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The Beach House from “Nights in Rodanthe:” Rescued!

nights-in-rodanthe-dvd-cover

For all of you who have been following the sad saga of Serendipity, the inn from Nights in Rodanthe, I wanted to give you an update. The famous beach house sits on the edge of the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina’s Outer Banks and has been in danger of washing away.

Last year the house was declared a “public nuisance,” and things were looking grim for its future. Here it is as it looked in the Richard Gere-Diane Lane tearjerker, with the famous blue shutters:

Nights in Rodanthe-Serendipity

And here is how it has looked more recently, as storms eroded the beach front and brought the ocean right up under the house itself (source):

Serendipity-flooding after storm

When the house was declared a “public nuisance,” it meant that the owners would have to either move it or have it torn down (source). They had been trying to sell it for two years. Without any rental income coming in, it became a real hardship for them. They told the Island Free Press that they had “everything tied up in this house,” and didn’t know what to do next.

Serendipity-wide shot from movie

Then came the happy news that a buyer had been found. Ben and Debra Huss had fallen in love with the house and were determined to rescue it. Yesterday I was excited to get an e-mail from them. Here’s an edited portion of that e-mail:

In April 2009 we went to Hatteras island to stay at Serendipity. Our intention was to rent the house for a week and enjoy the beach that Richard Gere and Diane Lane walked on. We were very surprised the house was not livable and the seriousness of the encroaching surf was going to destroy the house.

We decided to try to save Serendipity. We purchased the house and a coordinating lot on the ocean 7/8th of a mile south on Beacon road.

Our plans are to move the house this week and relocate it on new pilings around the 15th of Jan. We plan to restore it to the original splendor that it had in the movie.

Thanks to them, Serendipity is going to get a happy ending! They plan to start moving the house today, and there’s a webcam set up for anyone who wants to watch the progress (it tends to come and go, so check again if it won’t come up right away).

Many thanks to Ben and Debra Huss and all of the readers who have sent me updates from Hatteras Island on the state of the house. I will keep you posted as the house gets moved and restored.

UPDATE: See photos of the house being moved at WRAL.com. (Thanks, Maggy!)

For more information:

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Comments

  1. That is awesome! I am so glad someone is saving it. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it’s moved. I may have to plan a vacation there! Thanks Julia, for the updates.
    .-= Janet´s last blog ..Forceful Beauty =-.

  2. how exciting, and what a happy ending! fitting for the movie, no? 😉 Now you’ll have to make sure you let us know when Serendipity is open for business, and we all need make a pinky swear that we’ll go & stay there. Thanks Julia – great post!
    .-= Kirsten´s last blog ..It’s Official: I’m a Twit =-.

  3. I’m glad to hear that it’s being saved! This reminds me of a show I used to watch on the DIY Network, I think. It was about moving houses. They would follow the owners and movers from lifting the houses through the finished placement. I’d love to see this house being moved. Fingers crossed it makes it all the way!
    .-= Christine´s last blog ..Construction =-.

  5. Great great news – I was so sadden to hear the tragedy in losing such a beautiful home.

    Kudos to the couple who have purchased it and their plans for it.

    Are they planning on turning it into a rental or as a family home?

    Please do keep us posted.

    • Debbie–
      It will be a rental that looks like the inn in the movie, so we’ll be able to stay there. Can’t wait to see how it turns out! -Julia

      • Oh how wonderful! I don’t think I’ve ever been so moved by a house in a movie! It’s a fantasy come true to think we’ll b able to go & stay there and that it will look just like the movie! Awesome! Thnx 4 this website and ur blogging about Serendipity! Robyne x

  6. Wow that is so cool! And that is so neat that they emailed you the update – looking forward to seeing it on it’s new lot!
    .-= christy´s last blog ..Matt ROCKS! =-.

  8. Oh I just love a happy ending. Too cool of house to have been washed away. That would have been awful. Thank heavens there are people out there with resources and a vision to preserve.
    .-= Becky @ Farmgirl Paints´s last blog ..Forgiveness 101 =-.

  13. Great news! And how appropriate to the movie’s byline: “It’s never too late for a second chance.” I hope they keep you posted so you can continue to share its story!
    .-= Jen H.´s last blog ..Some progress =-.

  23. I am so happy to know that this house is going to be saved. It saddens me when homes are neglected, abandoned or not taken care of.

  26. Will you do the houses from the ABC show Modern Family? Love all three of the houses!!! Thanks

    • Missy–
      Love that show! I will do a post about it after the first season comes out on DVD. Thanks! -Julia

  27. Happily Ever After…….fantastic Julia

    I have not seen this movie….I love those 2 actors….and WOW love that house…I am so happy she will be saved !!!

    Thanks for this post…
    Kathy 🙂

  28. I’m so glad to hear this. Watched the movie just the other day for the first time. Not what I expected I might add, but so glad the house is being saved.
    .-= Brandy´s last blog ..Snow =-.

  29. I love this house. The first time I saw it, I wasvacationing on the Outer Banks. I couldn’t believe it – it was perfect in my mind. Right on the water, not too grand, lots of character and the porches!!! I sat on the beach in front of it for quite sometime, dreaming it was mine. I just learned of it’s saga here on your Blog. I am so glad it is being saved.
    .-= Diane at InMyOwnStyle´s last blog ..styedi.com =-.

  33. It was very touch and go for awhile there. I believe four or five of the neighboring houses will be taken down. That Mirlo Beach area has always been exposed. When they first put Serendipity and the other houses up, it was very exclusive and had a pretty wide beach. When they tried to stop the Bonner Bridge from migrating, it ended up causing the ocean to scoop the beach away. Happy that the Huss’ saved it. You can see in the one picture that I believe one of the neighboring houses had just been resided … only to be comdemned. Sad. South Nags Head lost about 30 houses in that Noreaster’

    — Dan
    Outer Banks Revealed
    .-= Outer Banks Revealed´s last blog ..Outer Banks Restaurants: Here are Taras Favorites =-.

    • Maggy–
      Thanks! It’s great to see photos of the move! -Julia

  35. huh – well this is fabulous fabulous news isn’t it. Thank god there are still some people out there with energy and will to keep these special places going, plenty of people have money (and could have afforded to do this) but it’s not just the money, its guts!
    .-= Annie@A View on Design´s last blog ..All class on the Gold Coast =-.

  36. This is fantastic news! A house is so much more than bricks and mortar; it’s a living thing. It’s so wonderful when others see that, too.

  37. I’ve been fascinated with this house since my first visit to the Outer Banks. I’m from Michigan and watch the web cams in the area all the time dreaming if my return to North Carolina. I am so very happy to hear the house is being rescued and wish all the best to the family who bought it and plan to restore it. Thank You for your vision and dream. I will look forward to seeing it again someday soon.

  40. How great! Sadly beach erosion is a huge deal in the Carolinas. I have friends who had two condos and the beach shifted and they have no beachfront now. Also there are people in other islands with the same situation as Serendipity and the ocean is breaking on their houses. I’m so glad they are moving it. It’s such a spectacular place.
    .-= Jessica at Lavender & Lilies´s last blog ..Alright I’ll Talk About It =-.

  41. I just had to leave a comment and tell you how appreciative I am to this wonderful couple who is loving on this house. This beach and that community has had a special meaning to my husband and me long before a Nights in Rodanthe was created by Nicholas Sparks or Hollywood. I’m grateful that lil community has had some attention but sorry the attention, some of which, has been negative for them.
    I’ll be vacationing there again this Fall in the same house we’ve gone to for many years and will look for ward to seeing what is new.
    Thanks for posting this.
    T
    .-= Tina Lawver´s last blog ..hmmmm What to paint, What to paint…… =-.

  42. I know both Ben and Debbie and they are amazing people!! I’m so excited that they bought this house to restore!!! Once it’s up and going as a rental I’m sure they will have a packed house!

  43. I love beach houses especially this one. I have seen this movie and I fell in love the moment I saw the house. Thanks for posting this up!

  44. I am so happy that this beautiful beach house has been saved. It’s absolutely amazing that they were able to move the house on sand!!

  45. When will the house be ready for rental and will it be like a bed and breakfast or can one rent the whole house for themselves for a few days? Please let me know.’

    Thanks,
    Gayle Walker
    Texas

    gayle_walk@hotmail.com

  46. Please keep us updated and let me know when it will be open for visitors. I would love to vacation there with my kids. Thank you and good luck

  48. I loved the film nights in Rodanthe,and could not get the house in the film out of my mind I felt that I wanted to visit it straight away but as I live in the UK not possible maybe one day, as i am hooked on this house hope the new owners restore to look as great as it did in the movie.,

  49. Can you rent the house again? after the movie its probably impossible to effort, but it would be nice to know…

  50. Hi, When i first saw this house in the Movie Night’S in Rodanthe,
    Oh my i fell BIG time in LOVE with that house i think it is the way the wind blew the breeze thur the house, it has character of it’s own.
    I would love to rent this house for a week my husband and I.
    THANK YOU for saving the house.

  51. I’m glad the house is going to be saved. Is it going to open back up later for rent? If so I’d like to get more information please.

  52. I am so glad somebody is saving it! I loved that movie and fell in love with the outside of the in just for its originality. I looked it up hoping to go and stay in it someday. I was sad to hear that it could be gone and wasn’t livable now. I am very happy that I still have a chance to stay in it. Thank you!

  54. So glad to see this house has a happy ending fit for Hollywood! I’m sure the new owners could have saved money by buying an existing house that didn’t need to be moved but it would not be so loved by so many.

  55. i actually was at the new location and had got photos of it….its so beautiful

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