (800)293-3779. TOP

Linens and Linen Service
Linens and towels are NOT provided in rental units. For your convenience, we have added a linen package, bed making package and towel package to your reservation. The packages are custom for each home and include a discount off of the regular prices. If you do not require all the linens or towels offered in these packages, please let us know and we will remove the packages and apply only the items you require. Bed making has also been added for your convenience. We will make the beds with fresh linens prior to your arrival. All linens and towels order through Colony Realty, at least 2 weeks prior to arrival, will be delivered to your rental home prior to your arrival. Upon departure, you will place all used linens and towels in the box provided on the porch. DO NOT bring dirty linens to the office. Should you prefer to bring your own linens and towels, no problem! We will be happy to remove these options for you. TOP

Prices are as follows:

Pets
Homes allowing pets are limited to 2 house broken dogs. Pets must be declared at the time of reservation. A $75.00 pet fee will be charged per pet. Homes not allowing pets are marked NO PETS in the description. Tenants not complying will be asked to leave with no refund. Guests are asked to clean up after their pets. TOP

Bad Weather/Hurricanes
Refunds cannot be made due to inclement weather. If Hatteras Island is threatened by a Hurricane or other weather event, we ask that you adhere to the instructions of the Dare County Emergency Management Center and Colony Realty. If a mandatory evacuation is issued, you are required by law to leave. Once the Hurricane has passed, please call the office to make arrangements for your return to your rental unit. No refunds or credits will be given for hurricane evacuations. We suggest Travel Protection Insurance to safeguard your investment in your vacation. TOP

Travel Protection Insurance
Colony Realty, in partnership with Rental Guardian / iTravel Insured, is pleased to offer our guests Vacation Travel Insurance. This Insurance plan is a great way to protect your family's vacation in case of many unexpected emergency situations that may occur. It also offers a refund if you are required to leave due to mandatory Hurricane evacuation. Cost for the travel insurance is 7% x trip cost. This policy is offered to all guests when they pay their advance rental deposit but coverage is only in effect when we have received your signed lease and premium. Coverage is available for purchase up to 24 hours within your trip, but no coverage is available if a Hurricane watch has been issued for our area. Contact our offices to receive a complete Description of Coverage document. All acceptance or declining of insurance policies must be made in writing. Insurance will be added to all reservations until declined from guests in writing then the amount will be deducted from your amount due. For policy and general coverage questions, contact iTravelInsursed, 2960 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208 – 1-866-347-6673 or Service@itravelinsured.com To file a claim contact itravelclaims@itravelinsured.com or 866-243-7524. TOP

Things to Bring

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Renting Fun Stuff and Necessities

Ocean Atlantic Rentals
We recommend Ocean Atlantic for all your vacation equipment needs. Ask about having equipment delivered to your rental home.

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