Hilton Head Island was wrapped in a shroud of fog several days ago. Cold ocean water from the rapture of the deep moved by upwelling met warmer air from our landmass, creating fog. Shortly after, a blanket of pollen that looked like gold dust covered the island.
While temperatures in colder climes plunged into the teens, single digits or below, our island temps were often in the balmy 60’s and low 70’s with beautiful sun-filled days. The weather complimented a variety of events, not the least of which was the vast, changing salt marshes which were transforming, the changes in mud and grasses mostly unnoticed by the human eye. Early nest builders like the Bald Eagle gathered the breaking brown cord grass, gathering stalks for their nests. Occasionally, according to local master naturalist, Captain Patte Ranney, large white pelicans (related to our more common Brown Pelican) stop in our area while migrating this time of year from the Gulf to Canada. Normally they fly high overhead and are not observed at all. Consider it one of nature’s gifts if you ever see them.
A Lowcountry native, I never especially noticed the rust-colored marshes in the fall. One year an artist came to Hilton Head to paint some representational paintings for a local gallery. Among his work were a few rust-colored marsh scenes touched with umber. Now when I see rust and umber colored marsh I think of the artist, Harvey Kidder. Artists teach us about the world we live in; art informs the spirit. Hilton Head has long been an artist’s paradise. One of the largest membership groups on the island is the Art League of Hilton Head. I was involved in the group early on and served on the board for 16 years. Most of the artists I’ve met over time tend to be not only creative but interesting and gentle people.
Among the many art galleries on the island is the highly regarded Red Piano Gallery, co-owned (Morris-Whiteside) by Jack Morris, the former director of the Greenville County Museum which has one of the finest collections of Andrew Wyeth paintings in the United States. At one time a former owner of the gallery, Louanne LaRoche, featured the works of the famous Seattle-based glass artist Dale Chihuly, who has been designated a National Living Treasure. His work is in museums and collections all over the world. One of his fascinating installations took place in Venice, Italy. It consisted of 14 temporarily mounted enormous chandeliers over the canals and in the palazzos. It was a thrill to see his work here.
The annual Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival, fashioned after a popular wine special event founded by the Wall Street Journal, was held toward the end of January. The non-profit’s proceeds from a Silent Auction benefited educational opportunities for students in the Hospitality Management study programs at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and the Technical College of the Lowcountry. This effort is also supported through the John F. and Valarie Curry scholarship Fund.
Another popular event was the Lowcountry Soup Challenge, held at the elegant Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. Numerous restaurants were involved (we have over 200 restaurants). The Challenge helps fund the island’s non-profit Volunteer’s in Medicine, a free health clinic. First place was awarded to Hugo’s Seafood and Steak House for their Crab and Asparagus Cappuccino Soup with hazelnut broth and asiago cheese crackers. One year a former New Orleans resident, Ken Ballard, the owner of Kenny B’s French Quarter Café took first place with a Swamp Critter Stew. The chefs have a lot of fun with this “challenge”.
Some of our Indian Summer days brought out people wearing shorts and flip flops, fishing with long cane poles in a tributary off of Broad Creek in the shadow of Shelter Cove marina where sea-going yachts and sleek fishing motor yachts pulled at lines. An influx of our No. 1 real estate market, the Canadians, descended on the island, taking advantage of the exchange rate and low interest rates, driving more real estate sales.
Sales results of 2012 compared with 2011 show solid gains throughout the island. With closed sales up 10% to 177 the average price in Sea Pines is up 7% to $907,213 compared with $853,245 a year ago. Current inventory is 188 with homes averaging 93% of list price. We have clearly seen the recovery in residential sales island-wide continue.
The big winner in 2012 was villas with an exciting 20% jump in sales and a 3% increase in selling price. Inventory was down 10% from 2011. This positive trend is expected to continue in 2013 with strong sales, attractive prices and amazing interest rates.
The Sea Pines Resort had a phenomenal year in 2012, with an increase in occupancy, revenue and rental rates across the board. Home and villa revenue was up 16% from 2011 to 2012! This year we are off to a great start with future bookings 11% ahead of where we were last year. We are anticipating another banner year!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Showers of Stars Fell Over Hilton Head Island
Adding to the excitement of
the holiday season were meteor showers!
As the Earth crossed the orbital Temple-Tuttle bits and pieces from this
comet burned up as Leonid meteors in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
The Leonid shower produces
some of history’s most spectacular displays.
Many islanders, as well as other earth-bound creatures, were up early to
witness the event. The showers are easily observed over Hilton Head, unlike cities
where tall buildings and an abundance of lights block the stars.
Holiday productions such as
“The Nutcracker” enchanted viewers; Christmas parties were in abundance. One in particular creates a special ambience
each year. It is hosted by Kate and Russ
Keep, popular, long-time islanders who enjoy entertaining. In some homes it is easy to see “pride of
place” manifested in the way things are done, as well as great attention paid
to detail.
For this annual party, guests
entered a private courtyard through large wrought iron gates decorated with
entwined vines of colored Christmas lights.
A stroll past blazing torches led into a home decorated with live
greenery: greenery swags caught with red bows at windows, a large beautifully
decorated Christmas tree, a fire burning in a fireplace lined with antique
metal fire plates depicting scenes of gaiety.
The plates reflect the heat out into the room, an important feature
before central heating. Servers offered
champagne and later, passed trays of hors d’oeuvre.
Even a cursory look at this
home tells the viewer that the owners are incurable collectors. World travelers, they have a fascinating
collection of treasures: Flemish
tapestries hang on walls; antique furnishings add a soft, burnished glow. There is a Tuscany wine-tasting room complete
with stucco-swiped walls and old wooden ceiling beams; a statue of Bachus, the
Roman God of wine, looking down from high in a corner with his horns and hoofed
feet. In the center of the room is a
“wine jail,” a wrought iron Spanish-looking safe holding a gross of bottles
under lock and key.
On the rear patio, pine logs
burned popping and shooting up sparks from a Chiminea, warming the crisp but
still mild air. Guests like to gather
here, under the stars, near a Koi pond and a bubbling waterfall. Beyond is a natural wooded area and a mature
stand of Black Bamboo. Later, after a
sumptuous buffet featuring fried turkey, Kate played her mother’s Baby Grand
piano, which she learned to play as a young girl. When guests finally departed they were filled
with Christmas spirit!
International travel is
impacting the United States. The
National Association of Realtors Global Research Report for 2012 reports that
international buyers purchased $83 billion dollars of U.S. real estate last
year. Hilton Head has been a prime
destination for international travelers for many years. We’ve had many buyers of island properties
from other countries, especially England.
The island is a top destination for Canadians who comprise our Number 1
market in sales to international buyers.
Sales are up 24 percent of international sales, up from 11 percent in
2007.
Nancy Kemeny was on-island
from London, England before Thanksgiving.
Her husband, Tom, stayed in their London home to attend to business
while Nancy enjoyed their Hilton Head home, which they have owned for many
years. The family later met at another
home in Barbados for Christmas.
Dana and Diederik Advocaat,
accompanied by their teenaged sons Alexander and William flew from their home
in London, England to spend the holidays on Hilton Head. The family usually vacations here in the
summer and has for many years. They plan
to retire here.
Katherine and James Kapps
enjoyed their second “retired” Christmas in their beachside home. Long-time property owners, they moved to the
island from northern Virginia. Their
close friends, the Shirley Beavers, have also moved here and live a couple of
houses away from the Kapps! Katherine
Kapps’s sister, Jeannie Lawrence and her husband, Mike, live not far away. They moved from their Nashville, Tennessee
home many years ago to enjoy the island lifestyle. In the “small world” department, Jeannie’s
childhood friend from their early days growing up in Greensboro, N.C., Andy
Sonfield and her husband, Bob, live on the same street as Jeannie and Mike!
Bloomberg Business reports
that home prices climbed more than forecast in October, indicating a rebounding
real-estate market that will bolster the U.S. Economy for the first time in
seven years. On Hilton Head we’re still
seeing cash buyers coming into the market, purchasing big-ticket properties as
well as lower priced inventory. One of
the most popular price ranges appears to be the $500,000 range but $3 million
to $6 million isn’t unusual either. Regardless of who is buying or what the price
is, the purchaser finds the restorative power of Hilton Head an added bonus.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
In December, Hilton Head Island's Forests are Decorated for Christmas
There are garlands of gold grape leaves and cascades of red-leafed Virginia Creeper vines, adding drama to nature's holiday scene. At sunset, white egrets roost in groups on tree limbs, positioned like so many Christmas tree ornaments. For much of this month, the air has been warm and balmy with temperatures in the low 70's. The holidays are filled with twinkling lights, high spirits, gifts to the needy, parties for the more fortunate.
In Hilton Head Plantation at the Old Fort Pub, it is quiet in the evening along Skull Creek as dusk approaches. If you listen carefully, you might hear echoes of cannon fire from the historic Fort Mitchell Civil War shore battery site adjacent to the restaurant. The echoes linger over the marshes where diners, serious about creative cuisine, choose to go.
For one party in a private room, a fully decorated Christmas tree glittered, surrounded by fairy lights. Guests watched a spectacular sunset over Skull Creek as trays of hors d'oeuvres were passed. The menu included Butternut Squash Soup, Pan-seared Salmon Spoons with Saffron Risotto, Apple Cider Pork Medallions with Crispy Potato Galettes, Margret Duck Breast with Sugar Plum on Pumpkin Pancakes, Naked Roasted Brie with Apricot Chili Glaze and Beef Tenderloin Forks with Fois Gras Whipped Potatoes. Braised Peaches with Chambord accented with Vanilla Tapioca was featured for dessert.
When you live on Hilton Head, you live with history. Not far from Fort Mitchell, in Port Royal Plantation, Fort Walker was built during the Civil War. It was built by Confederate soldiers but was captured by Union troops and became a city of over 50,000 Union soldiers. The ruins of a large cannon site are still there, overlooking Port Royal Sound.
After the Civil War, Northern money poured into Southern land. Money has always found the Hilton Head area. Hilton Head Plantation and Honey Horn Plantation were bought by friends Landon Thorne and Alfred Loomis in 1931, consisting of eleven thousand acres. Adding to the acreage over time, they eventually owned some 20,000 acres or 80% of the island. The eighteen hundred acre Fort Walker site was part of this, purchased from the government for $12,500.00. They came to the island for a month or so each year to hunt, both families staying in the main house at Honey Horn after adding a number of rooms.
The grandeur of their shoots (duck, quail, venison and fresh oysters on the half-shell were favorites) and dinners have been well documented in various publications. Black men in livery, white linen tablecloths with china and silver place settings set the tone for the elaborate dinners.
Thorne and Loomis had permanent residences in New York state. Landon Thorne had Thornham, a 230-acre estate on the Great South Bay in Bay Shore, Long Island, purchased in 1928. There, a 30-room Tudor mansion was surrounded by masterpiece gardens, fields for pheasant hunting, a croquet court, indoor tennis court, indoor and outdoor swimming pools. In 1930, he bought a fifteen-room simplex at 740 Park in New York City which came to be known as the richest building in the world. There were a number of homes, yachts, Bentleys, even Romanov emeralds to wear to splendid parties they hosted. Loomis also had an apartment at 740 Park. They eventually sold their Hilton Head land in 1950 and 1951. The south end of eighty-four hundred acres sold to timbermen from Georgia for $450,000 in 1950. The buyers were Fred C. Hack, General Joseph B. Fraser and C.C. Stebbins. In 1951, Hack, Stebbins and Olin T. McIntosh purchased the remaining eleven thousand acres from Thorne and Loomis for $600,000. Several years ago, the Town of Hilton Head paid $7 million dollars for the Honey Horn property.
By the early 1950's, General Fraser's son Charles had Sea Pines Plantation on the drawing board, assisted by the finest land planner in the country, Hideo Sasaki, chairman of Harvard University's landscape architecture department. From these careful beginnings and great respect for the land, Charles Fraser developed one of the most notable resort communities in the United States.
In the nearby Ridgeland area, a twenty thousand acre parcel was the setting for one of many hunt clubs in the south, the Chelsea Plantation Club. Thirteen thousand acres of this land was sold to one of the richest men in the country, Marshall Field, of New York. His permanent residence was on Long Island, New York's North Shore. It was a $6 million dollar replica of a family home in England. There was a private hunting preserve, a golf course, an air strip, a polo field, a private beach, tennis courts and a staff of eighty-five. (In 1943, his grandson Marshall Field, III turned fifty and inherited the remainder of his grandfather's fortune, $75 million dollars).
Chelsea Plantation became known for its hunting parties. Before a quail shoot, the extensive lawns at the rear of the regency-designed faded white brick manse (a special silicone paint was used on the exterior to produce the "look") were seeded with winter rye and tons of white sand poured on meandering paths that led out to the nearby river. When houseguests arrived for a shoot, the quail were let out of cages and driven over a velvet lawn of green toward the rear of the house where the hunters stood, waiting.
Real estate sales have continued to be strong on Hilton Head Island, especially now as the end of the year approaches. There has been a scramble for properties with buyers wanting to close on a purchase before the end of the year in order to obtain a better price from a seller before a possible tax increase goes into effect. This has created many multiple offers, an increase in the sale of lots as well as many large home sales. A 2.5 acre estate lot that I mentioned in the November blog, is under contract, to close before the end of the year. The buyer doesn't plan to build for about four more years. Villa sales are up almost 20%; home sales prices are increasing. Home prices in many states rose 6.3 percent in October compared with a year ago, the largest yearly gain since July 2006. As inventory clears out, we expect more price increases. The Wall Street Journal has published three articles recently calling this the time to buy!
We've seen some serious money come to our shores through the years. Northern money continues to pour into Southern land, as does money from all over the country, Europe and other countries. People breathe the same soft, salty rarefied air that the very rich have breathed and enjoy a lot of the same things. Most of the dirt roads have been paved now and the island is a little more crowded but property owners and visitors alike share the same admiration for the natural beauty of the Lowcountry and the same respect for the land.
Make your holidays bright and plan a visit to beautiful Hilton Head Island and take a step back into history. Have a happy and healthy 2013!
In Hilton Head Plantation at the Old Fort Pub, it is quiet in the evening along Skull Creek as dusk approaches. If you listen carefully, you might hear echoes of cannon fire from the historic Fort Mitchell Civil War shore battery site adjacent to the restaurant. The echoes linger over the marshes where diners, serious about creative cuisine, choose to go.
For one party in a private room, a fully decorated Christmas tree glittered, surrounded by fairy lights. Guests watched a spectacular sunset over Skull Creek as trays of hors d'oeuvres were passed. The menu included Butternut Squash Soup, Pan-seared Salmon Spoons with Saffron Risotto, Apple Cider Pork Medallions with Crispy Potato Galettes, Margret Duck Breast with Sugar Plum on Pumpkin Pancakes, Naked Roasted Brie with Apricot Chili Glaze and Beef Tenderloin Forks with Fois Gras Whipped Potatoes. Braised Peaches with Chambord accented with Vanilla Tapioca was featured for dessert.
When you live on Hilton Head, you live with history. Not far from Fort Mitchell, in Port Royal Plantation, Fort Walker was built during the Civil War. It was built by Confederate soldiers but was captured by Union troops and became a city of over 50,000 Union soldiers. The ruins of a large cannon site are still there, overlooking Port Royal Sound.
After the Civil War, Northern money poured into Southern land. Money has always found the Hilton Head area. Hilton Head Plantation and Honey Horn Plantation were bought by friends Landon Thorne and Alfred Loomis in 1931, consisting of eleven thousand acres. Adding to the acreage over time, they eventually owned some 20,000 acres or 80% of the island. The eighteen hundred acre Fort Walker site was part of this, purchased from the government for $12,500.00. They came to the island for a month or so each year to hunt, both families staying in the main house at Honey Horn after adding a number of rooms.
The grandeur of their shoots (duck, quail, venison and fresh oysters on the half-shell were favorites) and dinners have been well documented in various publications. Black men in livery, white linen tablecloths with china and silver place settings set the tone for the elaborate dinners.
Thorne and Loomis had permanent residences in New York state. Landon Thorne had Thornham, a 230-acre estate on the Great South Bay in Bay Shore, Long Island, purchased in 1928. There, a 30-room Tudor mansion was surrounded by masterpiece gardens, fields for pheasant hunting, a croquet court, indoor tennis court, indoor and outdoor swimming pools. In 1930, he bought a fifteen-room simplex at 740 Park in New York City which came to be known as the richest building in the world. There were a number of homes, yachts, Bentleys, even Romanov emeralds to wear to splendid parties they hosted. Loomis also had an apartment at 740 Park. They eventually sold their Hilton Head land in 1950 and 1951. The south end of eighty-four hundred acres sold to timbermen from Georgia for $450,000 in 1950. The buyers were Fred C. Hack, General Joseph B. Fraser and C.C. Stebbins. In 1951, Hack, Stebbins and Olin T. McIntosh purchased the remaining eleven thousand acres from Thorne and Loomis for $600,000. Several years ago, the Town of Hilton Head paid $7 million dollars for the Honey Horn property.
By the early 1950's, General Fraser's son Charles had Sea Pines Plantation on the drawing board, assisted by the finest land planner in the country, Hideo Sasaki, chairman of Harvard University's landscape architecture department. From these careful beginnings and great respect for the land, Charles Fraser developed one of the most notable resort communities in the United States.
In the nearby Ridgeland area, a twenty thousand acre parcel was the setting for one of many hunt clubs in the south, the Chelsea Plantation Club. Thirteen thousand acres of this land was sold to one of the richest men in the country, Marshall Field, of New York. His permanent residence was on Long Island, New York's North Shore. It was a $6 million dollar replica of a family home in England. There was a private hunting preserve, a golf course, an air strip, a polo field, a private beach, tennis courts and a staff of eighty-five. (In 1943, his grandson Marshall Field, III turned fifty and inherited the remainder of his grandfather's fortune, $75 million dollars).
Chelsea Plantation became known for its hunting parties. Before a quail shoot, the extensive lawns at the rear of the regency-designed faded white brick manse (a special silicone paint was used on the exterior to produce the "look") were seeded with winter rye and tons of white sand poured on meandering paths that led out to the nearby river. When houseguests arrived for a shoot, the quail were let out of cages and driven over a velvet lawn of green toward the rear of the house where the hunters stood, waiting.
Real estate sales have continued to be strong on Hilton Head Island, especially now as the end of the year approaches. There has been a scramble for properties with buyers wanting to close on a purchase before the end of the year in order to obtain a better price from a seller before a possible tax increase goes into effect. This has created many multiple offers, an increase in the sale of lots as well as many large home sales. A 2.5 acre estate lot that I mentioned in the November blog, is under contract, to close before the end of the year. The buyer doesn't plan to build for about four more years. Villa sales are up almost 20%; home sales prices are increasing. Home prices in many states rose 6.3 percent in October compared with a year ago, the largest yearly gain since July 2006. As inventory clears out, we expect more price increases. The Wall Street Journal has published three articles recently calling this the time to buy!
We've seen some serious money come to our shores through the years. Northern money continues to pour into Southern land, as does money from all over the country, Europe and other countries. People breathe the same soft, salty rarefied air that the very rich have breathed and enjoy a lot of the same things. Most of the dirt roads have been paved now and the island is a little more crowded but property owners and visitors alike share the same admiration for the natural beauty of the Lowcountry and the same respect for the land.
Make your holidays bright and plan a visit to beautiful Hilton Head Island and take a step back into history. Have a happy and healthy 2013!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
A FULL CAROLINA MOON, A SKY FILLED WITH STARS. . .HILTON HEAD ISLAND IN NOVEMBER 2012
A full Carolina moon lit up the sky over Hilton Head Island going into November. It bathed haunted hayrides, painted pumpkins and fuzzy, white-blooming swamp myrtle in a soft glow.
Island living is never better than in early fall when red pyracantha berries decorate the landscape and white camellia petals litter still-green lawns.
This is the beginning of the holiday season, opened in early November by the highly regarded Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival and Concours d’Elegance held at beautiful Honey Horn Plantation. The honorary chairman, Bob Lutz, former vice-chairman of General Motors as well as former executive vice-president of sales for BMW, head of Chrysler’s global production development and a member of the board of directors at Ford Motor Company, added to the excitement.
Driving his 1971 Monteverdi, a car made in Switzerland with an Italian body and American mechanicals , he joined thousands who came to the event from 47 states and 10 countries. Commenting on the antique cars he said, “It’s basically, to me, an historical preservation event for one of the most important artifacts of any society. . .a manifestation of folk art, of the period in question and its reflection of the economy of the time and the psychology of the time.” He likened cars to rolling sculptures that are artifacts from history.
Concours Judge John Carlson said, “Hilton Head has become one of the truly unique Concours in the U.S.A.; in my view it has become a benchmark for other Concours throughout North America.” It was recently named to the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 events list.
Another signature event is the annual Hilton Head Heroes gala, held this year at the elegant TidePoiinte retirement and assisted living community on the island. The date is November 9th from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. with an exquisite array of fine food prepared by Chef Stephens Steward. Wine tasting and a silent auction will highlight the evening.
The organization was formed by popular singer Gregg Russell and his wife Lindy Ellison Russell in 1998. The mission is to bring children between the ages of four and eighteen suffering from life-threatening illnesses to Hilton Head for a resort vacation.
To that end a home in Sea Pines was purchased in March of 2005 where families can stay. Hilton Head Heroes is in the business of helping children gracefully become angels, while unselfish acts of love and kindness help everyday people become heroes. The organization was honored by the Chamber of Commerce as the Organization of the Year in 2009. Over the years Hilton Head Heroes has had hundreds of families as guests. (www.HHHeroes.com).
Long known for his concerts under the Liberty Oak in Harbour Town, Gregg arrived in Sea Pines from Disney World in 1976. Gregg Russell has traveled around the globe for the past 35 years, entertaining. He has experienced over 1,000 cruises and has been asked such questions as “What time is the midnight buffet?” and “What do they do with the ice carvings after they melt?” He and Lindy are caring, contributing members of our unique island community.
The fall season on-island revved up not only with a wide variety of festivals, the Concours d’Elegance, and the 31st season of the 2012-2013 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s opening performance on November 12th at 8 p.m. featuring three masterworks of Bach’s orchestral oeuvre led at the harpsichord by one of North America’s foremost specialist in Baroque music (www.hhso.org), The South Carolina Repertory Company offered a production of “RED.”
When the play went from London’s West End to Broadway it won six Tony Awards, including Best Play and Best Direction. In this group’s intimate theatre on Beach City Road, it gives unusual insight into the abstract-expressionist artist Mark Rothko and his color-field work.
2013 is looking very positive for housing and overall economic growth, which should lead to rising home prices and possibly rising mortgage lending rates. On the island NFL star Chris Canty’s new 13,000 square foot waterfront home is still getting a lot of attention. There is another waterfront lot available for sale nearby with 183-feet of water frontage as well as an expansive dock with a covered pier. From this site it is an easy walk to the club, tennis, golf and pool.
Agents are talking about an unusually good buy on Twin Pines Court in Sea Pines. The house has over 4,000 heated square feet with 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 half-baths, a spacious living room with double-sided fireplace, and lofted ceiling. The eat-in-kitchen is open to a large great room. The rear deck is huge and has a heated swimming pool. There is a sizeable 5th bedroom or office over the 2-car garage. Rental income this year has been around $46,000. It is priced at $849,000 F.
On Sandhill Crane there is an oceanfront home for sale for only $3,745,000 UF. This home has 5 bedrooms, 5 full bathrooms and 1 half-bath. It has over 5,000 square feet, a private, heated oceanfront pool, hardwood flooring and a dramatic wrought iron staircase in the foyer. In the front courtyard there is a grapefruit tree, laden with golden fruit. Nearby are blue plumbago and miniature rose bushes where yellow butterflies flutter. It is an idyllic setting.
Financial guru Warren Buffet is the most bullish indicator for U.S. housing. He is buying up real-estate brokerages around the country, betting on a housing turnaround. He has partnered with Brookfield Asset Management, a Canadian real-estate investor, which more than doubles the size of his brokerage business.
Berkshire’s Home Services of America, Inc. unit will be the majority owner of the venture. It will manage a U.S. residential real-estate affiliate network. A press release said the brokerages that will make up the new company did a combined $72 billion in sales in 2011. That is more than twice the $32 billion in sales that Berkshire did in 2011 without the new brokerages.
Island living is never better than in early fall when red pyracantha berries decorate the landscape and white camellia petals litter still-green lawns.
This is the beginning of the holiday season, opened in early November by the highly regarded Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival and Concours d’Elegance held at beautiful Honey Horn Plantation. The honorary chairman, Bob Lutz, former vice-chairman of General Motors as well as former executive vice-president of sales for BMW, head of Chrysler’s global production development and a member of the board of directors at Ford Motor Company, added to the excitement.
Driving his 1971 Monteverdi, a car made in Switzerland with an Italian body and American mechanicals , he joined thousands who came to the event from 47 states and 10 countries. Commenting on the antique cars he said, “It’s basically, to me, an historical preservation event for one of the most important artifacts of any society. . .a manifestation of folk art, of the period in question and its reflection of the economy of the time and the psychology of the time.” He likened cars to rolling sculptures that are artifacts from history.
Concours Judge John Carlson said, “Hilton Head has become one of the truly unique Concours in the U.S.A.; in my view it has become a benchmark for other Concours throughout North America.” It was recently named to the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 events list.
Another signature event is the annual Hilton Head Heroes gala, held this year at the elegant TidePoiinte retirement and assisted living community on the island. The date is November 9th from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. with an exquisite array of fine food prepared by Chef Stephens Steward. Wine tasting and a silent auction will highlight the evening.
The organization was formed by popular singer Gregg Russell and his wife Lindy Ellison Russell in 1998. The mission is to bring children between the ages of four and eighteen suffering from life-threatening illnesses to Hilton Head for a resort vacation.
To that end a home in Sea Pines was purchased in March of 2005 where families can stay. Hilton Head Heroes is in the business of helping children gracefully become angels, while unselfish acts of love and kindness help everyday people become heroes. The organization was honored by the Chamber of Commerce as the Organization of the Year in 2009. Over the years Hilton Head Heroes has had hundreds of families as guests. (www.HHHeroes.com).
Long known for his concerts under the Liberty Oak in Harbour Town, Gregg arrived in Sea Pines from Disney World in 1976. Gregg Russell has traveled around the globe for the past 35 years, entertaining. He has experienced over 1,000 cruises and has been asked such questions as “What time is the midnight buffet?” and “What do they do with the ice carvings after they melt?” He and Lindy are caring, contributing members of our unique island community.
The fall season on-island revved up not only with a wide variety of festivals, the Concours d’Elegance, and the 31st season of the 2012-2013 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s opening performance on November 12th at 8 p.m. featuring three masterworks of Bach’s orchestral oeuvre led at the harpsichord by one of North America’s foremost specialist in Baroque music (www.hhso.org), The South Carolina Repertory Company offered a production of “RED.”
When the play went from London’s West End to Broadway it won six Tony Awards, including Best Play and Best Direction. In this group’s intimate theatre on Beach City Road, it gives unusual insight into the abstract-expressionist artist Mark Rothko and his color-field work.
2013 is looking very positive for housing and overall economic growth, which should lead to rising home prices and possibly rising mortgage lending rates. On the island NFL star Chris Canty’s new 13,000 square foot waterfront home is still getting a lot of attention. There is another waterfront lot available for sale nearby with 183-feet of water frontage as well as an expansive dock with a covered pier. From this site it is an easy walk to the club, tennis, golf and pool.
Agents are talking about an unusually good buy on Twin Pines Court in Sea Pines. The house has over 4,000 heated square feet with 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 half-baths, a spacious living room with double-sided fireplace, and lofted ceiling. The eat-in-kitchen is open to a large great room. The rear deck is huge and has a heated swimming pool. There is a sizeable 5th bedroom or office over the 2-car garage. Rental income this year has been around $46,000. It is priced at $849,000 F.
On Sandhill Crane there is an oceanfront home for sale for only $3,745,000 UF. This home has 5 bedrooms, 5 full bathrooms and 1 half-bath. It has over 5,000 square feet, a private, heated oceanfront pool, hardwood flooring and a dramatic wrought iron staircase in the foyer. In the front courtyard there is a grapefruit tree, laden with golden fruit. Nearby are blue plumbago and miniature rose bushes where yellow butterflies flutter. It is an idyllic setting.
Financial guru Warren Buffet is the most bullish indicator for U.S. housing. He is buying up real-estate brokerages around the country, betting on a housing turnaround. He has partnered with Brookfield Asset Management, a Canadian real-estate investor, which more than doubles the size of his brokerage business.
Berkshire’s Home Services of America, Inc. unit will be the majority owner of the venture. It will manage a U.S. residential real-estate affiliate network. A press release said the brokerages that will make up the new company did a combined $72 billion in sales in 2011. That is more than twice the $32 billion in sales that Berkshire did in 2011 without the new brokerages.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Fall Festivities on Hilton Head Island
Early fall on Hilton Head is a series of festivals, oyster roasts, art exhibits, polo matches, chili cook-offs, Latin music festivals, fiery sunrises and sunsets, Salty Dog Fish Fries, a Craft Beer and BBQ Festival and the week-long annual Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival with music, entertainment and a boat parade complete with a blessing of the fleet...an event that draws islanders and visitors from near and far to the quaint town of Bluffton, located across the bridge from Hilton Head, nestled by the May River. This historic hamlet is a favorite of many who favor the laid-back lifestyle and the smell of wood smoke as cooling breezes stroke the land.
Many buyers of real estate prefer to focus their efforts on property searches in the fall after the summer crowds have left. As inventory decreases and prices begin to edge upward, smart buyers are looking for their dream home or villa before selection is further diminished, while mortgage rates are still low. They are finding success. There have been more oceanfront homes and lot sales in Sea Pines this year than in 2009, 2010 and 2011 combined. Villa sales are ahead of 2011 sales by more than 40%. Rising building optimism along with rising buyer demand is creating a surge in building activity.
One NFL champ, Chris Canty, has chosen Hilton Head for his new 13,000 square foot, six bedroom, six bathroom home that is now under construction on a beautiful waterfront lot where a 3,254 square foot home has been demolished. The new structure will have a limestone facade and a lighting, heating, security and home-theater system that can be controlled by the owner from anywhere on the planet via his iPhone. Nearby is a waterfront home of 18,000 square feet once appraised at $17 million.
For the buyer who revels in stunning water views and spectacular sunsets, an executive-owner with a leading internationally known financial firm is offering his almost 5,000 square foot penthouse in Harbour Town, overlooking the 18th fairway of the Harbour Town Golf Links, for $2 million, furnished. Like some other prime-property owners who have found a safe harbor here for their money during high earning years, he is retiring and downsizing. From the penthouse, it is an easy stroll to the Harbour Town Yacht Basin where an owner can board his yacht and enjoy a sunset cruise all the way to Costa Rica.
Another interesting offering are two adjacent estate-size lots, 2.5 acres each, in a former plantation area in Sea Pines bordered by a large, sparkling lagoon, with enough space on the far side of the lagoon for a small guest house or two. The plantation once grew fields of rice that surrounded a large plantation house. The fields were flooded with water carried through Lawton Canal from Calibogue Sound. The rich rice harvest was called "Carolina Gold" by planters.
This area is only a short walk to Lawton Stables, a state-of-the-art facility across from Heritage Farms where residents park their Land Rovers, Jaguars and BMW SUV's and work their plots in old Gucci loafers and stained jeans. Instead of growing vegetables, some grow roses. At Lawton Stables, the revered American Saddlebred horse, known as the "Peacock of the house show world" is bred. Long a favorite of riders, General Robert E. Lee rode a Saddlebred named "Traveller" (General Ulysses S. Grant and Stonewall Jackson also rode Saddlebreds). After the American Civil War ended, breeders began promoting the breed as a show horse. The two adjacent estate lots near Lawton Stables present an unusual opportunity for a buyer with a sense of history and vision, especially if his or her family appreciates horses. It is a dream location for grandchildren. They can also ride their bikes to the beach or to Harbour Town.
Last week there was a final party at the Plantation Club in Sea Pines - a once-elegant private club where members kept their liquor in lockers and chefs were imported from Europe to serve fine foods and wines "at table". It was a final farewell before the structure is torn down to make way for a new $12 million dollar golf club. On a personal note, our family joined the Plantation Club in the 1960's when we were stationed in Seoul, Korea. We were charter members of the club. My then husband, a Marine officer, accompanied the first ROC battalion to Vietnam where they were valiant fighters. It was the first time the Koreans had fought outside of their country. Later, I arranged for our home to be built in Sea Pines near the beach while said-husband was under siege at Khe Sanh, Vietnam, commanding the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines.
For the last party at the Plantation Club, former chef Franz Meier and his former captain Klaus Jackel joined a number of early members, all gave nostalgic, short speeches while some admired one of the most beautiful tropical views on the island, long vistas from the rear of the club's large dining room windows of green golf fairways fringed by tall palmettos and lagoons. One speaker mentioned Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser, the genius behind our internationally known resort, being photographed for the Saturday Evening Post in the early days walking a 13-foot alligator on a leash. A short time later, while in Italy, he came across a foundry where various animals had been cast. Having a photograph with him of the alligator on a leash, he commissioned an alligator to be cast. It has served as a water fountain near the front of the Plantation Club ever since.
Stan Smith, our resident celebrity (an American Wimbledon champion whom I've written about before in this blog) was one of the speakers. He remembered the club as being the original home of the Renaissance Weekends that brought some of the most famous names in the country to the island, including Bill and Hillary Clinton. Stan and his family have lived on Hilton Head for 41 years. He is tall, handsome and dignified - a true all-American that all who know him are proud of.
When the club was built, the interior was designed by Elizabeth Gordon, the influential editor of House Beautiful magazine. Klaus Jacket told the crowd the club was known up and down the East Coast as the finest of dining establishments. One of the best and most popular speakers was "Happy" Mitchell, a slender, energetic African American who worked at the club and arranged parties for members for over 45 years. Happy retired a couple of years ago from the Harbour Town clubhouse where he continued arranging parties for residents and where he ended his career with Sea Pines. During his speech, he said that when he decided to retire, he wanted to go home, to go back to the river and to spend time with his "grands". He said they go all over the island and almost every day the grands ask him, "Where we goin today, Pappy? Do we have any money?" Happy likes going home, to the river.
The sun was setting over Calibogue Sound as the party ended. Numerous widows and widowers departed the club for the last time, leaving with their memories of happier times, wrapped like gifts and placed forever in their minds. Some were guided in their wheelchairs to waiting cars. Only the alligator from Italy remained.
Many buyers of real estate prefer to focus their efforts on property searches in the fall after the summer crowds have left. As inventory decreases and prices begin to edge upward, smart buyers are looking for their dream home or villa before selection is further diminished, while mortgage rates are still low. They are finding success. There have been more oceanfront homes and lot sales in Sea Pines this year than in 2009, 2010 and 2011 combined. Villa sales are ahead of 2011 sales by more than 40%. Rising building optimism along with rising buyer demand is creating a surge in building activity.
One NFL champ, Chris Canty, has chosen Hilton Head for his new 13,000 square foot, six bedroom, six bathroom home that is now under construction on a beautiful waterfront lot where a 3,254 square foot home has been demolished. The new structure will have a limestone facade and a lighting, heating, security and home-theater system that can be controlled by the owner from anywhere on the planet via his iPhone. Nearby is a waterfront home of 18,000 square feet once appraised at $17 million.
For the buyer who revels in stunning water views and spectacular sunsets, an executive-owner with a leading internationally known financial firm is offering his almost 5,000 square foot penthouse in Harbour Town, overlooking the 18th fairway of the Harbour Town Golf Links, for $2 million, furnished. Like some other prime-property owners who have found a safe harbor here for their money during high earning years, he is retiring and downsizing. From the penthouse, it is an easy stroll to the Harbour Town Yacht Basin where an owner can board his yacht and enjoy a sunset cruise all the way to Costa Rica.
Another interesting offering are two adjacent estate-size lots, 2.5 acres each, in a former plantation area in Sea Pines bordered by a large, sparkling lagoon, with enough space on the far side of the lagoon for a small guest house or two. The plantation once grew fields of rice that surrounded a large plantation house. The fields were flooded with water carried through Lawton Canal from Calibogue Sound. The rich rice harvest was called "Carolina Gold" by planters.
This area is only a short walk to Lawton Stables, a state-of-the-art facility across from Heritage Farms where residents park their Land Rovers, Jaguars and BMW SUV's and work their plots in old Gucci loafers and stained jeans. Instead of growing vegetables, some grow roses. At Lawton Stables, the revered American Saddlebred horse, known as the "Peacock of the house show world" is bred. Long a favorite of riders, General Robert E. Lee rode a Saddlebred named "Traveller" (General Ulysses S. Grant and Stonewall Jackson also rode Saddlebreds). After the American Civil War ended, breeders began promoting the breed as a show horse. The two adjacent estate lots near Lawton Stables present an unusual opportunity for a buyer with a sense of history and vision, especially if his or her family appreciates horses. It is a dream location for grandchildren. They can also ride their bikes to the beach or to Harbour Town.
Last week there was a final party at the Plantation Club in Sea Pines - a once-elegant private club where members kept their liquor in lockers and chefs were imported from Europe to serve fine foods and wines "at table". It was a final farewell before the structure is torn down to make way for a new $12 million dollar golf club. On a personal note, our family joined the Plantation Club in the 1960's when we were stationed in Seoul, Korea. We were charter members of the club. My then husband, a Marine officer, accompanied the first ROC battalion to Vietnam where they were valiant fighters. It was the first time the Koreans had fought outside of their country. Later, I arranged for our home to be built in Sea Pines near the beach while said-husband was under siege at Khe Sanh, Vietnam, commanding the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines.
For the last party at the Plantation Club, former chef Franz Meier and his former captain Klaus Jackel joined a number of early members, all gave nostalgic, short speeches while some admired one of the most beautiful tropical views on the island, long vistas from the rear of the club's large dining room windows of green golf fairways fringed by tall palmettos and lagoons. One speaker mentioned Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser, the genius behind our internationally known resort, being photographed for the Saturday Evening Post in the early days walking a 13-foot alligator on a leash. A short time later, while in Italy, he came across a foundry where various animals had been cast. Having a photograph with him of the alligator on a leash, he commissioned an alligator to be cast. It has served as a water fountain near the front of the Plantation Club ever since.
Stan Smith, our resident celebrity (an American Wimbledon champion whom I've written about before in this blog) was one of the speakers. He remembered the club as being the original home of the Renaissance Weekends that brought some of the most famous names in the country to the island, including Bill and Hillary Clinton. Stan and his family have lived on Hilton Head for 41 years. He is tall, handsome and dignified - a true all-American that all who know him are proud of.
When the club was built, the interior was designed by Elizabeth Gordon, the influential editor of House Beautiful magazine. Klaus Jacket told the crowd the club was known up and down the East Coast as the finest of dining establishments. One of the best and most popular speakers was "Happy" Mitchell, a slender, energetic African American who worked at the club and arranged parties for members for over 45 years. Happy retired a couple of years ago from the Harbour Town clubhouse where he continued arranging parties for residents and where he ended his career with Sea Pines. During his speech, he said that when he decided to retire, he wanted to go home, to go back to the river and to spend time with his "grands". He said they go all over the island and almost every day the grands ask him, "Where we goin today, Pappy? Do we have any money?" Happy likes going home, to the river.
The sun was setting over Calibogue Sound as the party ended. Numerous widows and widowers departed the club for the last time, leaving with their memories of happier times, wrapped like gifts and placed forever in their minds. Some were guided in their wheelchairs to waiting cars. Only the alligator from Italy remained.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Butterflies are Free - on Hilton Head Island
The great annual butterfly migration to our island usually begins in September, a harbinger of autumn.
On September 11, 2012, the temperature on Hilton Head was 81 degrees with clear blue skies and gentle sea breezes. My first butterfly sighting was a fluttering group of yellow Sulphers, feeding on a clump of yellow hibiscus blossoms. The Sulphers were followed by the colorful Monarchs with their black-tipped and veined orange wings, then the Viceroys and the Gulf frittlary. The silver winged Fritillary arrived, flashing silver under orange-spotted wings. There are many other species, including the dramatically beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail with its jewel-like gold and black tiger streaks anchored by dazzling blue pearl-size dots bordering the tail. Some of these gentle, fragile creatures are en route to a small province in Mexico. They feed here on flowering plants, laying 3-4 egg broods. In the spring hatching butterflies wing north.
There is a palpable feeling of excitement in our soft, sea air. Change is obvious in the world of real estate, causing much chatter along the "coconut vine" with agents exulting over a number of happenings: another oceanfront home has gone under contract. This one was priced at $7,200,000. That makes nine oceanfront sales (Three are "pending") in the past nine months just in Sea Pines (I don't have room in this blog to give you island-wide statistics). After three long years of soft sales, we're seeing very encouraging trends emerging in our market. For instance, a new "spec" house (6th row ocean/golf views) priced at $2,495,000 is barely framed but it is under contract! This tells us that buyers want new construction and are willing to pay for it. We have seen very few "spec" houses in the past few years because lenders were not interested in risking funds. The "spec" business was virtually shut down unless someone with deep pockets would fund a "spec" project. Builders are reporting seeing the best sales levels since July 2006 - six long years. Often we are asked by a prospective buyer if there are still any "deals" around. They have to be gently reminded that our pricing is at 2003 levels, which is already a very good deal! Most of our sold properties are within 10% of the asking price.
Some ask about "flipping". They want to know if we are seeing any properties being "flipped" for a quick profit. I suppose that depends on what you consider a quick profit. Not long ago I noticed a very nice lot in Harbour Town with partial views of Calibogue Sound (a nice view amenity) priced under $400,000. It sold for $350,000 - a great buy. It was immediately put back on the market for sale. Several months later it sold for $450,000. Not a bad short term investment for someone's portfolio and not a bad profit but flipping often depends on a buyer listening to his real estate agent's information and expertise in our market, then having to be prepared to act quickly. No agent is going to tell you purchasing anything is not without risk. They can only give you information that may or may not assist a prospective buyer. It has been my experience in my real estate life to learn that some people can make quick decisions (such as doctors) and others cannot or do not. (Dare we say lawyers?) Right now there are some unusual and unique opportunities available that I have been researching for a customer/client whom I've sold to and listed property for before. He and his wife are very bright and very detail oriented. They have been very successful not only in their primary business but in their real estate investments. They are creative thinkers.
Money seems to be pouring into Hilton Head. The Westin Hotel at Port Royal Plantation (north end of the island) has plans on the drawing board for a $30 million renovation; the Sonesta Resort (formerly the Crown Plaza at Shipyard Plantation near Sea Pines) has announced it will undergo a $30 million renovation of its 340 guest rooms and its public spaces in addition to adding a spa. Everyone seems to be adding a spa. Big business, spas.
Three other Hilton Head beachfront hotels, Holiday Inn Oceanfront (now named The Beach House), Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa and the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort have already either undergone or announced major renovations. Our local tourism officials say this activity heralds a new era for the island's main economic driver, increasing property values and investment.
The Sea Pines Resort has announced plans for a new Heron Point (Pete Dye designed) and Ocean Course clubhouse. The 16,000 square foot clubhouse will be sited where the Plantation Club is now. Our family was Charter Members of the club and have many fond memories of it. It will be torn down after a final October remembrance celebration. The estimated cost of the new facility is $12 million. There will be 2,000 square-feet of meeting/function space. It will provide a premier golf experience for property owners and visitors.
By Labor Day weekend, summer was officially over. The sun had set on the best summer rental season since the beginning of the economic downturn. Rentals were up 12-15% for many rental companies. Properties were selling again. The 32nd annual Hilton Head Island Celebrity Golf tournament welcomed around 30 celebrities who played golf (some don't even know how to play golf but everyone has fun) on three fine area golf courses. Song-writer Paul Williams was present for the occasion: "Rainy Days and Mondays," "You and Me Against the World," "We've only Just Begun," ended in raising more funds for children's charities (over $4 million to date) and gives the public the opportunity to play golf with the celebrities.
Coming up will be polo at Rose Hill Plantation on October 14th and on November 3rd at Honey Horn Plantation (where the wonderful Farmers' Market is held each Friday in season from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.) a signature annual event on Hilton Head, The Concours d'Elegance. Residents and visitors will see some wonderful antique automobiles being driven around the island near old oaks, tall palmetto trees and still-blooming magnolias. It was recently named to the Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 Events list.
Before the last butterflies fluttered away from the island, acorns began falling.
On September 11, 2012, the temperature on Hilton Head was 81 degrees with clear blue skies and gentle sea breezes. My first butterfly sighting was a fluttering group of yellow Sulphers, feeding on a clump of yellow hibiscus blossoms. The Sulphers were followed by the colorful Monarchs with their black-tipped and veined orange wings, then the Viceroys and the Gulf frittlary. The silver winged Fritillary arrived, flashing silver under orange-spotted wings. There are many other species, including the dramatically beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail with its jewel-like gold and black tiger streaks anchored by dazzling blue pearl-size dots bordering the tail. Some of these gentle, fragile creatures are en route to a small province in Mexico. They feed here on flowering plants, laying 3-4 egg broods. In the spring hatching butterflies wing north.
There is a palpable feeling of excitement in our soft, sea air. Change is obvious in the world of real estate, causing much chatter along the "coconut vine" with agents exulting over a number of happenings: another oceanfront home has gone under contract. This one was priced at $7,200,000. That makes nine oceanfront sales (Three are "pending") in the past nine months just in Sea Pines (I don't have room in this blog to give you island-wide statistics). After three long years of soft sales, we're seeing very encouraging trends emerging in our market. For instance, a new "spec" house (6th row ocean/golf views) priced at $2,495,000 is barely framed but it is under contract! This tells us that buyers want new construction and are willing to pay for it. We have seen very few "spec" houses in the past few years because lenders were not interested in risking funds. The "spec" business was virtually shut down unless someone with deep pockets would fund a "spec" project. Builders are reporting seeing the best sales levels since July 2006 - six long years. Often we are asked by a prospective buyer if there are still any "deals" around. They have to be gently reminded that our pricing is at 2003 levels, which is already a very good deal! Most of our sold properties are within 10% of the asking price.
Some ask about "flipping". They want to know if we are seeing any properties being "flipped" for a quick profit. I suppose that depends on what you consider a quick profit. Not long ago I noticed a very nice lot in Harbour Town with partial views of Calibogue Sound (a nice view amenity) priced under $400,000. It sold for $350,000 - a great buy. It was immediately put back on the market for sale. Several months later it sold for $450,000. Not a bad short term investment for someone's portfolio and not a bad profit but flipping often depends on a buyer listening to his real estate agent's information and expertise in our market, then having to be prepared to act quickly. No agent is going to tell you purchasing anything is not without risk. They can only give you information that may or may not assist a prospective buyer. It has been my experience in my real estate life to learn that some people can make quick decisions (such as doctors) and others cannot or do not. (Dare we say lawyers?) Right now there are some unusual and unique opportunities available that I have been researching for a customer/client whom I've sold to and listed property for before. He and his wife are very bright and very detail oriented. They have been very successful not only in their primary business but in their real estate investments. They are creative thinkers.
Money seems to be pouring into Hilton Head. The Westin Hotel at Port Royal Plantation (north end of the island) has plans on the drawing board for a $30 million renovation; the Sonesta Resort (formerly the Crown Plaza at Shipyard Plantation near Sea Pines) has announced it will undergo a $30 million renovation of its 340 guest rooms and its public spaces in addition to adding a spa. Everyone seems to be adding a spa. Big business, spas.
Three other Hilton Head beachfront hotels, Holiday Inn Oceanfront (now named The Beach House), Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa and the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort have already either undergone or announced major renovations. Our local tourism officials say this activity heralds a new era for the island's main economic driver, increasing property values and investment.
The Sea Pines Resort has announced plans for a new Heron Point (Pete Dye designed) and Ocean Course clubhouse. The 16,000 square foot clubhouse will be sited where the Plantation Club is now. Our family was Charter Members of the club and have many fond memories of it. It will be torn down after a final October remembrance celebration. The estimated cost of the new facility is $12 million. There will be 2,000 square-feet of meeting/function space. It will provide a premier golf experience for property owners and visitors.
By Labor Day weekend, summer was officially over. The sun had set on the best summer rental season since the beginning of the economic downturn. Rentals were up 12-15% for many rental companies. Properties were selling again. The 32nd annual Hilton Head Island Celebrity Golf tournament welcomed around 30 celebrities who played golf (some don't even know how to play golf but everyone has fun) on three fine area golf courses. Song-writer Paul Williams was present for the occasion: "Rainy Days and Mondays," "You and Me Against the World," "We've only Just Begun," ended in raising more funds for children's charities (over $4 million to date) and gives the public the opportunity to play golf with the celebrities.
Coming up will be polo at Rose Hill Plantation on October 14th and on November 3rd at Honey Horn Plantation (where the wonderful Farmers' Market is held each Friday in season from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.) a signature annual event on Hilton Head, The Concours d'Elegance. Residents and visitors will see some wonderful antique automobiles being driven around the island near old oaks, tall palmetto trees and still-blooming magnolias. It was recently named to the Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 Events list.
Before the last butterflies fluttered away from the island, acorns began falling.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Hilton Head Island's Changing Tides
As the summer winds down on Hilton Head, vacationers begin packing up to make the trek back to homes in other states. Some will have come from South Carolina or other nearby areas. They are called "the grits and gravy crowd." Vacationers who visit in the winter when it is too cold to get on their golf courses at home are called "the jet set". At the end of summer, the younger set have finished such activities as Crabby Encounters, Shark Tooth Necklace making, Sand Dollar Painting, Tie-Dye Fun, beaching, fishing, dolphin cruises, evening campfires in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve where ghost stories shiver young timbers and of course our favorite Alabama produced singer Greg Russell's dynamite concerts under the Liberty Oak near sleek yachts that rock gently in the famous harbor's placid waters. The tall, candy-striped lighthouse stands quiet guard over this colorful, fun, beautiful place.
Hilton Head's strong home sales in 2012 continued in July with a greater improvement rate over July 2011 sales than any of the state's 16 regions. We've seen four years of continued growth since the market bottomed in 2008. In Sea Pines alone, comparing the first six months of 2012 to all of 2011, residential sales are up 13%, villa sales are up 62% while lot sales are up 42%. Since there are so few lots available for sale, the best having been built on years ago, many buyers simply purchase an older home and long-term rent it until they are ready to tear it down and build. If it is close to the beach and in good condition, it can short-term rent by the week. Long-term rental properties are in short supply on the Island so this is a great time to buy (lower prices and low interest rates).
With 104 closed home sales in Sea Pines (if I seem to focus on Sea Pines, it is because I've lived here, by the beach, for over 40 years) in the first 7 months of 2012, the average price is up 5% to $926,728 compared to $880,120 a year ago at this time. The villa market has always been a hot market on Hilton Head until a couple of years ago. Now villa sales are up dramatically all over the Island with Sea Pines seeing a huge jump with 74 sales compared to 46 last year. Currently there are only 114 villas listed for sale compared to 161 in 2011. Naturally the lower priced inventory has been selling resulting in lower priced villas being cleared out. The same is true with homes although now we are seeing higher end homes selling, many for cash. Buyers feel that Hilton Head is a good place to put their money. Foreigners obviously feel that way since sales to them in this country have increased 24% in 2012 reaching $82.5 billion and growing. We've seen buyers from Russia, Italy, England, Germany, etc. coming to the Island.
The Hilton Head Town Council has been considering plans to use town land and money to create a new commercial district in the Coligny area near the beach. Plans first included a hotel, parking garages, a new park and new plazas with outdoor cafes, shops and restaurants (some of which are already there). Condominiums or apartments would occupy a second story above the retail space. Now comes a decision not to subsidize or support redevelopment of viable existing commercial enterprise or install public improvements. Instead, funds from a tax-increment finance district will be used to improve parking in the Coligny area, adding green space, upgrading nearby streets and establishing a presence for the University of South Carolina Beaufort's new center for event-management and hospitality training. There is also a new University of South Carolina Beaufort Gateway Campus across the bridge from Hilton Head, near Sun City that includes a nursing school
The current Hilton Head center is operated by USCB in space rented from Sea Pines and offers credit and noncredit courses as well as certificates and training for industry professionals. About 60 USCB students were enrolled for the spring semester, and the center has trained more than 360 hospitality workers. Chancellor Jane Upshaw calls it "a wonderful success" and says, "We have plans to expand the program to include coastal ecology, island environment and sustainability and offer more seminars."
She said the university had discussed plans for a campus on Hilton Head that would serve about 200 students and offer extended learning courses for residents and retirees through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The plan would have a sustaining appeal to seniors with on-going learning for younger people as well as filling unused rental units during the off-season. The plan accomplishes giving the Coligny area a unique identity while recognizing why it is residents live there, which is because of the forest and the beach.
Hilton Head's strong home sales in 2012 continued in July with a greater improvement rate over July 2011 sales than any of the state's 16 regions. We've seen four years of continued growth since the market bottomed in 2008. In Sea Pines alone, comparing the first six months of 2012 to all of 2011, residential sales are up 13%, villa sales are up 62% while lot sales are up 42%. Since there are so few lots available for sale, the best having been built on years ago, many buyers simply purchase an older home and long-term rent it until they are ready to tear it down and build. If it is close to the beach and in good condition, it can short-term rent by the week. Long-term rental properties are in short supply on the Island so this is a great time to buy (lower prices and low interest rates).
With 104 closed home sales in Sea Pines (if I seem to focus on Sea Pines, it is because I've lived here, by the beach, for over 40 years) in the first 7 months of 2012, the average price is up 5% to $926,728 compared to $880,120 a year ago at this time. The villa market has always been a hot market on Hilton Head until a couple of years ago. Now villa sales are up dramatically all over the Island with Sea Pines seeing a huge jump with 74 sales compared to 46 last year. Currently there are only 114 villas listed for sale compared to 161 in 2011. Naturally the lower priced inventory has been selling resulting in lower priced villas being cleared out. The same is true with homes although now we are seeing higher end homes selling, many for cash. Buyers feel that Hilton Head is a good place to put their money. Foreigners obviously feel that way since sales to them in this country have increased 24% in 2012 reaching $82.5 billion and growing. We've seen buyers from Russia, Italy, England, Germany, etc. coming to the Island.
The Hilton Head Town Council has been considering plans to use town land and money to create a new commercial district in the Coligny area near the beach. Plans first included a hotel, parking garages, a new park and new plazas with outdoor cafes, shops and restaurants (some of which are already there). Condominiums or apartments would occupy a second story above the retail space. Now comes a decision not to subsidize or support redevelopment of viable existing commercial enterprise or install public improvements. Instead, funds from a tax-increment finance district will be used to improve parking in the Coligny area, adding green space, upgrading nearby streets and establishing a presence for the University of South Carolina Beaufort's new center for event-management and hospitality training. There is also a new University of South Carolina Beaufort Gateway Campus across the bridge from Hilton Head, near Sun City that includes a nursing school
The current Hilton Head center is operated by USCB in space rented from Sea Pines and offers credit and noncredit courses as well as certificates and training for industry professionals. About 60 USCB students were enrolled for the spring semester, and the center has trained more than 360 hospitality workers. Chancellor Jane Upshaw calls it "a wonderful success" and says, "We have plans to expand the program to include coastal ecology, island environment and sustainability and offer more seminars."
She said the university had discussed plans for a campus on Hilton Head that would serve about 200 students and offer extended learning courses for residents and retirees through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The plan would have a sustaining appeal to seniors with on-going learning for younger people as well as filling unused rental units during the off-season. The plan accomplishes giving the Coligny area a unique identity while recognizing why it is residents live there, which is because of the forest and the beach.
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