A guide to Hilton Head Island and Bluffton area real estate, rentals and lifestyle
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Looking for a new home can be stressful, but searching long distance is another nail-biting experience. There are so many questions to ask: Which area of town is best to live? Where do I even begin to look? Who is the right agent for me? Whether you are moving for a job or a simple life change, buying a home long-distance doesn't have to be the worst experience in the world. With the right tips and tricks, house hunting can be fun and exciting. Here are some helpful house-hunting tips to help you fi nd your perfect home: CONSIDER YOUR LIFESTYLE Buying a new home means uprooting your current lifestyle and adjusting to a new environment. You want to make sure your new home includes a picturesque style of living. Hilton Head Island isn't just a destination, but a forever home that showcases the natural beauty of the South. Surrounded by salt marshes, moss-draped oaks, magnolias, palmettos, and sandy shorelines, it is easy to fi nd your version of paradise. Choose from one of the 24-gated communities and live every day like a vacation. Explore the island on a bike ride, hike, or discover it by sea and enjoy a kayak or fi shing trip. Enjoy a relaxing round of golf on one of the 33 courses historic Hilton Head has to off er. MAKE A LIST OF YOUR MUSTHAVE HOME FEATURES Whether you are retiring, relocating or buying a second home, it is a chance to daydream and own what you didn't have before. Narrow down your search by listing the luxuries and amenities you want included. Maybe you are looking to live in a gated community? Are you interested in recreation and fi tness? Do you want to watch the sunset every evening on your back porch? Living in Hilton Head provides all of these luxuries and makes the possibilities endless. Their neighborhoods off er a solid foundation for your imagination to run wild and secure the perfect home for you. Go ahead and buy the house with a grand kitchen, stylish laundry room, heated pool, fl oor to ceiling windows, and wine cellar. RESEARCH THE AREA Don't fall in love with a house based on looks alone. Make sure you research the neighborhood you want to live in and that it will fi t your lifestyle. Become familiar with the job market, schools, crime rate, cost of living, and livability scores. Review a local newspaper and get to know the cultural events in your potential new city. If you have the availability, visit the neighborhood for a weekend and become acquainted with it. Observe the area at diff erent times of the day, visualize yourself living there, talk to your future neighbors, and stop and listen to the pleasant or not so pleasant sounds. Knowledge of the area will help to narrow down your home search and prevent the process from being overwhelming. ASK THE OBVIOUS QUESTIONS Buying a home from hundreds or thousands of miles away is going to be stressful, but don't hesitate to ask questions. There are no wrong questions when it comes to making an investment. South Carolina and Georgia may have a diff erent home buying process than up north. You might not run into winter storms in the South, but be sure to inquire about elevations in order to determine your insurance needs. A superior real estate agent wants you to feel prepared and informed. After all, you are paying for their guidance and expertise, and asking obvious questions is the smartest thing you can do for yourself. FIND THE RIGHT AGENT Look for a local real estate agent that will work with you long distance and has experience with relocations. A knowledgeable agent should know the ins and outs of the area so that you can make the best decision. Research their contacts and client reviews, ask about their connections, and interview several real estate agents before making a fi nal decision. Make sure your agent is easy to reach and will make an eff ort to answer questions as thoroughly as possible. HHIMLS.com serves South Carolina and Coastal Georgia to make your home buying process as simple as possible. Where you may search for an agent, research community information, calculate your mortgage, and learn more about a preferred neighborhood. Find an expert today that will understand your needs and make the process a smooth one. 21 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 Certifi ed Council of MLS Leader HHIMLS serves Agents & Realtors® representing properties in SC and GA Long Distance House-Hunting Tips (www.onlyinyourstate.com/south-carolina/sc-is-best-state-in-the-us/) gave tled "13 Ways South Carolina Has Quietly Become The Coolest State In America." 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