Posted by Outer Banks Blue

Nights in Rodanthe House Safe From Collapse


In August 2024, a house on 23214 Corbina Drive in Rodanthe, North Carolina in the Outer Banks collapsed into the ocean. This is the seventh house in four years to do so, and many vacationers and homeowners alike are understandably concerned about the other properties along the coast. Which one will be next? Will it be my house?

One of the houses that most have looked to and watched anxiously is the Inn at Rodanthe, made famous by the movie Nights at Rodanthe, based on the Nicholas Sparks novel. Luckily, the house was moved to safety almost 15 years ago.

When was the Inn at Rodanthe moved?
The iconic house once known as "Serendipity," made famous by the movie *Nights in Rodanthe*, was moved in 2010 due to the threat of ocean erosion. For years, it stood at the entrance to Rodanthe, North Carolina, attracting attention with its weathered siding and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. However, constant storms gradually brought the ocean closer, and after the remnants of Hurricane Ida caused significant damage, Dare County declared the house a safety hazard. With its foundation compromised, the house had to be moved or demolished.

In January 2010, Ben and Debbie Huss from Newton, North Carolina, purchased the home, determined to save it and restore its cinematic charm. They hired Expert House Movers, the same team that relocated the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, to handle the massive task of moving the 83,000-pound structure inland. Although the initial move was delayed when the house got stuck in the sand, the relocation proceeded smoothly a few days later.

The house was successfully moved to its new location on Beacon Road, just a short distance away. By the next day, the original site was cleared, and the Atlantic Ocean erased any sign that the house once stood there. Fully restored to its former glory as seen in the movie, the renamed "Inn at Rodanthe" is now available for rent through Surf or Sound Realty.

Where is the Nights in Rodanthe house now?

The Inn at Rodanthe is still in its eponymous Rodanthe, but has been moved to Beacon Road, north of the Jug Handle Bridge. It is safe from the worst of the storm surges, while still being right on the edge of the water.

Corbina Drive, where the most recent collapse occurred, still has many houses lining the shore. The northern end of Rodanthe is mostly made up of smaller, older houses, from when the Outer Banks was a much smaller vacation spot. Thankfully, a house's distance from the beach is not standardized, and therefore most of these properties are still safe from collapse, and available to rent for your family vacation.

How many houses have collapsed in Rodanthe NC?

In the past four year, seven houses have collapsed in Rodanthe, with two collapsing this year in May and August, respectively.

The other houses collapsed at various times throughout the spring, with the overwhelming majority collapsing during the storm season in May. In May 2020, one collapsed on Sea Oats Drive. In 2022, three houses collapsed along the same street (Ocean Drive): one in February and two in May (on the same day!). In 2023, only one house collapsed in Rodanthe, and that was in March on East Point Drive.

The Outer Banks's narrow, low-lying barrier islands are increasingly vulnerable to storm surges and flooding from both the bay and sea. As sea levels rise, these islands naturally shift toward the mainland, making it difficult to keep the shoreline in place to protect houses.

There have been efforts to help protect the houses along the Outer Banks. Since 2022, Dare County has been funding a beach nourishment project, bringing in sand from off-shore "borrow sites" and sandbars to expand the shoreline and stave off issues for the buildings nearest the sea. 

Could my Outer Banks vacation rental collapse?

Houses that become too close to the water due to the shifting shoreline are kept vacant and not available for rent, ensuring that your current rental is safe.

Add to that the fact that Rodanthe and other towns facing similar issues, such as Avon, Buxton, and Hatteras, are located on Hatteras Island. Outer Banks Blue only offers rentals on the Northern Beaches—Corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head—nearly 30 miles away from Rodanthe at the closest point.

While iconic coastal landmarks like the Inn at Rodanthe face ongoing challenges from rising sea levels and shifting shorelines, visitors to the Outer Banks can still enjoy a safe and secure experience.

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