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 You may be browsing this magazine just to see what's on the market. Maybe you're ready to make the jump. ere are a lot of advantages to owning your own home, many of them fi nancial. Here are some of the benefi ts of homeownership. 1 Privacy – Your home is yours and can't be intruded by anyone (except the police, but let's hope that's never a problem). Some rentals are made with cheaper materials. If you buy a place with stronger walls, there is a sound barrier from your neighbors. 2 Modifi cations - You can do what you want with the property if that means painting the walls purple or a clean white. You can add energy effi cient appliances to save money. All decisions are up to you. It's your fortress, your solitude. 3 Build Wealth Over Time – Homes typically increase in value, build equity, and provide a nest egg for the future. A recent article on CNBC says homeowners saw their equity increase 12 percent over the past year. at's an average of $15,000 per homeowner. 4 Tax Deduction – e mortgage interest and property tax are both tax deductible. 5 Capital Gains Exclusion – If you buy a home to live in as your primary residence for more than two years, you qualify for the capital gains exclusion. When you sell, you can keep profi ts up to $250,000 if you're single and $500,000 if you're married and not pay any capital gains tax. 6 Cheaper an Renting – Over time, the interest you pay will be lower than the rent you would be paying. Renting has no ROI. You're putting money into your future, not throwing it away on a landlord. 7 Stable Payments – With a mortgage, you know what your payment will be over the length of the loan. Rent typically goes up as time goes by. 8 Improved Credit Score - Homeownership can actually improve your credit score. Making your monthly mortgage payments on time creates a reliable payment history with which to prove your credit-worthiness. 9 Community – ere's pride in homeownership and it ties you to the community. You create lasting relationships with neighbors, schools, and local businesses. 10 Family – It's a place to build memories as your family grows, a place where your children will remember growing up and doing things together, a place for relatives and friends to gather. According to the National Association of Realtors, homeownership also provides increased education for children, lower teenage pregnancy rate, and a higher lifetime annual income for children. Owning a home was once something all Americans aspired to. A er the recession of 2008, many buyers became skeptical of the market. But protections have been put in place and lenders are much more cautious so they're more likely to be sure you can aff ord a home before they issue you a loan. e stronger labor market has led to rising incomes and a growing economy, resulting in the boosted demand for homeownership. Single- family home building increased almost three percent to a rate of 902,000 units in February. Owning a home does mean upkeep. But it's yours and you can decorate and landscape to your liking. It's something you can pass on or sell and go traveling as you get older. It's both a fi nancial and an emotional investment. at's why you want to be sure to fi nd the right one. Multiple Listing Service of Hilton Head Island members have access to all the tools you need to make the right decision. Our database is the most comprehensive in the area, including properties inland and into Georgia. It lists all you need to know about each home's neighborhood and even includes green features of each home. Our members receive regular training on all the latest technology to help make your decision as easy as possible. You can fi nd an agent at hiltonheadmls.com. 19 10 Great Reasons to Own Your Home The Advantages of Owning a 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