Looks like November won't go down in history as being a stellar month  for the real estate markets, both locally and natinally.  Taking a look at Hilton Head Plantation,  one can see that our local activity pretty much mirrored the dismal national news.  The good news on the horizon is that homes in Hilton Head Plantation  that are aggresively priced continue to go under contract.  Nice homes in the Plantation are always in demand due to the lifestyle and ameneties offered residents.  Even better news for buyers is the plentiful supply of homes and realistic sellers.  Plus interest rates have drastically moderated this month.  Great news if you're a buyer! For the month of November, there were 23 new homes that came on the market with 12 pending and 3 closed.  The Average listing price ... 12/11/2008

Wow, I keep finding fabulous Christmas events for the family this year on Hilton Head Island.  The folks who thought this one up really had a great idea.  Imagine how much fun it will be to take the family to the First Presbyterian Church for a Gingerbread House Decorating Party.  The event will take place on December 13 in Fellowship Hall and best of all, the cost is only $10.  I don' think you could even buy one of those kits at Walmart for that price!  Wonder if you can get home without the kids eating the decorations and icing!  FOR INFORMATION, CALL 681-3696 OR VISIT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WEBSITE. 12/11/2008

The Christmas Celebration at Dove Street (right off Forest Beach) is the best holiday event of the season as far as I am concerned.  Our family NEVER misses an evening ride to see the creativity of the residents , who incidentally, take great pride in their holiday decorations.  The celebration encompasses over 80,000 lights and maybe this year, that record will be broken.  So, grab the kids one evening when they are a wee bit restless and head on over to the south end of the island to Dove Street.  Santa will be there too! You can visit Dove Street until January 4th but if you go, don't forget to stop by Rita's Ice at Coligny Plaza to drop off a gift , money or food for the needy.  This is the year to dig a little deeper and support families who may not be as fortunate.  12/11/2008

Although our area of Hilton Head and Bluffton  has been spared much of the national foreclosure heartache, we still have homeowners in our area who are having difficulty making payments on their homes.  Recently, I've seen a deluge of scams (mostly on the radio) that promise to help but really do nothing but grab your money upfront and do nothing.  DO NOT FALL FOR ONE OF THESE SCAMS!  If you find yourself behind with your mortgage, the first thing you should do is get some counseling from a LEGITIMATE source.  CONTACT A HUD-CERTIFIED MORTGAGE COUNSELING SERVICE SUCH AS THE HOMEOWNERSHIP PRESERVATION FOUNDATION'S HOMEOWNER'S HOPE HOTLINE.  The phone number is 888-995 HOPE.  This IS a legitimate organization and they will not ask for money up front.  They are available 24 hours a day THE ... 12/11/2008

With less than 2 weeks to go, Santa has been busily going about his business here on Hilton Head Island. It appears at this point that his sleigh will be a little lighter than in years past in spite of continued efforts by retailers to get consumers into the Holiday Spirit. Incentives abound and sales of merchandise usually reserved for post-Christmas Day are now Pre-Christmas Day. That has to be good news for consumers and yet premium parking spaces are easily available at your favorite stores.  Like gas ($1.61/gal today) and commodity prices falling, interest rates have come down to levels heretofore not seen in quite some time, into the under 5% range. Yes, upper 4% rates on 30 year fixed mortgages are available and Jumbo rates can be had in the mid-5% range. Wow!   Here on Hilton He... 12/11/2008

Well...here goes...I moved to Hilton Head almost 19 years ago when I was hired as a tennis pro at the Sea Pines Racquet Club right after college. As a tennis pro, Hilton Head Island was (and is) the premiere location in the United States as there are over 300 tennis courts with 4 tennis resorts included in Tennis Magazine's Top-50 Resorts list each year.The ambiance of the Island coupled with the fact that so many happy people reside and vacation here make life on the Island very appealing. Aside from the miles of incredible beaches, the purest green fairways you can imagine, and the thousands of tennis balls smacked back and forth, one of my greatest and most comforting pleasures of being a resident is when I see a friend, customer, past tennis student, or acquaintance at the grocery s... 12/09/2008

Today's Island Packet Newspaper carried a welcome story regarding energy costs in the area.  The Palmetto Electric Cooperative has nixed plans to institute a 14.5 % increase that was due to go into effect December.   And that's welcome news for residents of the island as well as Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton County residents--roughly 66,000 customers.  Much of the electricity that is used is generated from coal and with prices plummeting on the wholesale market, there really was no need to institute this increase.  Coal prices have decreased from $145 to around $50 per ton.  Since I've been keeping my thermostat a couple of degrees cooler this winter, this comes as welcome news.  Now let's hope prices stay low for awhile.  Everyone could use a respite.  PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE IF YOU WOU... 12/09/2008

Meet Benson---he's the recipient of the "Please Adopt Me Pet of the Month Award" at the Hilton Head Humane Association.  Each month, a different pet is featured and this month we have  a Jack Russel Terrier who is looking for a warm and friendly home.  What do you think?  Maybe consider adopting this little fella?  I'm thinking he's pretty darn cute! Photo is courtesy of the Hilton Head humane Association.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HILTON HEAD OR BLUFFTON REAL ESTATE, PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE.  I WELCOME YOUR INQUIRIES AND QUESTIONS ANYTIME.  12/09/2008

Yesterday, I did an open house in River Club, a section of Indigo Run Plantation that features beautiful elegant homes on huge homesites close to the water.  Everytime I drive into this section, I marvel at this majestic tree that overlooks the scenic lagoon.  So, I offer it up to all of you---wouldn't you just love to know the history behind this spot?  How old is the tree?  Was there any significance to the area during the Civil War?  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT INDIGO RUN REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES, PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE.  I SPECIALIZE IN HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON REAL ESTATE.  YOUR INQUIRES, QUESTIONS AND REFERRALS ARE WELCOME ANYTIME.  12/09/2008

Most of us know that duplicate content is a no-no on websites when it comes to search engines.  There are some great template sites out there, but the key is to take the time to personalize them.  You have a niche, don't you?  if you don't, we need to talk about it. Your site needs to be..well..YOUR SITE.  I really like Point2 sites.  There is alot you can do with even the freebie version.  Unless you want to spend big $$$$ on SEO (search engine optimization) and get a custom site, a Point2 site is ideal for the Realtor who needs a presence but has a small budget. I have created several Point2 sites in the HH/Bluffton area.  It's a clean, nice looking site.  All the personal touches and the information that your target Buyer/Clients are looking for and it's a perfect site to send people... 12/09/2008

  Unless you are from Florida, you probably do not see many of these rascals around. Not only is Hilton Head a harmony of development and nature via our flora and birds, but also by these guys. Many a golf course lagoon will find these guys lazily sunning on  the banks. And my suggestion is, if your golfball landed nearby, take a stroke and bring out a new ball! I grew up here in Hilton Head and forget how 'normal' such a sight is for me any my fellow colleagues that have been here almost forever (like Charlie). Don't let this photo fool you! Hilton Head is a wonderful place. Wish you were here! Respectfully submitted, SUSAN OCHSNER,www.yourhiltonheadagent.com   12/08/2008

Yesterday, I did an open house in River Club, a section of Indigo Run Plantation that features beautiful elegant homes on huge homesites close to the water.  Everytime I drive into this section, I marvel at this majestic tree that overlooks the scenic lagoon.  So, I offer it up to all of you---wouldn't you just love to know the history behind this spot?  How old is the tree?  Was there any significance to the area during the Civil War?  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT INDIGO RUN REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES, PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE.  I SPECIALIZE IN HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON REAL ESTATE.  YOUR INQUIRES, QUESTIONS AND REFERRALS ARE WELCOME ANYTIME.  12/07/2008

As reported in the Island Packet Newspaper today,  the HILTON HEAD ISLAND FIRE AND RESCUE wishes everyone a Happy and 'SAFE" holiday season.  They posted some very helpful safety reminders: Keep candles away from curtains, furniture or anything flammable Do not overload your circuits with extension cords. Do not connect more than 3 strands of lights together. Keep decorations away from heat sources. Keep your fireplace clean and covered by a screen. FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE PRECAUTIONS WILL ENSURE A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY! 12/06/2008

"A MAIN STREET CHRISTMAS" will be presented by the Main Street Youth Theatre this year with performances from December 4th through December 14th at the Hilton Head Main Street Youth Theatre.  Bring the children out to this special performance and enjoy live music, song and a dance extravangza that will be a wonderful way to start the HOLIDAY SEASON.  Performances are held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 7:00PM and Sundays @ 2:00PM FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 843-689-MAIN for tickets. 12/06/2008

Greetings from Shipyard! With the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend now behind us and with this past Sunday's tree lighting here on Hilton Head Island, Black Friday consumer madness and Holiday songs on the radio, we are now firmly in the throes of, in the words of Clark Griswald - "a 4 alarm Holiday emergency!"  All of us at Shipyard Real Estate want to wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season. Financial News Update:  Last weeks big real estate news was that the National Median Home Price lowered to early 2004 pricing. This week's news stated that interest rates continue to vacilate wildly. I had a closing today that is being held up because the lender needed to reissue the financial package because interest rates are lower today than last week! Let's examine these issues. Medi... 12/05/2008

On my way to Bluffton this morning, I was amazed at how perfectly calm the water was while crossing our Hilton Head Bridge.  This is a view  that I particularly covet in summer when the grasses are a vivid green but it is still beautiful in fall and winter.  When I first moved to Hilton Head (many years ago) I used to pinch myself everytime I crossed the bridge because I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of the Lowcountry scenery.   I still have those moments---don't think I'll ever get tired of the trips over the bridge!  Yep, still pinching myself! 12/04/2008

When the Marathon Oil Company, previously Hilton Head Company, constructed Wexford Plantation in 1982, it intended to create the most exquisite residential community on the East Coast.  It was designed for residents only and no villas or condominiums with the exception of townhomes. The community offers owners a welcoming clubhouse with swimming pool, tennis courts, on a picturesque setting at the community Mariana. The unique feature of the community is the lock harbour with access to Broad Creek, providing access to the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean. The lock harbour is one of only four lock systems on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. The lock system provides shelter for boat owners but also allows for a larger number of home sites to have docks.  The canals meander throughout the ... 12/04/2008

Today is Wordless Wednesday--Need I say anything further?  I took this photo today while visiting a friend at the Hilton Head Regional Medical Center. What a beautiful introduction to one of my favorite season's on the island---FALL HAS ARRIVED!  12/03/2008

Several top executives of Sea Pines Company, Wes Wilhelm, Joe Webster, and David Aimes, went out and purchased what is currently Long Cove.  The exclusive single family residential community concept, with no villas or condos, was a huge success. The development of Long Cove was a timely and tremendous success story for single family residential development. The Pete Dye golf course immediately got rave reviews among the golfing community and has since been a highly ranked golf course. The home sites have a range of settings from golf and lagoon, wooded, marsh or gorgeous views of Broad Creek.  The resident's only golfing community was a new concept for residential developments at the time. In 1987 and the common properties, including all amenities, were deeded to the Long Cove Associati... 12/03/2008

There is no doubt that Yoga is fantastic for everyone--  I truly believe in Yoga ---the benefits are numerous.  I didn't realize we had such a vast array of Yoga studios in the area.  Plus, most of the gyms and Plantations also offer Yoga classes.  So, if you've been thinking about adding Yoga classes to your exercise schdule, you should have no problem finding a convenient location.  The Birth Connection      843-683-8750 Bluffton School of Dance    843-875-2679 Hip Yoga 843-247-0229 In Sync Yoga  843-816-4201 Innersphere Yoga  843-675-7604 Island Soma Therapy  843-422-2900 Jive Yoga Center    843-341-4949 Ongoing Moves  843-842-5356 Studio V Yoga  843-816-3777 12/02/2008