Between Christmas and New Years is the perfect time to reflect on last year and fashion our Hilton Head Realtor’s Resolutions.  While we got news that everyone was enjoying the 85 degree weather and sunny beaches on Hilton Head, we celebrated our 18th Christmas in Philadelphia with our college bound teens and family after a brief stint in Killington, Vermont.  This years teenager gifts included Subway cards, clothes, electronics and more electronics.  Following suit in the real estate market, technology continued to play a major role in the 2011 Hilton Head Real Estate Market.

1. Personal Service with Technology on Hilton Head

We recognize the need for technology and welcome the change.  Our sellers now receive feedback faster and our buyers now receive listings as soon as they hit the market(or even sometimes before), but our personal one on one interaction with our clients will never change.  Recently we helped an out of town buyer furnish their home with furnishings from a home that was sold in another community by another broker and helped one of our sellers prepare their home for the market on their budget.  Paying attention and going one step further is our mantra because our clients and our network expect and deserve both.

2.  We will save money on Real Estate Transactions

With 26 years of selling real estate on Hilton Head Island, our negotiating skills help our clients save money.  Some of the tools we use to help in negotiation include our monthly market trend reports for timing opportunities for buyers and sellers.  Although there are some fun negotiating ideas, nothing beats experience.  Our goal is to help our clients achieve a higher selling price for sellers or a lower purchase price for our buyers.  We can show you how.

3.   Free Stuff for Hilton Head Buyers and Sellers

We love to exceed our clients expectations and will be adding more free programs in 2012 including: free 2 hour staging,  free landscape review, a free re-inspection for our buyers by their chosen property inspector, a free CHAMP Warranty for buyers, free “second opinion” for our buyers and sellers, free no commitment property review for property owners, free Hilton Head weekly email update, free financial consultation by our financial guru, free monthly market trend reports, free real estate consultation with an attorney prior to signing a contract, our short sale specialist, our contractors and other service providers.

4.  Save Time on Hilton Head

We will save you time in selling your property or discovering the right property to buy. After selling real estate on Hilton Head Island on Hilton Head Island for over 26 years,  we are well connected on the Island.  If we do not have the answer or the property, we will open our network to find it for you.  We are a drop and go group that always will put your needs first.  Contact us and you will see.

5.  The Right People on Hilton Head

Almost every day we repair, replace, fix, shop, inspect, furnish, accessorize, research or in some way help our clients improve their properties.  Our vendors and service providers must receive positive reviews and comments by our clients to continue to be referred by us(we love feedback).  These service providers are available from us whether selling, buying, fixing or just researching.   Email us or call anytime for our up an up to date recommendation or property review(if you are unsure what you may need to enter the market).

6. World Wide Networks in 2012

The world wide web offers the opportunity to grow our network.  We now have thousands that subscribe to our blog and our network is growing.  We now advertise and promote our properties on Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com VisualTours.com, our personal websites, our weekly blog, our affiliate websites, our 1500 international offices, our companies websites, and newspapers around the country with HomeFinder.  The bigger our network becomes the more chances for our clients success.

7.  A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION

Our commitment to our sellers is great photography, meaningful well written property descriptions, fantastic marketing strategies, proper preparations including our listing checklist before getting a property on the market and proper positioning.  We are big believers that you only get one shot at a good first impression.  We measure our success by the number of showings and offers that we can generate through our marketing efforts.  Please note: some tweaking may be required and we are always looking to see what marketing adjustments we need to make.

8.  Outside the Box

We study the Hilton Head real estate market to spot trends for our clients and change to meet the market demands.  Through our market research we can provide valuable timing insights that can help in negotiation or help us in our marketing efforts.  Computers may provide information, but it is our goal to provide usable knowledge.  We will go outside the box to find the answers and solutions to get the job done.  Our marketing programs currently measure success and show what we need to work on and as a seller you will receive weekly updates on how we are doing.

9.  Going Green with Faster Paperless Transactions

Our goal is to do more for our clients with the aid of the Internet.  Our contracts are now scanned and soon will be completely on-line with digital signature.  No need for Fed-Ex, Scanning, mail or copiers.  Transaction speed will allow us to move quickly from offers to contract status seamlessly once negotiations begin.  This will be better for both our buyer and seller clients as they will lock into a deal sooner than later.  Please note we are still capable of faxing, phoning or mailing if you prefer.

10.  Selling great relationships on Hilton Head.

Jane Hyers and I are service fanatics and provide great, caring service that produces results you can count on.  Our goal is to take your expectations to a new level and provide the very best real estate selling or buying experience you will ever have on or off Hilton Head Island. While we embrace the internet to market property, we will continue to build upon the ”word of mouth” marketing programs that help us sell our properties .  We attend weekly meetings and welcome invitations to present ourselves to our piers and introduce ourselves and our properties.  We will continue to call around our listings to inform neighbors, experts and prospects about our properties and tap into the river of communication within our neighborhoods.

In  2010 and 2011 we adjusted for the market and we have listed our Resolutions.  Cheers to a Happy New Year 2012!

Our best to you!

Robbie Bunting and Jane Hyers

Meet Robbie Bunting & Jane Hyers

Robbie’s knowledge and expertise of Hilton Head Real Estate spans over 30 years.  He is a second generation Realtor and together with his assistant Jane Hyers, they have developed a very dynamic approach to the evolving real estate market.  By combining a personal approach to the most recent technologies, Robbie Bunting and Jane Hyers provide the very best for their buyer and seller clients.  As one of the top ten agents on Hilton Head Island, their goal is to create a raving fan with the services they provide you. Read the rest of this entry

There are really only two options that you need to take in the next few weeks.  If your property is working for you and meets your present and future needs than you should absolutely consider refinancing your property as rates will never be this low.  Most people do not realize how low these rates really are:

• We have had clients hover around a 3.3% 15 year loan ~ which is $709 per month per $1,000 dollars per month
• We have had clients hover around a  4% for a  30 year conforming fixed rate or $490 per month

Replacement properties on Hilton Head are easier than ever to find and sellers now risk losing buyers if they postpone or delay even one showing.  In order to sell, properties must offer easy access and the easier, the better.  Our Hilton Head agents are accustomed to “call first than lockbox” if the property is occupied.  Keep the showing instructions simple and uncomplicated for the agent and their buyer.  If you have showing  instructions that include 24 hour notice, agent must attend, no showings before 5, after 9 or on weekends, call tenant, call for appointment due to pets or any other restrictions you may want to revisit your showings with your agent.

Last night I got a call from a Kentucky client that owns a second home in Palmetto Dunes.  He asked if I had seen the Wall Street Journal article titled Vacation Homes: Why it May Be Time to Buy.  It states “The blue-chip market consists of a handful of spots where prices have stabilized and could soon rebound as sales pick up. Some, such as Hilton Head, have benefitted from tough restrictions on building, which kept inventories manageable during the bust. Prices there have risen by 4% during the past year.”   Read the rest of this entry

Attention sellers or future sellers~We have attached last months Market Trend Report for your review. We also have prepared a snapshot report of the market we are in, what we forecast for the next several years and would love to share it with you. Just let us know via email and note Free Special Market Report in the subject line. It is our continued goal to sell your property for the highest price in the shortest period of time and our systems are set up to not leave any money on the table.

All the best~
Robbie Bunting & Jane Hyers