Nice house, a bit dated, but nothing horrible. Some small cosmetic work would go a long way, but hey, if you want 5 stars you have to be willing to pay for it! The bed in the loft is a soft-sided waterbed, which we weren't prepared for (neither were our backs). I think the water tubes needed more water. The bunkbeds in the kids room were a little shaky, but fine as long as the kids aren't climbing and playing on them. The pictures provide a very accurate idea of what you will get. Everything was clean. There were lots of dishes, glasses, silverware, cooking items available.
The view: Amazing.
The location: Perfect. We had looked at beachfront homes, and the prices were significantly higher. This was very convenient with beach access 4-5 houses down. No big deal at all. Also, we noticed that this was one of the few (and possibly ONLY) second row homes that actually had a view of the ocean. The large deck was inviting to sit on. Even when it rained, the view with all of the full glass windows didn't make you feel closed in.
If you are looking for a vacation spot that's full of life and entertainment, this isn't for you. If you are looking for a place to relax, with a little bit of tourism without all of the commercialism, you will like this area.
The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital is a must. Unfortunately, it rained a lot while we were here, so it was very crowded as everyone seemed to be getting bored being stuck inside for a few days. There is also a very small arcade which the kids enjoyed (they were a little disappointed there weren't any tickets to trade in for prizes), and we managed to get out spending only $6/kid. Younger kids will enjoy the many playgrounds on the island. My kids are 15, 11, and 9...so it's not easy to find places they all enjoy, but between restaurants, shops, the beach, etc everyone had a good time.
Wilmington is a short drive away, well worth it to visit for a day. The USS North Carolina was fantastic and the town itself very eclectic with something for all ages.