About Us

Thank you for stopping by! Salt and Sand Realty is based locally on Oak Island, North Carolina, and provides premier vacation rentals, real estate, short-term rental management, and long-term rental management services throughout the Brunswick County area.

Our mission is simple — to provide the absolute best experience for our guests, management homeowners, and real estate clients! How do we do that? We offer a wealth of knowledge in our local market and believe in combining southern hospitality with advanced technology to create unparalleled experiences.

Whether you’re an owner looking for property management services or thinking about selling, searching for a vacation home to rent, or considering purchasing a property, we’re here to help you and be your trusted OKI partner.

Salt and Sand Vacation Rental Family on the Beach - Robert Close, Lindsay Close, and children

Salt and Sand Realty, Robert Close and Lindsay Close

Aerial View of Oak Island Oceanfront Homes near the Lighthouse at Twilight

Oak Island Vacations & Real Estate

with a personal touch

Rob and Lindsay Close founded Salt & Sand Realty in 2020 with a dream of providing a level of service that is unmatched in the industry. They envisioned a company that provided a family atmosphere, not just internally but also for their guests, homeowner partners, and clients – where no one felt like just another number. Since then, they have successfully developed a proven recipe that delivers excellence for their clients, vacation rental homeowners, and guests while continuing to embrace the charm of the island’s traditional family-friendly vacation ambiance that they fell in love with years ago.

About Rob & Lindsay

We Fell in Love with Oak Island

The Close family fell in love with Oak Island the moment they first crossed the bridge and have been regular visitors for many years. They purchased a home with the goal of someday retiring at the beach and using the home as a vacation oasis for others to enjoy until then. After a short time managing their home from out of state, Rob and Lindsay knew their heart belonged in Oak Island, and they developed a strong passion for the area vacation rental and real estate market.

Our Continued Mission

Always Looking Ahead

It’s all about learning, evolving, and staying ahead of the trends here at Salt and Sand Realty! Whether we’re adding new advanced technology to provide additional market insights, enhancing our communications and systems, or growing our services to provide more benefits; we remain committed to providing the absolute best experience and resources available to the Oak Island market for our vacation guests, homeowner partners, real estate clients, and employees.

Robert Close

Owner &
Real Estate Broker

Over 20 years working in sales, marketing, and customer service. Rob’s passion for excellence, love for Oak Island, and personal vacation rental experience led him to start Salt and Sand Realty. His customer centric approach and years of experience in successful business will support his mission to be the best in the industry!

rob@saltandsandrealty.com

Lindsay Close

Owner &
Real Estate Broker

Lindsay brings a creative mind and unrelenting drive for perfection to Salt and Sand Realty. Her innate ability and vision for design and space can enhance any property and make it a home! Lindsay’s zest for life and always friendly demeanor makes all of our clients and guests feel comfortable and contributes to our success.

lindsay@saltandsandrealty.com

Jeffrey McGee

General Manager &
Real Estate Broker

With 15+ years of experience in short-term vacation rentals and a proven record as a General Manager in the industry, Jeffrey McGee understands what it takes to deliver exceptional guest and owner experiences and build successful rental programs. A lifelong North Carolinian and NC State University graduate, Jeffrey’s connection to the coast runs deep. His family has owned and managed North Carolina vacation rentals since the 1960s, shaping his passion for the industry from an early age.

He began his professional journey in vacation rentals in 2011 while living and working on the Outer Banks for two decades, gaining hands-on experience in every department of a rental company. His leadership roles included overseeing operations for a firm managing more than 500 properties, where he implemented technology solutions, strengthened owner and guest services, and increased overall performance and revenue. Most recently, Jeffrey served as General Manager of the leading vacation rental company in Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, managing approximately 200 luxury properties and leading initiatives that grew inventory, elevated guest satisfaction, and boosted bookings and revenue.

As a licensed North Carolina real estate agent since 2016, Jeffrey combines his operational expertise, revenue management background, marketing knowledge, and communication skills, sharpened through both his management experience and early career in politics, to help Salt and Sand Realty’s homeowners achieve success and guests create lasting memories on the beautiful coast of Oak Island.

jeffrey@saltandsandrealty.com

Sherilette Austin

Vacation Rental Manager

With over 40 years of experience in the real estate industry, Sherilette brings unmatched expertise and a proven track record across a wide range of property types—including multi-family, single-family, and short-term rentals. Her career has spanned key markets, including Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

A licensed North Carolina Broker and Certified Property Manager (CPM®), Sherilette specializes in partnering with property owners and investors to maximize rental income, control operating costs, and increase asset value. Her strengths lie in financial reporting, budgeting, and owner communication, always aligning operational performance with investment goals.

Beyond portfolio and financial management, Sherilette has a strong background in team leadership. She has recruited, trained, and managed on-site teams of property managers, assistant managers, and leasing professionals, building high-performing teams that deliver excellent service and resident satisfaction. Sherilette's decades of dedication, strategic insight, and operational excellence make her a trusted leader in property management.

Henry Corell

Revenue Manager

We're also excited to welcome Henry to our team! He brings over 7 years of revenue management expertise, and his background includes serving as the Revenue Manager for GoodNight Stay's portfolio of over 400+ luxury vacation properties.

Renee Groover

Director of Housekeeping

Renee has been serving as our Assistant Director of Housekeeping and has been promoted to the position of Director of Housekeeping. Renee served as Director of Inspections for Seascape Properties located in Wrightsville Beach for 10 years before joining our team. She brings a lifetime of housekeeping experience in vacation rentals. Her dedication to excellence and high attention to detail is undoubtedly a significant contribution to the mission and success of Salt and Sand Realty!

Michael Martin

Guest Services Manager

Michael Martin is originally from Harrisburg, NC. Michael graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from UNC-Charlotte and worked with IBM as a proposal content strategist. After a successful career in that industry, he decided to pursue his lifelong interest in real estate. He wants to be a positive influence on the people he represents and is currently in the process of taking his exam to become an NC Licensed Real Estate Broker. He has worked at Salt and Sand Realty in Guest Services since April 2024.