Foxnews.com recently posted an article listing the top beaches in the United States.  I’m pleased to say that Hilton Head Island ranked highly on this list – #1.

I’m so glad the rest of the country is realizing what we already know – Hilton Head Island is a great place to live and a great place to vacation.  The island offers many amenities and things to do including world class golf, shopping, dining, entertainment, tennis, and of course - the beautiful beaches. 

Come see for yourself why Hilton Head Island was ranked as one of the best beaches in America.  Click here to see the rest of the best beaches around.

We have seen a record number of people visiting Hilton Head Island this summer – and we love every minute of it.

I think we are getting a lot of first time visitors due to the oil spill that is currently affecting the Gulf Coast.  We hate that this is the reason that some are making Hilton Head their vacation destination, but we hope they enjoy it while they are here.

Maybe some of these visitors will come back to vacation again and perhaps someone will even want to own a piece of paradise known as Hilton Head Island.

There was an article in the local Island Packet today that discussed home prices rising over the last several months (based on a survey of 20 cities).

I was talking to a client of mine and they said they did not know who to believe; one day the newspaper says that things are getting better and the next day the same paper says that things are getting worse. 

I think it is important to remember that all real estate is local and you should not look at national studies to determine where your local market is. 

I can pretty much guarantee that Hilton Head Island was not included in this 20 city report. 

The real estate market on Hilton Head Island, as in most resort areas, has been slow as inventory increases and sales decrease causing a lowering of prices. 

Just remember, do not look at the national trend – look at the local trend.

Last night was opening night for the newest theater series, The Who’s Tommy, running through August 1, 2010 at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. 

This production is the winner of five Tony Awards including “Best Score” and features the music of The Who. 

Click here for additional information on this production or how to purchase tickets.

My wife and I were in Lexington, Virginia visiting our daughter recently.  We went for a walk to get some coffee and passed by a beautiful home.  It happened to be for sale and we picked up a flyer out of the box out front - it was listed for $1.5 million.  I automatically thought that this house was not worth $1.5 million, especially when the house down the street that was similar was priced at $500,000. 

My wife looked at me and said that there was no way I could know that this house was worth because I was not a Realtor in this area.  Real estate works the same in all areas – there is a pecking order for properties.  You don’t have a lot of buyers in Lexington, Virginia looking for a $1.5 million dollar property on 6.5 acres.

I once went on a listing appointment and the seller told me that they wanted $10 million for their oceanfront home.  I knew there was no way she could get that when her next door neighbor’s home was on the market for $5 million.  She said her house was slightly larger – which it was, and her home had 5 bedrooms rather than 4 bedrooms – which it did, and that the pool was larger – which it was.  These factors; however, did not mean that the house was worth twice as much. 

It sometimes amazes me the price someone will put on a property.

When someone is trying to determine the value of their home, I think it is important to look at the competition.  I often tell people that the price of their house is not determined by me, but that it is determined by the market and the buyers in the market.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with the construction manager and the general manager for a tour of the renovations of the Wexford Clubhouse.  I was so impressed with the progress that they have made. 

I was very impressed with the addition of the veranda room and the enlargement of the casual dining room – it is truly going to be a quality built clubhouse.  I think this will definitely have a positive impact on the Wexford real estate market and we can definitely use some good news. 

If you would like for me to arrange a tour of the clubhouse please let me know and we will schedule something for you.

Every year the local Island Packet has the Reader’s Choice awards where the public selects their favorites in different aspects of Hilton Head Island.

I am pleased to say that Charter I Realty was once again named the Reader’s Choice winner for best real estate company on Hilton Head Island. 

I think this is a testament to how hard our agents work in order to give the best service possible to our clients. 

Thanks Hilton Head!  Let us show you why we were voted the best in real estate – if you would like an updated market analysis of your Hilton Head Island or Bluffton property or if you are interested in owning your piece of paradise be sure and let me know!

I have had a lot of clients call and ask me how the oil spill in the gulf has affected Hilton Head Island. 

Hilton Head Island has noticed an increase between 25% and 30% in visitors over the last several weeks. 

We had a call from a family friend who visits Panama City, Florida every year.  She said that this year they have booked their stay in Hilton Head along with 24 of their family members. 

I think there has been a lot of confusion as far as the effect the oil spill has had on the beaches of Florida and it seems to be driving regular visitors of that area to other locations.  I would not wish this on anyone, but it does appear that it has had an effect on our market – the rental market has been at its strongest in quite some time. 

I’ll keep you posted on any other developments that arise from this disaster.  We continue to keep all the people of the gulf and those affected in our thoughts and prayers.

I received a phone call from a client asking me to do an updated market analysis on their Hilton Head Island property. 

I told him that the home was probably somewhere around $400,000 in today’s market.  He did not want to list, but he said that if I had a buyer come along who was eccentric and wanted a house like his that he would take $550,000. 

I almost couldn’t believe what he was saying; I wish I could bring him a buyer like that, but I had to tell him that this buyer does not exist. 

Would someone walk into a car dealership and pay $40,000 for a car that was worth $20,000?  Probably not.  The same rules apply for real estate.