A guide to Hilton Head Island and Bluffton area real estate, rentals and lifestyle
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The popular website "Only In Your State" (www.onlyinyourstate.com/south-carolina/sc-is-best-state-in-the-us/) gave South Carolina some love with a feature en tled "13 Ways South Carolina Has Quietly Become The Coolest State In America." The ar cle noted things we enjoy like great scenery, stunning beaches, an endless variety of outdoor ac vi es, friendly pe ople, 5 FARMER'S MARKETS In South Carolina fresh foods and flowers are available during months when cold weather is se ng in up north. Through December 28, Farmers Market of Blu on features local produce, plants, nuts, herbs, flowers, honey, cheese, milk, eggs, beef, pork, lamb, seafood and more. 6 WE SPECIALIZE IN THE UNIQUE The longer you're in Hilton Head, the more you'll discover unusual and intriguing experiences. Foot golf requires you to kick a soccer ball into a 21-inch cup in as few kicks as possible. Players of all ages can enjoy the 9-hole, foot golf course on Planter's Row at the Port Royal Golf Club. Or take the alligator, wine and cheese tour with H2O sports in a riverboat in the freshwater lakes of the Sea Pines Resort Forest Preserve. Visit the King Neptune Sundial standing guard at the Shelter Cove Harbour and enjoy the sunset and breezes off the marina. We have restaurants that you won't find anywhere else like Claude & Uli's Bistro, where the escargot and other fare is made with European flair, and Hudson's Seafood House where seafood is prepared fresh from the boat each day. 7 HISTORY IS ON DISPLAY Hilton Head is full of history. There are Gullah heritage tours that show how enslaved people preserved their rich culture and express it today. Visit Mitchelville, the first freedmen's town in America, and take a drive down Beach City Road, past the original churches, homes and a school building s ll standing there today. Stop at Mitchelville Freedom Park on your way for a view of the site of the Ba le of Port Royal and visit historical markers spotligh ng area history. Four forts were built on Hilton Head during the Civil War, and the remains of two earthen embankment forts, Fort Mitchel and Fort Howell, s ll fascinate Civil War buffs. Fort Walker was one of the targets of the largest naval ba le ever in U.S. waters. Cole e Stevenson is the CEO of MLS of Hilton Head Island, Inc. and a CMLX3 Cer fied Council of MLS Leader. HHIMLS Serves Licensed Agents & Realtors® from the en re state of SC, as well as GA and If you're considering a move to the Hilton Head area, contact an HHIMLS agent. We have access to the latest data, inventory, and tracking trends to help you find your perfect piece of the Lowcountry. With the most advanced pla orms to make the process smooth and sim- ple, we're ready to help buy- ers and sellers. Turn to HHIMLS to make Hilton Head your home today. www.HiltonHeadMLS.com 1 AN ABUNDANCE OF NATURE If random sigh ngs of deer, birds, and an alligator or two aren't enough to thrill you, we have Pinckney Na onal Wildlife Refuge, a great place to view some of the thousands of migratory birds that have Hilton Head in their flight path. The Refuge is a nes ng habitat for birds like ibis, egrets, and herons. If you love horses, check out the Sea Pines Forest Preserve with Lawton Stables. 2 THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Hilton Head is full of museums and theaters. Learn about the natural history and cultural heritage of the Lowcountry at the Coastal Discovery Museum. Take in a professional show at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Find representa onal drawings, pain ngs and sculpture by the na on's leading ar sts at the Red Piano Art Gallery, South Carolina's oldest professional gallery of fine art. At the Jazz Corner, an old-school nightclub, modern southern food and live jazz combine to keep you coming back. 3 SEASONAL FESTIVALS Star ng October 19, each Thursday there's the Shelter Cove Music & Taste on the Harbour fall outdoor concert series. Local restaurants offer specially priced light appe zers, wine, beer, and cocktails. The annual Italian Heritage Fes val (Nov 18), honors the Feast of San Gennaro with food and booths featuring Italian arts, cra s, and merchandise. The Winter Wonderland Fes val (Dec 1) provides a great environment to start your Holiday. Celebrate with carnival games, a children's parade, a golden candy cane hunt, and a visit from Santa, all at Shelter Cove Community Park. 4 ENDLESS FUN ON THE WATER From deep sea fishing to sailing, you'll never run out of op ons for making the most of coastal life. Creek Cat tours offer small outboard motor boats that cruise among the wildlife. Flying Circus 39 How Your Real Estate Agent Can Help You Stage Your Home Considering a move to the Hilton Head area? Our Members access the latest Real Estate data, inventory, and tracking trends to help you fi nd your perfect piece of the Lowcountry. By utilizing the most advanced tools in the industry, we make the process smooth and simple for buyers and sellers. Turn to an HHIMLS member to make South Carolina your home today. www.HiltonHeadMLS.com Colette Stevenson, CEO MLS of Hilton Head Island, Inc. and CMLX3 Certifi ed Council of MLS Leader HHIMLS serves Agents & Realtors® representing properties in SC and GA Staging your home can decrease market time and increase dollar value. ere are many things homeowners can do to sell their home. ey can make some renovations, improve the home's curb appeal and another way is to stage their home. Why stage a home? Here are two statistics that might make you consider it. According to a survey from the National Association of Realtors: • irty-nine percent of sellers' agents stated that staging a home greatly decreases the amount of time the home is on the market. • Approximately one-third of buyer's agents said that staging a home increased the dollar value off ered up to fi ve percent. Realtors® can be a very valuable resource when staging a home. ey work closely with homebuyers and get to see fi rst- hand what today's buyers really want. A successful Realtor utilizes data when staging a home. Being aware of the current trends in real estate, and buyer behavior and interests is critical. In today's world, trends are constantly changing, and that's where the Multiple Listing Service of Hilton Head Island (HHIMLS) comes in. eir real estate agents have access to the most current technology providing data in real time. Staging a home can help buyers visualize a home. Realtors know that to sell your home, you need to make it look appealing. ere are many ways that you can do this. Clear out the clutter. A room fi lled with clutter will make the homebuyer think the room is too small. is may include removing excess furniture. It is important to have a smooth traffi c fl ow. Even little things like changing out an old light fi xture can make a big diff erence. Curb Appeal, Curb Appeal … A buyer may fall in love before they walk through the door. It is important how your home looks online. is is something Realtors take in consideration when staging a home. It's one thing for a potential buyer to love the house when it is seen in person, but in many instances, you have to get them to want to make the eff ort to come out to the property. erefore, a good fi rst impression on the web is vital. Staging can help show off a home's greatest attributes especially when the photographer creates a property's portfolio. When it comes to staging a home, a seller cannot take suggestions personally. If the home has an unpleasant odor, the seller needs to know so that it can be addressed – maybe just airing out the home or lighting a few candles can do the trick. e home may need to be painted or the carpets may need to be professionally cleaned. Even though it may be a little uncomfortable to be critical, agents need to remind the seller that they have the seller's best interest at heart. In many instances, staging isn't diffi cult and the importance of a Realtor's assistance cannot be denied. So much of the success of staging involves knowing what the buyer really wants. Knowledge is power and HHIMLS Real Estate Professionals have that knowledge. HHIMLS is always at the forefront of changing technologies and processes designed to help its members be more eff ective. It helps the home buying and selling process by keeping inventory, real- time statistics, and tracking trends which is vital to real estate professionals' and to consumers' success. To fi nd an HHIMLS agent or learn more, go to www.hiltonheadmls.com.