The other day I started thinking about the timing in which things happen in real estate.  This was after we entered into a few bidding wars with other buyers on Hilton Head property.  In thinking about it, there is a perfect order for real estate sellers, real estate buyers and real estate agents that goes something like this. Read the rest of this entry

2010 was a good year for long term rentals with increased demand.  This was due in part as a result of the economy with people not qualifying for home mortgages and people losing homes to short sales or foreclosure.  Another factor that helped with the demand for rentals were people who owned a home and sold their home, lost their equity due to the devaluing of the property and no longer have the funds to purchase another home. Read the rest of this entry

This week we have trends from experts in the Hilton Head real estate market including a local lender, a local appraiser, a long term rental agent and a vacation rental agent.  We asked these trusted advisors to tell us what they forecast in the year ahead in their respective fields and how this may effect real estate on the Island.  Feel free to contact these professionals directly with their contact information listed below.  Happy Hilton Head!

A note from David Crowell at Mortgage Network
The best news about 2011 is that for once lenders will not be the big story. We will continue to have historic low rates hopping continuously between 4.5 to 5.25 percent for fixed rate mortgages.  We have plenty of money to lend and the desire to lend is back full force. We are finding we are able to satisfy most purchasers with conventional and jumbo financing Read the rest of this entry

We are seeing a slowing in the refinancing and I guess the market thinks that we will see rates back in the 4% range.  “All my banking clients don’t see a return to those rates.  I guess I must agree that we maybe turning the corner on rates and property values”, said Bruce Goff a local appraiser on Hilton Head Island. Read the rest of this entry

We are excited about the year ahead!  Already in January we are seeing buyer confidence building and are selling properties that are properly priced.   While many sellers have taken the buyers place on the fence waiting for a major “something”  to occur, those sellers that are moving to market price are being rewarded with showings and ultimately contracts.  We have listed some other trends for 2011 on Hilton Head below.  As well, check back next week to see what our experts including rental agents, builders, lenders and other professionals see as trends for Hilton Head Island. Read the rest of this entry

As we ring in the New Year there are many things we did right in 2010 which we would like to grow upon in 2011.  As well there are many things that we see in the year ahead that we could do better.  Our top ten list includes all the things we are resolved to do better as we serve you in 2011.  It is our hope that you will give us a chance to prove them to you.

1.  We will save our Hilton Head sellers time in 2011

Time is money.  The longer it takes to find a buyer, the more it costs us and our sellers.  Our commitment to our sellers is to spend the necessary up front time designing a marketing strategy, preparing the property for the market and properly pricing the property from the get go.  We measure our success by the number of showings and offers that we generate.  Sometimes tweaking is required based on this activity.

2.  We will notify our Hilton Head Buyers Immediately

With 25 years of selling real estate on Hilton Head Island we have built strong networks that provide market information and informs of properties often before they hit the MLS.  By building relationships with brokers, banker, business people and neighbors throughout the Low Country our network will help you get the right property at the right price Read the rest of this entry

The end of the year is an optimal time to review the current value of your Hilton Head real estate for your portfolio purposes.  In the past few years the real estate market has changed and if you are considering selling, trading up, trading down or making other changes to your real estate portfolio, this will definitely help you make a plan.  One of the best ways to determine the present value of your Island real estate is to contact your Hilton Head Realtor. Read the rest of this entry

Are you a thermostat or a thermometer? 

In case you missed it, The Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors invited us to speak on the topic “Sales Up, Rentals Up, Are you up” with Johnny Ussery.  Together we presented the ways and reasons that we keep ourselves motivated and enthusiastic about selling Hilton Head Real Estate.  I could not believe I was on the same ticket as Johnny Ussery.  Not only is Johnny one of the most inspirational speakers on real estate in the country, his words match his passion perfectly.  He has succesfully coached salespeople in the sell out of many communities.  He inspires and moves agents into the market with a positive expectant attitude even when faced with challenge.  We have had many requests from Realtors that attended or heard about Johnny Usserys presentation and we hope to be forwarding this to you in the very near future.  In the meantime, below are some thoughts we shared: Read the rest of this entry

The Island Real Estate Market typically slows a bit as we head into the Holidays.  Although it is easier to get a table at some of our favorite Hilton Head restaurantsat this time of year,  our market research shows that Hilton Head Buyers are not sitting back and waiting for their next visit or next year.  These buyers are aligning themselves during this off season with the best properties at great prices and negotiating before the start of the new year. Read the rest of this entry