The same tips for Black Friday apply to buying great real estate on Hilton Head Island.  Although you do not need to camp out in front of our office to get great deals, there are a few steps you can take to get a jump on the 79 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964.  So forget about setting the alarm at 3:30 or checking your insurance policy before getting trampled to death.   We got you covered and you may not even need to get out of your pajamas.

Be Prepared

Learn about the Hilton Head real estate market including purchasing, negotiating and closing before you take the trip to preview property. Spend some good quality time up front with your agent on the phone, in person or by email to go over each one of these steps before you ever start your shopping.  You can also start learning about Market Value through websites including Hilton Head MLS or HiltonHeadRealEstateNews.com.

Sign up for email alerts

Free and no charge we can set you up to receive automatically new real estate listings in real time.  This system is called our Client Linx program and based on the criteria our clients give to us, it will email new properties and price adjustments as they take place on Hilton Head Island.  It should be noted that Zillow, Trulia and others update their information only once a week and what you are looking at could already be gone.  Sign up for our Linx today!

We open early and stay late 

Got a question or need some help figuring something out about a property?  You can always get us by email or phone.  If you are up early or late don’t worry, we are standing by and ready to go.  Lately we have gotten the jump on properties for our clients before others by being attentive.  As well, negotiations often run past the 9 – 5 work day and we are prepared to make a deal happen and not let it slip by.  We really are 24/7.

Buy the property you really want

It is not how much you spend, but what you get.  Short sales, foreclosures and even the very best deals may sound attractive, but if you don’t like it, why waste your time looking?  When buying, the process of elimination is as important as adding properties to your list.  Finding the right property should be based on budget, present or future needs, location and condition.  You will never get Mama to live in a deal, if she does not like it.

Know how to Haggle

When it comes time to buy or sell a property, it’s all about negotiation.  Money saving negotiation information that we provide includes days on market, average list to sell based on type and price range, months of supply and sales trends.  These variables are important when formatting an offer to purchase or responding to an offer to sell.  This is the part we love and they can be fun like the Art of Negotiation should be.

Set a budget and stick to it

Do you know what you can afford when it comes time to shop for a Hilton Head Property?  If you have not yet set a budget, its time we introduce you to our financial guru.  David Crowell with Mortgage Network will help you develop your financial plan over the phone, in person or via email.  One of the benefits from this meeting is you will have a pre-approval that should help us negotiate a better deal!

Tie it up before you jump in the car

The best properties sell quickly.  Rather than taking a chance that the property will still be available when you finally do make the trip to Hilton Head, we encourage our buyers to make an offer subject to their on site satisfactory review of the property typically within 14 days of acceptance.  We will do all the ground work for our clients, scope out the property, show it to their friends and family and email this research.  Buying site unseen locks in the best properties before you ever make the journey and  you can even do this in your pajamas.

Timing is Everything

Buying great real estate comes down to timing.  Sometimes luck happens, but if you really want the best location, condition and value its all about the timing we have on the table right now.  Off season negotiation, very low interest rates, nice inventory selections, post recession pricing and easier access into rental properties make these months ahead perfect for any buyer.  Most of these timing opportunities will go away as consumer confidence increases.

Free Warranty on Black Friday or Cyber Monday

Every buyer should know that we provide a warranty with their purchase of property when using Hilton Head Properties for their purchase.  This warranty is like an insurance policy and in the first year it covers the plumbing, electrical, appliances, heating, air and even the pool equipment.  This warranty is paid for by our company at closing.  The only cost an owner has is the $60 deductible in the event something needs repair.  Many of our clients have continued this policy after the first year on us as insurance against a more expensive repair.

One final word, Have Fun Shopping Hilton Head Real Estate

You won’t freeze while looking at Hilton Head real estate and there are no 45 minute check out lines…yet.  As we have said many times, of those 79 million baby boomers, 8,000 are turning 60 years old every DAY and a lot of them love Hilton Head Island!  If you are prepared, pay attention to your email alerts, find a good agent and tie it up quickly, no one will cut in line ahead of you!  But be warned…the market is changing.  Happy Holidays from Hilton Head Properties.  Call on us anytime.