While the news of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae being taken over by the government was unsettling to say the least-----the good news was that interest rates in the Hilton Head Island and Bluffton Area (as well as nationally) have really dropped a lot.  Despite the negativity in the financial markets, this is the news that many buyers who have been on the sidelines,  have patiently been waiting for.  For example:  According to local banks, the 30 year fixed rate dropped to 6.15% last week almost immediately after the news was reported.  This was a drop of 40 basis points. The 15 year fixed dropped lower to 5.81% and the 30 year jumbo, according to Bank Rate is now at 6.98%, the lowest point in over a year.  SO, THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION?  HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST?  It's anyone's guess at t... 09/15/2008

If you're interested in our local economy and what's happening in Bluffton, Hardeeville and Jasper County, you'll not want to miss the 13th annual STATE OF THE REGION breakfast hosted by the Hilton Head Chamber of Commerce.  This year's event is being driven by a survey that is presently being conducted among regional residents.  You are asked to select your top 3 issues with over 20 to select from.  As you may know, the Hilton Head Airport is an issue that  is a top priority to me.  I believe it to be a vital community asset that needs to be maintained.  I encourage you to attend the breakfast October 1 @ The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa----9:00AM to 11:30AM Reservations are required and can be addressed through the Chamber website or contact Anna Cauthen @ 843-341-8379 $25... 09/15/2008

St Francis Thrift is one of my favorite thrifts on the island---Why, you might ask?  Well, first of all the folks that run this worthy endeavor are some of the nicest folks you'll find island-wide.  They're friendly and helpful to say the least.  And their proceeds go to many charities on the island. But St Francis needs your help----THEY NEED DONATIONS!  With the downturn in the economy, people are shopping more and more---good for the thrifts but they are burning through donations and need more quality furnishings, clothing and accessories.  So, I'm hoping you'll open up your closets and drawers and help the community.  To dontate, contact:    (They'll even come by your home to pick up larger donations.)  St. Francis Thrift Shop VolunteersWednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday10:00 a.m... 09/15/2008

Brought to the community by the owners of Mi Tierra, Presto Kitchen is a breath of fresh air, both with the quality of food and especially the prices.  Located in the Publix Shopping Center at the north end of the island and just around the corner from Atlanta Bread, this restaurant offers a fabulous alternative to high prices and just so-so quality you may have experienced elsewhere.  The menu is quite eclectic with a heavy weighting on excellent Italian dishes.  Everything I've tried from the Gnocchi's (hmmmm) to the Chicken Francaise has been a total treat.  They also offer early dining alternatives that include wine and dessert for a set price.  I've also enjoyed their spring salad rolls for lunch.  Best I've had anywhere! Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week with... 09/15/2008

 Invaribly, my husband will nudge me to accompany him for a short visit to Main Street Village, located by Hilton Head Plantation.  The Carolina Dreamers' Classic Car Cruise-In is always one of his favorite evenings out and I can usually convince him to take me to one of my favorite restaurant's, Frankie  Bones for dinner out.  I figure if I have to look at cars, then I'll get out of the kitchen for the evening too.  Come visit Main Street Village on September 25 from 6 to 8 PM.  The owners of many spectacular vintage and classic cars bring them to the Village for display and juding.  You can meet the owners and participage in voting for your favorites.   Carolina Dreamers is a classic auto club dedicated to raising money for area charities.  Definitely a worthy cause!  Hope to see you ... 09/15/2008

Word on the street has it that Barnacle Bill's just finished up the best selling season in the history of their company.  This  open air market is probably the best kept secret on the island----tucked away on the north side of Highway 278, tourists and locals flock there to purchase the freshest local seafood at fabulous prices.  In fact, business was so good this year that the owners provided local entertainment to keep the lines of tourists happy while waiting.  You're encouraged to call for the daily catch---843-785-9007.    I'm almost ashamed to say that I've never shopped at Barnacle Bill's but that will soon change given the good reports I've been hearing.  09/14/2008

Kayak Fishing?  Doesn't that sound relaxing?  With cooler weather on the way, I can't think of a more enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning.  Although I've only done Kayaking a few times (mostly in Florida) I'm game for giving it a try here in the Hilton Head area.  The folks at Kayak Hilton Head do guided fishing tours as well as kayak rentals if you want to fish on your own.  They say it's the best time of the year for redfish, trout and flounder.  For more information call 843-684-1970 or visit their website:  www.kayakhiltonhead.com  09/14/2008

In over 30 years of selling real estate, I firmly believe that "now" represents the best opportunitiy I've ever seen for buyers to nail down a great deal!  Are you wondering when is the best time to jump into the market?  Well, 2 things are true for sure: You'll never be able to time any market precisely You'll never know the bottom of the real estate market "until" you've missed it.  Conventional wisdom among  Realtors who experienced the ups and downs of the Hilton Head Real Estate Market over the years, indicates that we are seeing a nice uptick in folks who really aren't ready to occupy their homes but are buying now rather than waiting a year or two to retire and enter the market then.  They firmly believe the prices are best now as opposed to what they'll experience when retiremen... 09/14/2008

As some of you know, I'm on vacation this week - woo hoo!!    A friend from the mainland came to visit me yesterday and we went to her favorite place - The Jazz Corner.    What a great place!!!   I'm sure to go back there again. We had a delicious dinner with LIVE ENTERTAINMENT.   (I had the baked chicken and it was yummy!!)   The atmosphere was great - the service was great - the entertainment was great - the trumpet player was my favorite, but Bobby sure can play that saxophone (if I could only play half as good as he does...ahhh to dream)   Nothing beats live music! This weekend the Bobby Ryder quintet is playing and they are really good.   Next time you are on the island - check it out!  Live music EVERY NIGHT :)                                                    The Jazz Corner.   ... 09/13/2008

Anyone considering a purchase of Real Estate in the north end of Hilton Head Island, namely the areas of Hilton Head Plantation, Indigo Run, Windmill Harbor, Palmetto Hall and  Victoria Square, may find these facts of interest.   Even for those who have lived here many years, I bet you didn't know all of these---- Percent of Residents with College Degree    29.2% Unemployment Rate    5.1% Job Growth    -0.9% Sales Tax   7% Annual Amount of Sunny Days  214 Population of 29926 Zip Code  21,270 Median Age of Residents  48 Median Househould Income   $68,561 Median Per Capita Income    $40,616 Median Home Value for 29926 Zip Code     $625,999 Median Age of Homes in 29926 Zip Code    14 Percentage of Homes Owned    69.3% Percentage of Homes Rented   16.4% Percentage of Vacant Homes  14.3% If ... 09/12/2008

LET'S GET DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY!    JUST "HOW" DO  I GET MY HOME SOLD IN TODAY'S COMPLEX MARKET? Have you seen those ads that offer new cars, cruises and flat screen televisions if you purchase a home?  Well, it might seem like a good idea for a home seller to entice a buyer, but when it comes to convincing someone to BUY your home, it is the more practical perk that counts. Serious buyers aren't looking for a cruise to the Bahamas--THEY WANT A HOME, HOPEFULLY YOURS!  Lenders aren't exactly thrilled about gimmicks because they don't want to loan dollars to pay for those extra incentives.  So, what can you do?  Here are some practical ideas: INTEREST RATE BUYDOWN--Help to bring the buyers' interest rate down by paying points. CONSIDER CONTRIBUTIONS--Making a contribution to the closi... 09/12/2008

Attention Indigo Run and Hilton Head Plantation Resident/Owners---Have you received a notice lately like this?  The notice says--"THIS IS NOT A TAX BILL" and it  is mighty confusing.  If you received one of these notices in the mail, please take a close look at the taxable amount, purchase price and whether you are being taxed at the 4% resident or 6% investor/out of state rate.  Please know that if you've received this notice and do not agree, you ONLY have 90 days to appeal to Beaufort County. For more information the Beaufot County Official Website provides the following: Owners of properties that saw new construction, renovations, remodeling or additions in 2007 should expect to be notified this month of changes in the appraised value of their property.   As a result of the South Ca... 09/12/2008

Located in the beautiful Charleston themed community of Victoria Square and close to all amenities of the north area of Hilton Head Island, this newly-listed Berkeley model is situated with long lagoon views of the Victoria Square Lake area.  Owners have recently repainted and re carpeted the entire home and it shows like a 10+.  This home is the most aggressively priced Berkeley model in Victoria Square plus its location on the lake makes it very desirable.  Priced at $369,900---what a great velue  for on-island living! If you have interest in this home, please contact me through my website.  09/12/2008

For anyone contemplating a move to South Carolina, if you're like I was at one time, you're thinking---"Okay, how do I get a new driver's license?  And can I pass the test?"  Well, sure you can because it's not rocket science.   You just need to follow some simple rules and voila, you'll be ready for traveling those dreaded Hilton Head traffic circles (just kidding of course, because when you're a resident, you already know how to traverse the circles.)  Moving from another state, you have 90 days until you need to obtain a new license.  Check out the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles site for hours and locations of testing centers. Your new license will cost $12.50 and is renewable every 5 years on your birthday.  A wee bit of caution--You'll need to pass a vision test so don... 09/11/2008

Well, here's my monthly report for real estate sales in Hilton Head Plantation. This is a recap of  real estate activity that represents a comparison of August 31, 2007 year to date as compared to  August 31, 2008 year to date activity. ACTIVE LISTINGS FOR 2007------------167 ACTIVE LISTINGS FOR 2008.................164 SOLD LISTINGS FOR 2007........151 SOLD LISTINGS FOR 2008.......103 PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SALES FOR 2007 VERSUS 2008       -32% 2007 LIST TO SALE PRICE.......    94.90% 2008 LIST TO SALE PRICE .......   93.73% 2007 AVERAGE SALE PRICE....$587,139 2008 AVERAGE SALE PRICE......$564,245 DAYS ON THE MARKET FOR 2007.....86 DAYS ON THE MARKET FOR 2008......110 So, you can see it's a great time to be a buyer---in fact, it's the best buying climate I've seen in many years.  Hilton H... 09/09/2008

   QUICK FACTS TO CONSIDER IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING RELOCATING TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND I often write blogs about living in Hilton Head Plantation and Indigo Run Plantation but this list of interesting facts about Hilton Head really pertains to anyone who may be considering a move to our area.  After living here for almost 10 years, there was information that even I didn't know.  And incidentally, with our plentiful supply of homes and excellent prices, now may be the best time in many years to pursue your homeonwership dream on the island.  For more information about Hilton Head and Bluffton Real Estate, please visit my website. 1.  Hilton Head has 39,000 full-time residents 2.  During the summer season, the population swells to 75,000. 3.  Beaufort County is the fastest growing county in th... 09/09/2008

Okay, remember I said that we hadn't had a hurricane in the Hilton Head area since 1893?  Well, that's true but Hurricane Hannah  (yes, she was just upgraded) is being a little persistent and threatening to come our way.  I bet it won't because Hilton  Head is so nicely "tucked in" geographically, thereby providing protection from hurricanes.  But we'll just wait and see and in the meantime, be prepared. BUT JUST IN CASE---how will the residents at the Hilton Humane Association make out?  That' where we come into the picture.  THE HILTON HEAD HUMANE ASSOCIATION  needs your help to temporarily adopt an animal during any voluntary or mandated evacuation.  The folks at the Humane Association can be reached @ 843-681-8686.   If you decide to help out, they have all the pertinent details plu... 09/01/2008

With this weekend being Labor Day, I think I've seen it all this summer when it comes to visitors maneuvering those pesky Traffic Circles on our island.  I can only imagine how disoncerting it is to "NOT" know where you're going and have someone on your tail encouraging you to get through the circles.  Well fear not because I'm going to list the very basic  rules that should enable you to exit the circles alive.  So here goes--- FIRST, DO "NOT" STOP WHILE YOU'RE IN THE CIRCLE  (A SURE WAY FOR A REAR-END ACCIDENT) Stay in the outermost lane and just keep going around until you've figured out which exit you want. Use your signal light to exit the circle Remember that all traffic flows counter clockwise SEE HOW EASY THOSE RULES ARE?  PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT HILTON HEA... 08/31/2008

This new listing has prompted a ton of inquiries through Localims with requests for more photos and information.  So, I'll tempt you with some additional photos. Buckingham Landing is a funky little neighborhood (eclectic) that is tucked in by the side of the bridge to Hilton Head.  Folks love living here because they are free of constraints and regulations of the typical Plantation lifestyle.  This neighborhood may not be for everyone but if you want to have a home business, need space to spread out or just enjoy that more eclectic lifestyle, then you may just want to stop by for a look at this special home that has zoning possibility for a Bed and Breakfast.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS LISTING OR HILTON HEAD AND BLUFFTON REAL ESTATE, PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE. I welcome your inquir... 08/30/2008

Finally, there's good news on the property insurance front-----More companies have entered our local market and some prices have fallen.  According to State Insurance Commissioner, Scott Richardson, a former state senator from Hilton Head, 12 new companies have started business in South Carolina since 2007 with 3 more expected in the next 90 days.  IMPORTANT KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER: Condominium policies have fallen as much as 50-60% in the Hilton Head markets. Insurance cost is rated based on our STATE EXPERIENCE.  (thank goodness for that, right?) ALLSTATE INSURANCE hasn't written a new policy in the Bluffton area for 2 years. Check your policies for a detailed explanation of your wind and hail coverage.  It's vital that you are aware of your coverage So, the $1,000,000 question---WILL ... 08/30/2008