A guide to Hilton Head Island and Bluffton area real estate, rentals and lifestyle
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Come up with a plan. Chat with your Realtor and create plan. They can help you decide what may make your o er more attractive and how far you should go to get the house, or whether a particular home is actually worth more than your best o er. Get a preapproval letter, not just pre-quali ed. Getting pre-quali ed con rms your borrowing potential, but having a preapproval letter for a speci c purchase o er may increase your chances of success. Some brokers say a letter from you bank stating that your lender approved your application can give the sellers added con rmation that you're ready to buy. Before that, you should consider getting all of your nancial documents to your lender before looking at homes, so you can act quickly when you nd the home you want. Make the rst move. After you and your Realtor have done research and know the market, you can o er full price, if the home is priced right. You should still be prepared to o er more money in the event that the market is competitive, or if there are other buyers interested in the house. Add an escalation clause. An escalation clause goes with your o er and explains that you're willing to increase your bid if another homebuyer matches the o er, up to a set limit. Some could argue this shows the seller just how far you'll go, and may exclude you from other potential o ers. Agents suggest you work closely with them, to set a realistic escalation clause that matches your budget and it ts within the amount the home appraised for. Increase your deposit. While the typical 1 percent of the purchase price deposit is typically required, some agents suggest you may want to show the seller your intent, by increasing your deposit to 10 percent or 20 percent. If you get the house, the deposit will go toward your down payment and closing costs. Have your inspector ready to go. O ering to do an inspection immediately speeds up the process, which should be appealing to both parties. Some Realtors also suggest you consider waiving your inspection contingency if you know you want the house, regardless. Consider waiving your contingencies. If the bank doesn't get you your loan, or your inspector nds something wrong with the house, you should have the option to back out of the deal. Some Realtors and brokers suggest that if you want the house bad enough and are con dent it meets all of your needs, you can waive your contingencies. This shows how badly you want the home and that you'll not let anything stand in the way. It could put your o er above others; by showing the seller you're not going to let anything hold up this purchase, one way or another. With that being said, understand the risk before making this decision. Should you need to back out of the o er, you would likely lose your deposit. Also, if you later discover a more serious problem with the building, you'll be paying for repairs yourself. Be exible on closing dates. If you can get an idea of the current homeowner's ideal closing date, and your lender says it's realistic, you might be able to try to cater to seller. Some Realtors have said they've seen buyers' get a home, despite being outbid, based on the homebuyer's exibility. Your o er may even look better if the seller knows you'll work with them on their schedule. Make it personal. A personal letter can help the seller see more than just your o er. You may consider mentioning what you have in common with the homeowner. Explaining how the home is exactly what you're looking for in order to help raise your family, can increase your standing with the seller. Additionally, mentioning community ties and why you feel you'll be a great t to neighborhood can highlight your position among a group of bidders. Don't give up. If the seller goes with a higher bid, your agent should keep you posted on the process. Sometimes high o ers fall part, or the buyer may have spread themselves too thin, on other homes. Experienced brokers say contracts that come in above the asking price, don't often get the house. As always, stay in close contact with your Realtor about your needs and hopes. That persistence could lead to success. 15 Considering a move to the Hilton Head, Beaufort or Jasper area? Our Members access the latest Real Estate data services, inventory, and tracking to help you fi nd your place in the Lowcountry. We enable a smooth and simple process for buyers and sellers. Find an HHIMLS Agent on our APP and make South Carolina your home today! www.HiltonHeadMLS.com Colette Stevenson, CEO MLS of Hilton Head Island, Inc. and CMLX3 Certi ed Council of MLS Leader HHIMLS serves Agents & Realtors® representing properties in SC and GA It's likely the biggest purchase of your life, and when you've centered on the home of your dreams it can be di cult to balance emotion with logic. Here are 10 tips to consider in your quest for bidding victory. How to win a bidding war on the home you want popular website "Only In Your State" (www.onlyinyourstate.com/south-carolina/sc-is-best-state-in-the-us/) gave Carolina some love with a feature en tled "13 Ways South Carolina Has Quietly Become The Coolest State In America." 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 ABUNDANCE OF NATURE sigh ngs of deer, birds, and an alligator enough to thrill you, we have onal Wildlife Refuge, a great place of the thousands of migratory have Hilton Head in their flight path. a nes ng habitat for birds like ibis, herons. If you love horses, check out Forest Preserve with Lawton Stables. & ENTERTAINMENT full of museums and theaters. the natural history and cultural the Lowcountry at the Coastal Museum. Take in a professional Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. representa onal drawings, pain ngs and the na on's leading ar sts at the Gallery, South Carolina's oldest gallery of fine art. At the Jazz Corner, nightclub, modern southern food combine to keep you coming back. FESTIVALS October 19, each Thursday there's the Music & Taste on the Harbour fall concert series. Local restaurants offer priced light appe zers, wine, beer, and annual Italian Heritage Fes val honors the Feast of San Gennaro booths featuring Italian arts, cra s, merchandise. The Winter Wonderland Fes val provides a great environment to start your Celebrate with carnival games, a children's golden candy cane hunt, and a visit from Shelter Cove Community Park. FUN ON THE WATER sea fishing to sailing, you'll never run for making the most of coastal tours offer small outboard motor cruise among the wildlife. Flying Circus