Dear Clients, Friends & Fellow Associates ~  

Value must be seen by a buyer before a property will ever sell.  The higher the perceived value, the easier it is to justify a price.   One of the best ways to build the value for a property is to go over the checklist below.  As a fellow real estate friend once told me “we sell space and it is what comes with the space that adds additional value”.  Some call it Spanish Moss and Moon Beams, but whatever you want to call it our Island Real Estate is a value when you consider everything that you get!

Hilton Head Island Offers:

 1 – PGA Tournament
 2.38 – Million Visitors supporting our lifestyle
 3 – Plus colleges in the area area offering continuing education for retirees along with the sports they bring.
 3 – Great art centers in the area including the Art Center with Broadway type shows and talent.
 7 – top college golf tournaments, i.e. at Belfair, Long Cove, Haig Point, Palmetto Hall and others for the enjoyment of all.
 8 – Beach Parks with Access
 9 – Marinas
10 – Beautiful Gated Communities
10 – Great Schools
10 – Historical Landmarks
12 – Public Tennis Courts and over 300 total courts
12 – Miles of Pristine Beach
12 – Major Festivals and celebrations
20 – Island Parks
24 – Island Golf Courses
30 – Miles of Public Bike and fitness Pathways
42.1 – Square Miles of pure beauty
56 – Average Low Temperatures
76 – Average High Temperatures
93 – Beds in the Hilton Head Hospital(acute care)
37,918 – Population Year Round(small but great)
200 – plus college tennis teams come to HHI every year for spring practice giving access to Hilton Head residence to see them play.
200 – plus Days of Sunshine
250 – plus Restaurants
200 – plus Shops and Fantastic Boutiques
32° – 10′44″N  BY  80°44′35″W Latitude & Longitude
4.625 – 30 Year Fixed Conforming Rate
6.625 – 30 Year Fixed Jumbo Rate Today
4,700 – foot runway at Hilton Head Airport

Add these up and you have the best town on the coast to live life, vacation and experience.  Of course, fantastic prices, historical low interest rates and availability of prime properties are certainly subject to change, but the Spanish Moss and Moon Beams never ever change.  Please let us know if you have suggestions that we can add to the above list. We will re-post these additions at the end of the month.  Thank you.

From a great Island to live on,

we are:
Robbie Bunting & Jany Hyers
P.S.  CLICK HERE+ for our best villa, home and home-site values!

Selected Rates as of May 7, 2009:

Market Conditions

The latest report from the National Association of Realtors reports that pending home sales rose 3.2 percent in March.

NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth, said the increase in buying power is quite remarkable. “Compared to a year ago, the typical family can pay much less in mortgage costs for the same home, or buy a better home without necessarily increasing their monthly payment,” he said. “For buyers who’ve been on the sidelines and have good jobs, the market has never looked more favorable. Homeownership has always offered immediate benefits and long-term value, but the advantages in today’s market are unique.”

Regionally, the South saw the best outcome in pending home sales, rising 8.5 percent.

The biggest decrease was seen in the Northeast, dropping 5.7 percent.

Written by Realty Times Staff
May 5, 2009 

10 Ways to Make Your House More Saleable

1.      Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items. Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out the garage.

2.      Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.

3.      Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for.

4.      Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.

5.      Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs.

6.      Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well maintained.

7.      Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway.

8.      Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9.      Clean your gutters.

10.  Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.

5 Things to Do Before You Sell

1.      Get estimates from a reliable repairperson on items that need to be replaced soon, a roof or worn carpeting, for example. In this way, buyers will have a better sense of how much these needed repairs will affect their costs.

2.      Have a termite inspection to prove to buyers that the property is not infested.

3.      Get a pre-sale home inspection so you’ll be able to make repairs before buyers become concerned and cancel a contract.

4.      Gather together warranties and guarantees on the furnace, appliances, and other items that will remain with the house.

5.      Fill out a disclosure form provided by your sales associate. Take the time to be sure that you don’t forget problems, however minor, that might create liability for you after the sale.

5 Ways to Speed up Your Sale

1.      Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range.

2.      Get your house market ready for at least two weeks before you begin showing it.

3.      Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show on the spur of the moment, but the more often someone can see your home, the sooner you’ll find a seller.

4.      Be ready for the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.

5.      Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, be prepared to lower your asking price.

© 2005 – 2007 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Dear Clients, Friends & Fellow Associates ~

Here are few ways for Sellers and Buyers to make a move today! We look forward to customizing a strategy for you! Robbie Bunting & Jane Hyers

1. Sell Short and Buy Short ~ For the re-buyer (if you own something already and want to move up) timing is on your side. Right now, you can save thousands of dollars by selling your current property “short”. The smart money is doing this right now! In fact, last week we had two transactions where the sellers sold short, but bought shorter. The savings were huge! Sounds strange, but look at the example below.

Seller of a property sells their existing property for less in order to facilitate a quick sale(they priced it below the others and get it sold). When they sell, they than purchase a more expensive property for approximately the same percentage* less than they sold their property fore but end up with a higher dollar amount than it costs them. Although the shorts are not always the same, the timing in this market is excellent for us to help you save money and move up!

2. Buy a foreclosure ~ If you want your share of stimulus money it makes sense right now to buy a foreclosure. Banks are being forced to sell their foreclosure inventories at reduced prices just to get them off their books. Most of the banks would rather take less today than wait another 30 days for more. We have a top ten list of the best rental or residential foreclosures on the Island we can email to you. Let us know if you want to get your share of the stimulus money.

3. Trade in Old Bessie! ~ In the present market, some sellers will consider trades and are more amenable to creative offers. I have traded timeshare units as downpayments for villas, Palmetto Dunes Homes for Hilton Head Plantation homes, a villa for a brand new waterfront home and even rare gold coins for a beach house, seriously! Trades allow you to move around without having to sell something first. We have a list of trades we would love to share with you, simply email us and mention trades.

4. Buy and rent ~ The opportunity this real estate market offers a buyer is the timing of three including historically low real estate values, the best properties and the lowest interest rates we have ever seen. But what if it does not match your timing? In the late 1980’s we had the same market that we do now. In order to help our clients take advantage of the low prices, low interest rates and availabilty we started our buy and rent program until they were ready to make a move.

One of our clients recently purchased a home and his payment was less than $1,500 a month on a beautiful home that had a rental forecaste over $2,000 per month. At this rate we told him to buy more! The benefits include getting your foot in the door, building equity and seizing a fantastic real estate opportunity! As investors and future residents buy and rent, this is helping our market turn around.

Bottom Line, the market is moving. The key is to get in the market when you can find a great property, get a great interest rates and buy at a great price. Give me a call or shoot us an email and lets evaluate what this timing can afford you. Thank you.

Positive Energy & timing to you…

Robbie Bunting & Jane Hyers
800-932-3652 or 842-0805
islandrealtor@hargray.com

P.S. – You can’t stop the boomers!

* Negotiations will vary.

www.robbiebunting.com
800-932-3652

Our buyers get a warranty free, but in the past we only covered the buyer and not the seller. With our new program today we can now cover our sellers during the listing period. This is especially perfect for the second home property or older home.

If you have a home or villa listed with us, we now have a new warranty program which offers warranty benefits to you if you are the seller. A home warranty is a service contract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances. The warranty fee is collected only at closing and there is no charge if you do not sell the property for any reason. If you would like to find out more about the warranty, contact us! Thank you.

Our Best,

Robbie Bunting & Jane Hyers

Latte Lou’s List

After many years on Hilton Head Island I’m sharing some of my favorite places to eat.
There are many other good restaurants but these are the ones I consistently frequent.

Enjoy!
Lu

AMIGOS CAFE Y CANTINA
Circle Center 785-8226 & Belfair Towne Village 815-8226
Open everyday 11 to 9
My favorites: BBQ chicken salad & Chicken fajita burrito.

SANTA FE CAFÉ
700 Plantation Center 785-3838
Lunch M to F 12-2 Dinner M to Sun 5:30 to 10
Upstairs outside is the best spot. Great food.

CHRISTINE’S GO GO GOURMET & CAFÉ
Coligny Plaza 785-4646
Open M-F 11 to 2
It’s all good – especially the homemade potato chips.

SEA SHACK
Pope Ave. Executive Park Rd. 785-2464
Open Lunch M to F & Dinner M to Sat
Very casual but lots of seafood cooked anyway you like it.

FRANKIE BONES
Main Street 682-4455
Open everyday 11:30 to 10 or 11 w/ Sunday Brunch
From soup (chicken noodle) to nuts – great menu & fun bar.

SIGLER’S ROTISSERIE & SEAFOOD
Sheridan Park, Bluffton 815-5030
Dinner 4:30 to 9:30
Great Chef & Caterer. Don’t miss the Grilled Romaine Salad.

SIGNE’S BAKERY & CAFÉ
93 Arrow Road 785-9118
M to F 8 to 4, Sat 9 to 2
Casual & fresh food with full scale bakery on site.

STARBUCKS COFFEE
Pineland Station, 11 Palmetto Bay Rd
1060 Fording Is Rd, Bluffton
The ONLY place for coffee!

GRUBY’S NEW YORK DELI
Hwy 278 @ Fresh Market Shoppes 842-9111
Open everyday 8-6
Great breakfast and sandwiches – jut like I grew up on.

HINOKI JAPANESE REST. & SUSHI BAR
Orleans Plaza 785-9800
Lunch M-F & Dinner M-Sat
My only Sushi Bar… love the Wizard.

TRUFFLES CAFÉ
Sea Pines Center 671-6136 & Belfair Towne Village in Blftn
8 Executive Park Rd 785-3663
Fun, consistently good food.

IL CARPACCIO RISTORNATE PIZZERIA
Pineland Station 342-9949
Open L & D Monday to Sat.
It’s all good. Don’t miss the grilled Trout & thin Pizzas.

THE INN @ PALMETTO BLUFF
Off Hwy 46, 866-706-6565
L & D but call for reservations.
The food, ambiance & river views all make up for the drive.

WALNUTS CAFE
Sheridan Park, Bluffton 815-2877
Open M to F 8 to 3 Sunday Brunch 10 to 2
No reservations – great food, friendly place!

IT’S GREEK TO ME
16 Orleans Rd. 341-3556
Open L & D Monday to Sat.
Casual, great Greek food.

NEWLY ADDED… BISTRO 17
17 Harbourside Lane, Shelter Cove
Open every day 11 to 9
Sit outside along the boat basin and enjoy fine food.

MAINLY SANDSTONE – GOURMET GRAB & GO
35 N. Main St. 681-5721
M to F 8 – 6 & Sat 10 to 6
Great fresh food – catering also

KENNY B’S FRENCH QUARTER CAFÉ
GRAB & GO
Circle ctr. On Pope Ave 785-3315
Open T-Sat 8:45 to 9, Sun Brunch 8-3, Mon. 11 to 8.
Brunch is the BOMB & the Gumbo’s my favorite w/ ½ po-boy.

LE BISTRO
Pineland Station 681-8425
Open Lunch Tues. to F & Dinner Tues To Sat.
It’s been here forever & always serves great Mediterranean food.

MICHAEL ANTHONY’S CUCINA ITALIANA
Orleans Plaza 785-6272
Open Dinner only Mon. to Sat. (Reservations suggested)
Because it’s great fine dining – great wine list too.

If you are ever looking for something specific,
please feel free to email Jane or I at islandrealtor@hargray.com.

Did you know that we have placed our properties on over 28 web sites worldwide?  There is not an agent or company that lists their properties on more web sites.  This takes both time (Jane’s) and money (mine), but gives our properties incredible exposure.  Just one of these web sites gets our properties in front of:

• 700 firms
• 5,500 offices
• 170,000 sales associates
• 38 countries world wide.

We receive regular referrals from this web site from agents all over the world that have clients moving into the area.  We pay them a referral fee upon the successful closing from our commission.  

As the use of the internet continues to increase in every day real estate searches we want to increase our exposure of our properties.  Today, we have subscribed to a company that will provide several virtual tours of each property we have listed.   Our research shows that buyers spend more time looking at a property that offers great photos and virtual tours.  

By the way, the virtual tour company that we have chosen will also post our properties on their web site which is ranked in the top 15 real estate web sites worldwide.  Our properties are listed on many of these web sites including the number one web site REALTOR.COM which we upgraded to a premier level.  

We are working hard to market our properties.  Thank you.

Our best~

Robbie Bunting 

& Jane Hyers

Dear Friends, Clients, and Fellow Associates~

Trades allow sellers and buyers to move faster in a slow market.  Many of our clients do not know how the trade works and the benefits a trade offers.  I have found many sellers initially say no to a trade only to accept a trade once they fully understand the opportunity they present.  Here are just a few benefits my trade down sellers have experienced:

1. Principle reduction 
2. Cash out
3. Lower fees associated with ownership  

Trades only work when you have a buyer and seller that work from an appraised value, a retail value or a wholesale value.  Buyers and sellers must work from the same value method or same page.  A one sided trade never works.  That said, here are my latest and greatest trade properties:

• #8 Port Tack in Palmetto Dunes(4 bedroom beach home listed @$1,950,000) will trade for a home in Leamington or Indigo Run at $1,000,000 or less.
• #213 Turnberry Village/PD(Golf 2 BR townhome listed at $329,000)
  Will trade for a 3 or 4 BR Villa up to $600  in Palmetto Dunes
• #5 Penninsula/HP(Oceanfront/golf 5BR home listed at $1,895,000.)
  will trade for improved commercial around the country
• #378 Fort Howell/Palmetto Hall(4 bedroom home listed at $599,000) 
   will trade for a 2 bedroom villa up to $350,000
• #219 Jonesville Road(Large lot with private dock at $525,000)
  will trade for a rental property(home, villa or commercial)
• #121 Dune Lane(Brand new oceanfront 5 BR Home listed at $3,999,000)
  Will trade for an oceanfront lot/teardown or oceanfront villa or apartment complex
• #37 River Club(Deepwater access home w/5 Bedrooms offered at $2,195,000) will trade for  a waterfront villa in Shelter Cove listed at $500,000 or less.

We have properties offered by sellers that will trade throughout the area.  These properties include  homes, villas or lots that may have interest in trading.  If you have interest in finding out  more, please email us at robbie@robbiebunting.com.   Thank you. 

 Happy Trading !
Robbie Bunting &
Jane Hyers

www.robbie@robbiebunting.com

Every signal is now in place to indicate bottom.

U.S. home sales registered their biggest monthly jump in nearly seven years in December, as cratering prices began to draw out more buyers and several housing markets showed some signs of stabilizing.

If you have been waiting for a signal to indicate the best time to purchase on Hilton Head check out January 2009 sales below.  It is still true today….Timing is everything.

WE SOLD 26 homes and 33 villas last month in January!  

 According to the market research I have completed, the number of properties for sale will start declining in coming months.  If you have ever thought of purchasing it is our suggestion to start looking for the choice property you’ve always wanted as the best picks will be disappearing as we move through 2009.  

Homes

All information is deemed to be reliable and subject to verification by all parties.