The other day a friend and fellow Realtor published on his Trulia Blog that there were only 808 homes for sale on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.  When I looked at this number I started thinking about all those baby boomers getting ready to retire or moove.  With 808 homes for sale it got me thinking that we are heading towards a housing shortage on Hilton Head Island.  The problem with the present real estate market is too often we lose the proper perspective by looking at the forest and not the trees.  Read the rest of this entry

As a mortgage lender we always order an appraisal on the homes and condos that we are financing.  The appraisal is full of information about the house, the neighborhood and the overall real estate market.  In one section of the appraisal there are  three little boxes that pertain to the property values.  The little boxes are labeled increasing, stable, and declining.  Only in the last few years have we received appraisals with the “declining” box checked.
Read the rest of this entry

When you are new to an area, it pays to be informed.  We have some tips that prospective home buyers should know especially if they are moving from another state or are first time buyers.  We can provide new residents and owners a copy of our Hot Tips as they come out weekly.  Too often people are fed costly lines about their systems and therefore we offer free second opinions on previously condemned systems.  In most cases we can make minor repairs and save our customers thousands.    Read the rest of this entry