Real Estate Blog

Here we are almost at Summer's end. Some schools in the area have already begun and we can see some winding down of visitors in some restaurants, beaches and shops. The lazy hazy days of Summer have traditionally not been active busy months for buyers. That is no longer the case. People are more interested in inquiring and purchasing real estate this year than in the previous five. Hilton Head winning Travel and Leisure's best island in the US (#1) for a third year in a row has opened some eyes to the abundance of activities and opportunities on this island. Of course, we all have Charles Fraser and Sea Pines to thank for planting that mustard seed that has brought many of us here. Having grown up here from the time I was 9 years old, having attended the University of South Carolina three hours from here where folks asked me, "you're from Hilton Head? Where is that??!", my best friend and I made pinky swears to NOT fall in love with any local boys and be 'stuck' here. Well, I sure was one foolish young girl! I graduated college, got a job here due to a recession and did all in my power to get away from here, with success. Moved back in 2000. My parents downsized from our South Beach home to the Club Course area and built a smaller TWO-bedroom home when I graduated from college. They bought a choice lot for $53,000, built it for $154,500. That was a lot of money back in 1982. But they built for the right reason, has built in desks and vanities with lots of natural light in all rooms and bathrooms. I renovated it in 2016, taking down some walls, removing the wet-bar and adding a garage. I must say that back in the day we had service yards with storage sheds that worked better than garages, but market seems to like garages these days. 

The reason I rambled on about my parents' downsized house is that I am a firm believer that if you buy, renovate or invest for the right reason and have an agent on your side that has your back, you will not regret making the decision to make Hilton Head your home/destination of choice. Having just returned from a brief visit to Ponte Vedra, the varied choice of arts, history & culture, beaches, shopping and restaurants within our small island are second to none. 

OK, so now to the market report. As of today, August 12, 2018, we have 135 homes for sale in Sea Pines, ranging in price from $315,000 (heard that one is under contract over list price but is a short sale waiting for bank approval), to $13,000,000 oceanfront home. 37 homes are under contract, ranging in list price from $364,000 to $3,999,000. Fifteen of those under contract are over $1,000,000 in list price. A dramatic improvement over the past few years. Folks are understanding and recognizing the value of purchasing in Sea Pines, the largest and most famous of all gate communities within Hilton Head Island. Villas (what we call Condos down here) are also a viable alternative for folks wanting a simpler ownership. Right now we have 69 villas for sale in the Sea Pines market. Starting with an efficiency in South Beach at $165,000 all the way to 3 BR oceanfront or 5 BR Sound view Villa for $1,800,000. Villas under contract are ranging for $199,500 to $1,750,000 list. Inventories have been declining recently, as potential buyers are seeing beyond the dollar value of living in a Resort or gated community. Life is short and a place on and island is more than a box price dictated by a "zestimate". So look at all the possibilities and call your favorite Realtor today! As Your Hilton Head Agent, I market and sell the entire island but Sea Pines remains a top favorite for me and many of my clients. :-)

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Ochsner

http://www.yourhiltonheadagent.com