A guide to Hilton Head Island and Bluffton area real estate, rentals and lifestyle
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1189114
As we embark on 2020, we see that the real estate industry has drastically changed in the last few years. Buying or selling a home through a Realtor® or licensed real estate agent is still the most trusted and reliable route for your investment in a home or piece of property. Agents and Realtors® make knowing the communities they sell in among the top priorities of their profession. The top sellers continuously further their education, ensuring their knowledge of the industry's best tools are at their fi ngertips. In this day and age of an unprecedented amount of information available on the Internet, consumers have found ways to equip themselves with data that helps them make their investment a wise one. But where should a buyer or seller start? What are some of the tools out there that a buyer or seller could rely on? And what tools should you ask about when talking to a Realtor® or agent that will help you make buying a selling a home easier these days? HHIMLS.com has compiled a list of online tools that those on both ends of the process can use to make well-informed decisions during this process. NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT Like thousands in recent years, you may have fallen in love with the allure of Hilton Head Island or another community in the Lowcountry. But where do you even start when it comes to knowing the most up-to-date market reports in the city? We have a powerful and fascinating tool on our website (www.HHIMLS. com) under the Buyers tab on our menu titled "Neighborhood Report." There, you can type in any address anywhere and it will provide you with a listing of homes that recently sold in the area, when they sold, how much they sold for, number of bedrooms and more. This provides a great baseline for buyers to gauge how the market has been responding to homes in their chosen neighborhood, and whether they're looking at properties that are in their price range. It also features statistics on schools, the average age of residents in the neighborhood, and places of worship. MEMBER SEARCH OF THE MLS Also on our website, we have the "Find A Pro" tab where you can click "Find An Agent." When you've identifi ed the cities and neighborhoods you are interested in, it's time to fi nd the right professional to do a little more digging on your behalf. By selecting a Realtor® or agent through HHIMLS, you're identifying professionals who have had the opportunity to learn the most cutting-edge practices to fi nd the property that's right for you. The directory has the professional's name and photo, the company they work for, a phone number and a way to contact them through our website. From there, you're headed to a more personal approach to your home- buying process. SHOWINGTIME TM ShowingTime TM is an effi cient tool to schedule a showing with an agent. But furthermore, ShowingTime TM is the residential real estate industry's leading showing management and market stats technology provider. ShowingTime TM provides beyond-the-surface analysis of a property that will give both buyers and sellers a better insight into the housing market. For buyers and sellers, it can provide a wide array of information, including how long neighboring homes have been on the market. Ask your agent whether they have some of ShowingTime's TM in- depth reports that will help make your decision a little easier. HOUZZ © The Houzz © app is geared more toward sellers who may have to do some repairs or upgrades to their home before selling. Those upgrades can add up to thousands of dollars. The Houzz © app can be a treasure trove of ideas for sellers to see the latest trends in order to discover the upgrades needed to appeal to the largest audience. In many marketplaces, professionals are available to give you quotes on the work as well. HAMMERPOINT Hammerpoint almost works hand-in-hand with Houzz © . It focuses on the cost of making upgrades to a seller's home. Hammerpoint helps you calculate how much specifi c upgrades will cost so that you can plan out your projects within minutes. Essentially, it's a project estimator tool that some agents use to help their clients spend wisely. There's no question that times have changed. Realtors® and agents have long-standing tradition as the champions and the most powerful ally in the home-buying process. However, these (and other) Internet tools have become stronger in recent years. The key when buying or selling a home these days is 45 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.HHIMLS.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 Take advantage of online tools 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 fi nding the right combination of a knowledgeable Realtor® or agent paired with the right tools that fi t your sale. Finding the right professional with the proper tools will net you the best formula for buying or selling a home in 2020. Online Tools You (or Your Agent) Should Be Using When Buying or Selling a Home in 2020