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Southern Living, Apr 2001 by Thompson, Annette

A Walk on the Beach Planning a trip to the seashore this summer? April is a good time to reserve a vacation home on the nearly 3,000 miles of Southern shorelines. If you've ever struggled to locate a rental house or condo in places you've never visited, you'll appreciate el. these Web sites designed so you can tour the properties from the comfort

of your own home computer. It's like taking a walk on the beach, without the sunburn.

Sifting the Sands At www.gulfcoastrentals.com you'll find a selection of listings by owners of homes on or near the Gulf of Mexico from Texas' South Padre Island to the Florida Keys.

Two other sites provide homes from around the world. You must first narrow down the choices by country, state, and then area. The largest of the two services, www.cyberrentals.com, includes rentals from individual homeowners and selected rental agencies, while www.vrbo.com includes only vacation rentals by owners.

Listening to the Locals Some communities offer Web sites that list rental properties as well as hotel directories, watersports, golfing guides, campgrounds, and dining options. Look to www.atbeach.com for Ocean City, Maryland, and Be any Beach, Delaware, houses and area information.

You can also visit Sandbridge Beach, a development 20 minutes south of the Virginia Beach boardwalk area, by click- ing on www.siebert-realty.com.

Two Grand Strand areas have memorable Web sites. Visit www.great beachvacations.com for the Litchfield area (between Myrtle Beach and Charleston) or www.oceanfrontrentals.com for Hilton Head (just south of Charleston).

Consider a week on exclusive Marco Island on Florida's southern Gulf Coast. You'll find some beautiful rental properties at www.marcobeachrentals.com.

Many choose Florida's Emerald Coast-- the Panhandle area from Panama City west to Fort Walton Beach-as the best beaches in the United States. For Panama City, poke around www.pcbeachrentals.com. You'll find houses near the beach as well as condos right on the sand. More Panama City rentals are included on www.beachvacations.net, as are rentals in Seagrove, Rosemary, Grayton, and Blue Mountain beaches.

Take a break from the big resorts on Mississippi's shore at www.gcww.com/ beachrentals. Beach Resort Rentals, a Gulfport company, offers area details, including property listings in Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi, Pass Christian, and Ocean Springs.

Traveling farther south and west, you can have a virtual crow's-nest perspective on rentals at Pirates' Beach on West Galveston Island by accessing www.galveston.com/ piratesbeach/.

Packing a Beach Bag Need new swim togs for your trip but detest trying them on in department stores? Choose from the selection at www.swim-n-sport.com, an online women's designer swimsuit catalog. This Miami company has stores across the South, but with a "check

your size" measuring chart, you can ensure your purchase will fit without ever leaving home.

For the rest of your beach gear, go to www.beach-store.com. You'll find items ranging from sunglasses and sunscreen to life preservers and boat motors.

Do you hate to sit on hot, uncomfortable sand? Try one of the great beach chairs found at www.woodybeachchairs.com. These red oak or teak folding chairs, made in Clearwater, Florida, are designed to last a lifetime.

Finally, if the thought of lugging the chairs, umbrella, cooler, and other essentials to the beach every day sounds like a drag, visit www.beachexpress.net. A handy Beach Express dolly is made to traverse sand so well that even a kid can pull it fully loaded.

TIPS FOR BEACH RENTALS Before entering a rental agreement-whether with a real estate agency or an individual homeowner-ask a few questions to ensure a happy vacation.

Always require references of folks who have stayed on the property.

* Clarify the procedures for the security deposit.

* Learn the property owners' pet policy.

* Make sure you completely understand the cancellation policy.

* Ask what you need to bring-such as linens, cooking utensils, and beach chairs-and learn where the closest grocery store is located before you arrive.

* Agree upon the cleaning policy before you sign the rental contract.