Who is Buying Real Estate Now?

I had a client ask me this today and I thought I would look in to it and see. In Hilton Head Island, South Carolina there are 194 pending listings this month. 98 Homes (Average price $678,955) , 84 Villas (Average price $276.341) and 12 lots (Average price $175,858). That means that in the next 30-45 days there will be 194 more homes, villas and homesites SOLD!!! If you take an average price of each of these types of properties, that means the people who have come to Hilton Head and loved all that they saw and experienced, have spent $91,860,530! just this month!! These new buyers are savvy, smart and confident.

They know the rule to "Buy low and sell High" and they USE IT. Some people know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. These new buyers know both cost and VALUE. They know that Hilton Head already had some of the lowest priced Ocean Front Real Estate on the East Coast. They know that the town has protected over 1100 acres from development and they know that it cost nearly $150,000,000. This new buyer knows when to take advantage of a great deal while selection is still good.

These buyers might be your neighbors, co-worker, clients, and even family. They may be a couple preparing to retire, a young couple or family looking to build wealth for their future and their families future, while creating memories that will last a lifetime. They are the people at the cocktail party that talk about what they are doing and have done in life, their experiences and travels. These new buyers would rather listen to a story about Spanish moss and moon beams rather than a story about the stock certificate that you have in a safety deposit box. They are embracing life.

I guess a better question is, "Are you one of these people?" If I can help just let me know. There has never been a better time to be a buyer. I look forward to hearing from you soon!! This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 843-422-5933. Thanks!!!

Welcome to Wharf Street - Historic Bluffton, SC

​Looking for fresh local seafood, a place to launch your boat or kayak into the May River or a quiet place to take in a sunset? Make sure you visit Wharf Street in downtown Bluffton. Take a look at this sunset photograph...

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Who will be the next Sir John Templeton?

A client remembered an article I posted back in 2009. He suggested I repost it in order to remind people of the extraordinary opportunity that is before us. Prices being as they are give more people the opportunity to take advantage of the market...

Not sure who Sir John Templeton was? He was one of the greatest pioneers in investing we have ever seen. Sir John grew up in Tennessee and graduated from Yale in 1930. At the age of 27, he started his own investment firm (which he later sold to Franklin at a value of nearly ¾ of a BILLION dollars) and ultimately made BILLIONS more. I thought I would share his philosophy with you.

Sir John possessed two qualities that we all need in order to be successful - he had Focus and Discipline. Sir John was well known for his ability to watch the market and to buy low and sell high. Whether it was a stock or a piece of property, if it was hot he sold and took profits at the height of the market when everyone else was buying like crazy. Sir John understood that by following the herd you would suffer the same pitfalls as the herd. Like lemmings to the sea, when one person lost money, they all lost. If there was blood in the street, Sir John was there to clean it up. He knew that when one person loses money that someone else will make that money. It is important to remember Money does not disappear - it merely travels from one place to the next. I believe that Sir John was a master at understanding what I refer to as the “velocity of money”.

Money, like cars, must always travel at a certain safe speed to be at peak performance over the long haul. Money cannot travel too slow or too fast from one hand to another. When money travels too slow, economic channels become clogged and it becomes a financial strangulation of everyone in line, too fast and false values take over and basic business principles are abandoned. Both will have the same effect: a loss of confidence by the herd, causing uncertainty.

In 2005, the real estate market did just that, it boomed. We saw price increases of nearly 80% in Hilton Head. People were building and buying faster than homes could be produced so the existing homes sky rocketed up in price. There was a frenzy of buying that became unsustainable. We simply could not continue at that pace and, as predicted, we simply ran out of steam. People collectively stood up and said "no more." Buying slowed, credit got tighter, Hurrican Katrina hit, there was a Mortgage meltdown and the market turned.

I have to think that if Sir John was still with us in 2005 he would have sat patiently on the sidelines and waited. While the herd was enjoying buying at the higher prices and riding the crest of the wave (but every wave hits a beach somewhere), Sir John would have been selling and taking whatever profits there were.

Now here we are in 2012 with one of the best opportunities the investment community has ever seen. There are few people that will realize this - they are the people that will give the herd back their buying frenzy over the long haul. They will reap profits of the herd at a staggering rate. In any successful economy there must be a herd and a shephard to guide them and give them what they want.

Here is Sir John in his own words:

Now the U.S. has this extraordinary thing - I think in some places we see 50% to 100% gains on the housing market. Other places across the country might be up 25% to 30% in just a matter of three to four years. Incredible gains

When you invest in stocks, you get the same value all over. The same stock sells at the same value, no matter what nation you're in. But that's impossible in real estate. Real estate value depends on locality. If you're going to be a real estate investor, focus on location, location, location.

So when you're trying to invest in real estate, you have to do a lot of serious research on whether this location is likely to be popular in the long run. That's why I wound up believing beachfront property is a good investment. I don't think there's ever going to be any more beachfront than there is now. Now people are getting bigger and the amount of money is getting bigger. So beachfront is pretty sure to go up in value. Owning a home on the ocean is better than owning one that's not on the water. But there are large tracts of oceanfront property still available in South and Central America in countries where there is a rule of law. You used to be able to buy land at very low prices. But still there are some good deals.

According to Sir John’s philosophy, it is really quite simple - choose your location wisely; buy low and sell high. It is time to get back to basics. Hilton Head has always had some of the least expensive oceanfront property on the east coast. And now it is priced even better. I am not sure who will be the next Sir John Templeton, but there will be someone who steps into those shoes and leads the way. Is it YOU?

If you would like more info on this or any of your real estate needs just let me know This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call me 843-422-5933. I am looking forward to hearing from you. See you at the TOP!!!!

Pickleball: Fastest Growing Sport on the Island

That's right I said PICKLEBALL. Sun City has had Pickleball for some time and now it is spreading like wildfire on the island.

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Hilton Head Pickleball players struggle to get court approval

We have been trying to get Beafort County to designate a few rarely used tennis courts as Pickleball courts, allowing us to put down permanent paint marking an official Pickleball court. Don Wheeler (our Official Pickle ball ambassador) has been working on this for some time. The county has rejected our request thus far. Below is a copy of the update Don gave us:

Some time ago I sent late breaking news that we had permission to paint pickleball lines on tennis courts here in Hilton Head Island. The very next day I went to Lowes and asked them to spec some paint that would be compatible with the tennis court surface. They immediately refused and advised me to go to the county to get the paint specs. I went to the Hilton Head Island Recreation Center who works closely with Beaufort County and graciously gave me a five gallon bucket of paint that they use for striping various courts on the island. I no sooner put the bucket of paint in my garage when I received a phone call from the Hilton Head Island Recreation's director, Frank Soule, that I should hold off on painting the lines because he needed to re-confirm with the county that it was OK to paint the lines on the tennis courts. This of course was a very time consuming process with the ultimate decision being negative. We appealed the decision to Joe Penale of Beaufort County Parks and Leisure and asked him to meet with us at the courts. He agreed and made an appointment for a Monday at 9:00 am. That appointment was subsequently canceled and rescheduled for the following Wednesday. He never showed up. Later, he sent an e-mail saying he was called out of town and couldn't make the meeting. He went on to say that the Beaufort County Parks and Recreation Board had determined that they did not want pickleball lines painted on the tennis courts, but were free to paint lines on the basketball court and suggested that we could get two pickleball courts on the basketball court. The basketball court is an elementary school size court and will only allow one pickleball court size-wise. Additionally, the court is in poor condition with deep cracks and a 4 inch drop off at the edges. Further, there is no fence to hinder errant balls from rolling into the brush and players must shimmy over a 4 X 4 barrier to get the balls. Though we use this court in conjunction with the other two tennis courts with chalked lines on all three courts and a portable USAPA net on the basketball court, this situation is less than acceptable. So we continue to appeal the decision to the Beaufort County Board and we are working on other avenues to get pickleball accepted in the community. We plan to send an e-mail to the Island Packet Newspaper to see if they will do a brief introductory article on pickleball and make it known that we have over 100 e-mail addresses for our pickleball roster and approximately 15-22 people showing up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00 a.m. to play pickleball. We are not going away!"

This number of people showing up 3 days a week proves there is an interest. I would love to hear your thoughts - drop me a note at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The more people we can get behind us the better!!! I look forward to seeing you on the court!!!!

Selling Hilton Head Island Real Estate-Here's some advice

Attention all Sellers of Hilton Head Island Real Estate, now is a great time to buy which could be the reason you are selling your home...

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Harbour Town Golf Voted #2 by PGA Pros!

In a recent Golf World Magazine Article, Harbour Town Golf Links was voted the #2 rated venue of a survey of 82 PGA Tour Golf Professionals!

The #1 rated venue was Augusta National, the home of the Masters Tournament each spring. This ranking, by the best players in the world, validates the fact that the Hilton Head Area is truly a Mecca for great golf. In addition to Harbour Town in Sea Pines, we have some of the best Private Golf Communities in the country. Just recently, Wexford had Arnold Palmer completely renovate its course and practice facilities. Long Cove is always at the top of the annual rankings as one of the top courses in the country.

And just a short drive over the bridge in Bluffton you will find Colleton River with both its spectacular Jack Nicklaus course and its Pete Dye course - each with stunning views of the Colleton River and Port Royal Sound. Down the road is Belfair, with two magnificent Tom Fazio courses overlooking the Colleton River and its world class Golf Learning Center. Belfair’s East Course just reopened this fall with new Mini Verde Greens. And last, but not least, Berkeley Hall with 36 holes of Tom Fazio golf and a thirty acre Golf Learning Center. There has never been a better time to consider one of these world class communities. All are strong financially and the prices for homes and homesites has never been better. If golf is your passion, let us give you a personal tour of the Hilton Head Private Golf Communities.

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Maintenance Free Living at Sun City Hilton Head

Did you know that Sun City offers turnkey living? Sun City has several villa neighborhoods scattered throughout the community.

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Casino Project near Hilton Head Island

The project, which would be owned by Cherokee Indians, would include a 400-room luxury hotel, dining, an events center and access to a golf course.

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Moss Creek Golf Makes GolfCourseHome® Dream 18

If you could play any 18 holes on any residential course in the country, which would they be?

That's what Golf Course Home asked themselves for the Fifth Annual GolfCourseHome® Dream 18. 

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