The bottom is here or can be negotiated! Buyers should beware if bottom is hit too hard it can hurt.  There are certain rules a buyer may want to follow when they buy real estate on Hilton Head Island today.  Of course, we can help you negotiate a smooth landing in this new market.  We have listed the top 10 Ten buyer rules that can make a buyers life a little more comfortable below:

1. Do your homework. Savvy buyers are in the know.  Your agent should be able to show you market trends for similar properties to the one you are looking at.  These market trends not only become your guide to negotiating, they become the agents presentation based on facts when he/she presents your offer to the sellers agent.  Good negotiations are based on facts.
2. The process of elimination.  Looking at real estate should be a fun process and your agent should always be getting you closer to the perfect property as time progresses.  If you are not getting closer to the perfect property and not having fun anymore it is time to review your criteria again with your agent.
3. Pretty girls stay home on prom night because no one asks.  Have your agent write up an offer for you.  If you have found a property that meets your present or future needs and you want to make an offer, go ahead, but if the seller does not budge, move your offer to a more realistic level.  We are now experiencing multiple offers on properly priced properties and the time you spend starting off too low may mean losing the property to another bidder in the process.  The average listing to selling price for our properties averages 93% of asking price for homes and villas.
4. Move purposely!  Never make a move without thinking at least two steps ahead.  Your agent can help you determine these steps, but in all offers it is important to know what you are going to do and what the sellers moves may be.  This is strategy at its best.  See our negotiating cheat sheet.
5. Don’t toss in the towel in too early!  Once negotiations have begun, keep the counter offers moving and do not let pride get in your way.  Many purchasers take the ball to the 1 yard line and give up.  If you get to a stalemate, redraw your line.  This is usually the extra effort that gets the property.
6. Write a personal note with your offer!  As a purchaser, you may submit a written note with your offer.  In it you can outline why you love the property and this is also a good time to note what your offer is based on.  These notes tend to add emotion to the sale and allow the seller to see you as a person and not someone trying to take advantage of them.
7. Know when to stop negotiating!  When you are writing the offer note any and everything you want in this agreement.  You can always back these out in negotiation, but it is too late to ask for additional considerations after the contract is signed and delivered.  Once your contract is signed, it is time to stop negotiating and start planning your move. 
8. Choose your inspector carefully!  In today’s market, the wrong inspector can lead to a purchasers frustration and or concern.  In choosing an inspector, look for one that has references from recent purchasers and agents. 
9. Get a warranty!  If you have not asked your agent for a warranty, find out if they offer a warranty and what it covers.  We offer a one year AHS Warranty or the Palmettto Electrics Champ Program to our purchasers. 
10. Cherish Now, Dust Later!  A buyer will never be able to find better properties at better prices than right now on Hilton Head Island.  Buyers that have bought recently are now enjoying their properties and their time on the Island, those that are still waiting or looking for the perfect deal may never have this opportunity.