THE END OF SUMMER - ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.

The Williams brothers on the beach at Hilton Head
Photo courtesy Kristel Kretchmer

The last drink was poured at the venerable Beach Club bar in Sea Pines Resort on August 25th.  Dusk had settled over the barrier island; the parking lot was empty.  Golden sea oats moved in a gentle breeze.  Stars came out while small rollers moved in from the ocean, barely making a sound.

It was the end of another era in Sea Pines for a structure that had been built over 20 years ago, the setting for thousands of happy family and vacationers’ gatherings.  In another couple of weeks demolition would begin, making way for a new, handsome two-story beach club with approximately 15,000 square feet of interior space.  There will be nearly 11,000 square feet of outdoor area.  New amenities include an oceanfront beach bar, a casual beachside restaurant, fast food express concessions, a retail shop, a rooftop bar and terrace, a special event space and sales offices for Sea Pines Real Estate agents.  The plans combine Lowcountry, coastal and traditional elements in an inviting and casual setting.

The Sea Pines Real Estate Beach Club office, having enjoyed space in the old structure for 19 years, moved to the Sea Pines Welcome Center where they will remain until construction on the new club is finished, hopefully by Memorial Day in 2014.

There were other endings this summer: one that touched a number of islanders was the loss of long-time Sea Pines resident Aileen McGinty, wife of the island’s first leading architect, Pete McGinty who was responsible for the island “look” of early homes here.  He also designed the distinctive oceanfront Hilton Head Inn (now torn down), Cordillo Parkway, and the beachside “t” streets in Sea Pines.

The McGintys moved to Hilton Head in 1954, before the roads were paved and before there was a regular ferry from the mainland to the island.  They were living in Columbia, S.C. when they first came to Hilton Head in 1953 and subsequently bought an oceanfront lot near the current Coligny Plaza area for a whopping $1,100.00 and commenced building a vacation house.  It was under construction when Aileen was offered a teaching job in a one-room school house at Honey Horn Plantation, then owned by the Fred Hacks.  She and Pete happily made the move.  It was there that she taught five children, all in different grades, including two of the Hack’s three children, Frederick and Avary.  Later she taught at the first Sea Pines Academy.  She was a loved and respected teacher.

A friend once commented, “She was just a ball of fire.  Education wise, she was a teacher in all phases.  She looked for the absolute best in every child.  She would bring that out of a child, when you would think there was nothing in there.”

She has been quoted as saying that she liked the atmosphere of a classroom. “So many of the students said things in original ways that sort of crisped up the atmosphere.  I enjoyed the students so much I never seemed to think of it as work.  It was so lively and enjoyable.”

While Aileen educated children, including the three that she and Pete had: Leigh, Rupert and Margaret, Pete focused his architectural designs on saving as much of nature as possible, letting houses blend in more than standing out. 

The McGintys embraced all of the good things that the island offered, easily done with their well-honed social skills.  A favorite social activity was a play-reading group where members hosted meetings, the host couple choosing a play, then the attendees rehearsing it on the first Friday night of each month.  They would then present it to each other on the following Sunday.  The couple made many contributions to our community.  We’ll miss Aileen McGinty.

There have been more positive trends in the real estate market: declining inventory, increasing sales, and a very exciting trend noticed by agents in the local community, high end product is selling again.  With Sea Pines Resort engaged in so many capital improvements (two new clubs with a third to come), and improvements at Tower Beach at South Beach (an area for Sea Pines residents and their guests).  Buyers’ confidence in the overall market’s health is obvious.

Last month Fox News showcased Hilton Head Island on its 10 Beautiful Beach Town Fall Vacations list in the USA citing miles of pristine beaches, unique Gullah culture, the Coastal Discovery Museum at beautiful Honey Horn Plantation and more.

The National Association of Realtors’ voice has been heard in Washington, D.C. regarding tax code reform.  The Senate has decided to start from a “blank slate” on reforming the code.  Pressure is being put on Congress to retain vital real estate tax incentives, a long tradition that encourages home ownership and commercial investment.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

A Day at the Beach - on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Photo courtesy Kristel Kretchmer

Living on Hilton Head this summer has been like living in the tropics with almost daily rains interspersed at night by the sounds of croaking frogs and other wild creatures.  Actually, the frequent rainfall just made the island look more beautiful, so green and lush. Crepe myrtles and other flowering shrubs appear to have larger and denser flower clusters – so colorful and pretty.

There have been more vacationers on the island this season than we have seen in a long time.  Beach activity is constant and joyous despite intermittent cloudbursts.

Families trekking to the beach with their loads of folding beach chairs, beach towels, baby carryalls, carriages, umbrellas, picnic baskets, wagons, coolers – look like Hannibal’s burdened elephants, crossing the Alps.  The smell of coconut oil permeates the air.

A group of Hilton Head’s resident visionaries has formed to plan a variety of stimulating programs modeled on successful programs around the country such as the Aspen Institute in Colorado, the Chautauqua Institute in New York, and the Matrix Midland Festival in Michigan.

The new Hilton Head Island Institute has planned a four-day ideas festival, ImagiNATION 2013, where attendees will hear thought provoking talks, exchange innovative ideas, imagine a more vibrant and sustainable future for our community.  It is scheduled for October 23-26.

In the Institute’s first year there is an exciting lineup of speakers that include William Paul Young, best-selling author of “The Shack” which has sold over 10 million copies; Randi Zuckenberg, founder of Zuckerberg Media and Facebook pioneer.  Randi’s brother Mark revolutionized how we communicate throughout the world via Facebook. Randi participated in that endeavor.  Also included will be Tony Wagner of the Harvard Technology & Entrepreneurship Center.

Hilton Head seems to be mentioned in national publications almost every week!  Now Parents magazine with 2.2 million readers and 817,000 visitors each month to its website have chosen Hilton Head Island as the number 1 beach town in the nation.  More importantly, the Town maintained high marks by bond rating agencies who cited, among other things, the “strong financial policies’ the town employs.  Parents magazine credited our beaches, view of the stars, children-focused museums and recent, significant redevelopment on the island.

One thing that won’t change on our island is the 42 square miles of subtropical Lowcountry beauty, 12 miles of pristine beaches, forests of greenery, and the friendly nature of our residents.  All of this impacts on real estate sales where we are seeing strong gains in sales the first half of this year.  Closed home sales island-wide number 397 (up 9% in Sea Pines with closed home sales of 101 through June) although the average price of $775,099 (Sea Pines) reflects a lack of sales of expensive oceanfront and beach properties.

Island-wide villa sales through June 2013 have been 410 with an average price of $270,461. Total villa sales in Sea Pines in June 2013 were 74 with an average price of $401,934.  Inventory continues to decline while interest rates are inching up.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

The Romance of Summer - on Hilton Head Island, SC

Wildflowers on Hilton Head Island
photo by Mary Pracht

“Shrimp boats is a-coming. . .there’s dancing tonight!”

Part of summer’s romance in our area is the sight of shrimp boats trawling off of local beaches.  We see these big boats with their tall, cathedral-like spires rigged to pull cumbersome nets that are followed by swirls of crying seagulls and schools of porpoise.

When the trawling has been completed and the nets pulled up (haul-back) the catch is unloaded to release the bycatch onto the boat’s deck floor where sea creatures such as stingrays, flounder, shark, and horseshoe crabs are separated from the prized shrimp and shoveled through the scupper hold, back into the ocean.  (A few months ago on a gift page in an upscale magazine I saw a bronzed horseshoe crab offered for sale at a shop in New York.  It had been made into a wall light fixture and the price was just under $4,000.00.)

In earlier shrimping years, a good catch would be upwards of 10,000 pounds and bring close to $30,000.  Now a good catch is around 25 pounds per boat per day. In November and December of 2011, South Carolina commercial shrimpers caught 514,826 pounds of shrimp.  The same two months in 2012 brought in only 353,522 pounds.  There seems to be no magic answer to the lack of shrimp.

Other contributors to the enchantment and romance of summer are enticing arrays of fresh grown vegetables and fruits brought to local farmers’ markets from nearby fields and orchards.  Buyers crowd around stalls perusing red, yellow, green and purple peppers; fresh unshucked corn trailing silky tassels, luscious red tomatoes – and green for those who appreciate slices of green fried tomatoes!  Newly dug potatoes, green beans, green peanuts (for boiled peanuts), okra, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet Vidalia onions, peas, butter beans, fresh peaches (think peach pound cake, peach pie); blackberries, blue berries, (more pies or tarts) and don’t forget the watermelon!  Fresh herbs and mushrooms are another attraction. 

Coastal areas are getting a lot of attention from the national media: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg have all recently written about Hilton Head.

Nearby historic Beaufort, S.C. was chosen by Coastal Living Magazine as first place winner of the magazine’s “America’s Happiest Seaside Town,” one of 10 best places to live by the sea (June 2013 issue).  Cited is Lowcountry friendliness and urban refinement in the beautiful South Carolina town known for its historic antebellum architecture and rich African-American Heritage.  Located on the Intracoastal waterway in the heart of the Sea Islands, it is a natural stopping place for the boats, sailboats and yachts that travel those waters.

While writing a newspaper column (for 16 years with a deadline every week) I once wrote about Jackie Kennedy Onassis visiting Beaufort with her friend, Maurice Tempelsman while cruising in the area.  They came from Savannah, Georgia where they visited antiques dealer Jim Williams’ “Mercer House,” made famous in John Berendt’s “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”  A couple of months ahead of Jackie’s signature in Williams’ guestbook was the signature of her sister, Lee Radziwill.

The article in Bloomberg (June 14, 2013), “U.S. Vacation Home Rebound Lifts Hilton Head to Hawaii” mentions values this year in the Hilton Head area jumping 11.1 percent from the first five months of last year with sales rising 9.3% (according to the South Carolina Association of Realtors).

They mention one couple buying an oceanfront condo on Hilton Head for under $500,000 sight unseen.  We’ve seen that happen before, especially when the buyer is familiar with the complex and can easily see myriad photographs of the property via the Internet.  That kind of offer is normally contingent on the purchaser actually seeing the property within five to seven days of acceptance by seller.

On my beach street alone, two lots are slated to have large “spec” houses constructed in the next few months.  It has been a few years since we have seen much spec building because banks were not willing to assist with funding spec construction.  Both lots had older homes that have been torn down. 

In the Sunday New York Times on June 9, 2013 there were stunning photographs of homes “On the Market in Hilton Head, S.C.” with photographs by Stephen Morton for the New York Times.  Shown were homes in gated communities with amenities that included swimming pools, wine rooms, elevators, movie theaters, yachting and golf.

According to the South Carolina Association of Realtors, April 2013 pending sales (properties under contract but not yet closed) hit the highest level in three years!  May was a solid sales month for our real estate market.  Total sales were up six percent compared with sales in May 2012.

Contact Diann at: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVIN’ IS EASY – on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Just before a full Carolina moon illuminated the old sea islands strung along our coastal area, a young girl from St. Helena Island near the small, historic town of Beaufort, S.C., took center stage in Los Angeles, California to win the title of “American Idol.”  The tall, 23-year old African American with a powerful voice, natural beauty and a quiet dignity, captured the hearts of thousands who followed her journey to the title.

Her name is Candice Glover, the first born of Carole and John Glover of St. Helena Island.  Her middle name should be “Perseverance”.  It was her third try at the title, this girl who never gave up her dream, who honed her powerhouse voice in the Oaks True Holiness Church, who grew up in a modest home on a dirt road bordered by a forest where wild blackberries grew and the smell of fresh pine and jasmine permeated the air.  It was here she was nurtured and influenced by the rhythms of life that pulsed in the marshes and streams, where her courage grew with the ebb and flow of the tides, who ended up on a stage with Aretha Franklin and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson.

Before the big win in Los Angeles, she flew home for a gala “Homecoming” in Beaufort, once called the “Newport of the South”, where there was a parade in her honor. Venerable antebellum homes with huge oak trees trailing weeping moss graced a true old south background for the cameras that came from Los Angeles to follow the newly minted star.  She gave a concert there for hundreds of fans.  One nearby mansion had been the setting for “The Big Chill”, now a cult film, one of many motion pictures filmed in the area where directors and producers love Beaufort’s soft light.  It is currently for sale for over $4 million.  Why not?  People come from all over the world to this area (especially to Hilton Head Island) to pay millions of dollars for a small piece of what Candice grew up with.  Pluff mud is probably in her DNA.  It is in mine; I am also a native of the Carolina Lowcountry.

She worked on Fripp Island, renting golf carts and scooters, traveling to work through the tiny hamlet of Frogmore, not far from Penn Center, where Dr. Martin Luther King held strategy sessions early on.  Part of the Gullah Geeche Cultural Heritage Corridor, this area was accepted as a National Heritage Area by the U.S. Department of the Interior.  It is the only one of 49 National Heritage Areas that specifically deals with African American history.

The road that is traveled here, leading to Dataw Island and Fripp Island, was once so deserted that exuberant teenagers would park their cars on the shoulders where wildflowers grew, turn up their radios and dance in the empty lanes.  They then continued on to the beach at Hunting Island State Park, climbed up tall sand dunes (now washed away) and slid down from the top toward the ocean.  The beach was bordered by a Palmetto forest which was the setting for war scenes in the film “Forest Gump”.  The shrimp boat scenes were shot in St. Helena Sound.  In certain areas of these old sea islands one can still find small wooden cottages with shutters painted blue, to keep “haints” away.  A Dr. Buzzard lived here and worked his voodoo magic.  If you believe, as many do, that Candice Glover has magic in her voice, she comes by it naturally. Then suddenly, she was singing the National Anthem at The Capital in Washington, D.C. for the Memorial Day Celebration! Proud, we feel so proud of her.

Toward the end of May, before summer set in, the annual Hilton Head U Savannah Equestrian Exposition, presented by Equus Ventures, LLC and chaired by a name etched in racing halls of fame, the great jockey Eddie Maple, who rode the famous racehorse Secretariat to victory (among many others) was held at Rose Hill Plantation.  White tents lined the sides of the playing field flanked by urns of flowers and hanging baskets filled with colorful blossoms.

Dr. Sandy Termotto (the Founder and President of Equus Ventures) was on the announcer’s stand describing the various equestrian events and later, a polo match.  Iva Welton, a petite dynamo who was responsible for placing the Gothic-Revival style Rose Hill mansion on the National Register of Historic Places and the Marketing Director for the event, watched from the VIP tent where a buffet of delectable edibles was arranged, the linen-covered table decorated with flowers.

Nearby was the Maples tent (Eddie and his wife, Karen, run the Rose Hill Equestrian Center).  Eddie greeted fans who were seeking his autograph or just wanting to shake his hand, always calm, friendly and well-mannered.  At the Termotto tent, Sandy’s wife, Linda (she with the beautiful eyes) charmed friends and guests and made sure they enjoyed a gourmet repast.  Interesting guests here were Dr. John Clements and his wife, Lyne.  He is a member of the Scottish American Military Society and was wearing a kilt!  There is always something unusual to see at these fun and exciting events that contribute so much to local charities.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

Until the End of Time - on Hilton Head Island

Dr. Sandy Termotto taking a jump at Ravenwood Plantation.
Photo Credit: Erik Olsen Photography

There are some memories that will last until the end of time.  Memories of the Carolina Lowcountry where beaches, soft air, wheeling seagulls, the smell of suntan lotion, woodlands laced with dogwood and yellow jasmine, fields of wildflowers, the thunder of horses hooves at nearby, beautiful Rose Hill Plantation.

It is there at the Equestrian Center run by hall of fame jockey, Eddie Maple and his wife, Kate, that spectators find color and excitement at various events such as polo matches, dressage, a hunt chase.  All of these and more are featured in the annual Hilton Head U Savannah Equestrian Exposition, presented by Equus Ventures, LLC chaired this year by Eddie Maple.  An annual event, it raises funds for local charities, over $215,000 since its inception a few years ago.

This year, the event’s date is Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m.  Last year’s exposition’s Parade of Breeds included the Saddlebred, Appaloosa, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Palomino, Pasa Fino, Quarter Horse and others.

Spectators will mingle with members of the Lowcountry Hunt, the only mounted fox hunting Club in Beaufort, Jasper and Colleton counties.  They ride on private plantations like Ravenwood where the property dates from the 1800’s.  The house was built in 1840 and fortunately, not burned during the Civil War.  Current owners are Frank and Nina Burke.

As a tribute to South Carolina history, Lowcountry Hunt’s colors are indigo blue and Carolina rice gold.  There are over 100 members of the club which is a recognized member of the Master of Foxhounds Association of America.

Another area plantation where early morning riders follow the cry of hounds that chase over fields of rising mist, is Airy Hall owned by Buck and Frankie Limehouse, who even have a polo field on their front lawn.  Buck is known for his business acumen and for being named South Carolina’s first secretary of transportation.  He has been honored with The Order of the Palmetto Award twice for his distinguished service to the State of South Carolina.  He and Frankie are the owners of the well-known Meeting Street Inn, Indigo Inn (transformed from a vintage 1850 indigo warehouse), Jasmine House and Ansonborough Inn, all in Charleston, S.C. as well as other commercial enterprises.  He consults on Public Private Partnerships involving government and logistics companies.  An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he bought Airy Hall when he was 39 years old, over 30 years ago.  He and his polo-playing sons are familiar figures at Rose Hill polo matches.

Other plantations that welcome Lowcountry Hunt are Gracefield, Turkey Hill (known for some of the best wing shooting in South Carolina and owned by five generations in the same family); Broxton Bridge and Middleton Place, a National Historic Landmark and home to American’s Oldest Landscaped Gardens.  The Garden Club of America has called the exquisite 65 acres of gardens, “the most important and most interesting garden in America.”  The House Museum was built in 1755, remaining under the same family stewardship for over 320 years.  The primary hunt country consists of land in Charleston and Dorchester Counties, containing over 7,000 acres on Middleton Place and Millbrook Plantation.  Hunt events are usually followed by a hunt breakfast or involve oyster roasts, tailgate picnics, and other social activities.

The Artists of Sea Pines held their 1st Anniversary Exhibit on April 24, 2013.  The exhibit was held at the CSA gallery where a large group of supporters gathered to enjoy wine, canapés and art.  During the reception Rosemary Kimball, group coordinator, presented a $500.00 check to Ted Allenbach, chairman of the Sea Pines Forest Preserve Foundation.

The 52 members, who also exhibit in the lobby of the CSA Community Center in Sea Pines Center, have quarterly exhibits and donate 10% from sales of their art to the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.  In the past year the group has donated over $1,000.00.  All Sea Pines residents, they hold some “plen-aire” sessions during the year at the Heritage Farm, Lawton Stables and the Forest Preserve.  The two gallery locations are a great way to find some very nice local art at reasonable prices.

Real estate sales on the island are trending up.  Some areas are experiencing lower inventory.  Indigo Run Plantation home sales were up over 25% in March with arguably some of the best values on the island.  Island-wide villa sales were up over 28% in March, although prices were not always higher.  Sellers should remember that “solds” are constantly being replaced with “new” inventory.  Overpriced properties continue to sit.  Buyers are looking for properties priced at fair market value.  Sellers who are waiting to “get their price” need to consider what that price will be costing them in the interim.

More older properties in good locations are being purchased and renovated: recently a 3BR villa with stunning lagoon and golf views was bought, gutted and taken down to the studs.  Many times this kind of project results in the property being placed back on the market for sale after renovation but many owners prefer to keep it for family use as a vacation home, possibly a rental property.  One buyer purchased a large “spec” house, basically from the house plans, when only the footings were in.  It was priced around $2.4 million.  We’re seeing more “spec” building again, which speaks to a more stable market.

There is definitely a renaissance taking place on Hilton Head.  Massive infusions of cash are going or have gone into improvements all over the island.  The new owners of the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa recently unveiled a $30 million renovation.  Their meeting planners believe they can attract more national and global events.  Group and business travel represents about half of the Westin’s business.

Other renovations and improvements include the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa, the Omni Hilton Head Resort, Sonesta Resort, and The Beach House (the former Holiday Inn).  Sea Pines Resort’s owner, Virginia-based Riverstone Group has already spent some $30 million on resort improvements with another $30 million to $50 million to be spent.  A lot of this activity has to do with keeping the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing and the over $80 million the golf tournament generates for our area.  A very nice memory, indeed.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

Meeting at the End of the Rainbow on Hilton Head Island

Harbour Town at Twilight

An estimated 28,000 celebrants met “at the end of the rainbow” on St. Patrick’s Day for Hilton Head’s 30^th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The south end of the island was smothered in shamrocks along the parade route, which began at the beach and continued along Pope Avenue, ending at the Sea Pines Circle.  There was green beer, green jackets and hats, over 100 colorful floats, vintage cars, the Parris Island Marine Corps Band, the sleek, handsome Budweiser Clydesdale horses and a smiling Grand Marshall, Brian Carmines, owner of the iconic seafood restaurant, Hudson’s.

Living on Hilton Head this time of year is like living in a garden.  It is a perfect backdrop for numerous spring festivities: the Wine and Food Festival, WINGFEST and the annual Hilton Head International Piano Competition, which brings people and contestants from all over the world.  The event is put on by The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.  It alternates between the Young Artists Competition for ages 13 through 17 one year and the Adult Competition for ages 18 through 30 the next year.

Harbour Town, bordered by Calibogue Sound, will be the setting for the 45^th annual RBC Heritage presented by Boeing on April 15-21.  The field of 144 players will be competing for the top prize of $1,044,000 from a purse of $5.8 million.

There will be bagpipes, kilts and the boom of cannon fire at the traditional Heritage opening ceremonies.  Last year’s winner, Carl Pettersson, will drive the first golf ball near the 18^th green, flanked by participants wearing period costumes.   Heritage Classic Foundation members will be wearing their “plaid,” the tartan jackets a symbol of the sport’s Scottish heritage.  The pageantry speaks to the excitement, color and spirit of the tournament which draws top players each year.  It is one of four invitational tournaments on the PGA Tour and prides itself on smaller, stronger fields.  It brings over $83 million a year to the state of South Carolina.  The Heritage Foundation has raised more than $23 million for charity since 1987. 

Heritage fans converge on Hilton Head by car, boat and plane.  Private planes and corporate jets stream in by the hundreds, lining the airport’s parking apron within a wing tip of wild yellow jessamine that blooms in the woodlands near the runways.  Long, sleek yachts nose into the Harbour Town Yacht Basin; larger yachts anchor out in Calibogue Sound.  Many will be decorated with colorful flower arrangements.  Guests will sip libations and enjoy southern hospitality at its finest.

The Harbour Town Clubhouse is expected to be torn down after the 2014 RBC Heritage and a new clubhouse is expected to be built before the 2015 RBC Heritage, if plans are approved.  That, plus the $15 million Sea Pines Resort is spending on another new clubhouse which will replace the former Plantation Club.  Plans are also being finalized for a new Sea Pines Beach Club, complete with a restaurant and event room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  The resort has already spent close to $30 million dollars in the last five years upgrading amenities.  The recently renovated Inn at Harbour Town, a boutique hotel, received the 2012 Forbes Four-Star Award.  Steve Birdwell, president of Sea Pines Resort, was quoted recently by local media as saying, “We are a maturing community that needs improvement. . .other resorts have invested in their properties, and we need to be prepared for the future as well.  We are excited about enhancing the resort experience for our guests and providing amenities they are looking for.”  You can believe these improvements will impact on our property values!

Currently we are seeing some of the best real estate values we’ve seen in years.  There are numerous houses and villas that are simply great buys!  One is a 5 bedroom, 5 bath townhouse on the 18^th fairway in Harbour Town with gorgeous views of Calibogue Sound and spectacular sunsets (asking a low $1,195,000).  Interest rates are still low and good inventory is available.  The NAR (National Association of Realtors) recently reported the fastest sales pace since November of 2009.

The South Carolina Lowcountry is one of the nation’s five best markets to buy a home, says a CNN money report, based on data gathered by Realtor.com. “This large metro area in southern South Carolina includes old towns like Beaufort, as well as more modern developments like the resort communities on Hilton Head Island,” the post says.  The history and charm without the hassles of larger cities is a big factor.

Beaufort is only an hour’s drive from Hilton Head, as is Savannah, Georgia.  Charleston, S.C. is about a two-hour drive. 

In addition to millions of dollars being poured into Hilton Head facilities, Google has announced it is investing another $600 million in addition to the $600 million it invested a few years ago in the company’s campus at Moncks Corner, bringing their investment in South Carolina to $1.2 billion.

To contact Diann: diannwilk@roadrunner.com

A BREATHTAKING SPRING ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Photo courtesy Mary Pracht

You can’t imagine how beautiful it is on Hilton Head in the pre-dawn hours when soft light begins to illuminate old oak trees trailing Spanish moss, tropical Palmetto trees - back-lit like an elegant stage set. While the sun rises over the ocean the world is quiet and peaceful; the visual effects will take your breath away.

On Friday, February 15, 2013 the Wall Street Journal Magazine published a fascinating article, “The House That Gucci Built.” The owners are Domenico De Sole and his wife, Eleanore. He is the former empire builder and CEO of the Gucci Group. These world travelers vacationed on Hilton Head for years before building an oceanfront home and moving here permanently. A year after retiring from the Gucci Group, he and Tom Ford joined forces in 2005 when De Sole became chairman of Tom Ford International.

In the magazine article there is a stunning full page photograph of the owners standing on a terrace overlooking an L-shaped pool. He is tall and debonair in black-tie, flanked by his wife who is stately and svelte in a long, straight gown. A handsome couple, they are living the life on Hilton Head. The 69-year old Domenico rises at 5 a.m. and strolls along a covered walkway to a spacious guest house on a second-row ocean lot where he has a home office. From there he runs a major fashion company, Tom Ford International, which now has 19 free-standing stores in 17 countries. A flagship store recently opened in Beijing; a new London store will open in the fall.

The full page photograph of the house shows a soaring vertical expression, a structure with lofted ceilings, a curved ceiling in the great room (to reflect the light) with large expanses of glass – perfect for their art collection. When he travels he jets to Milan, Hong Kong, London, wherever the requirement is, departing from the small, four-gate Hilton Head Airport where the fresh smell of pine greets travelers.

The article mentions asking De Sole if he is the only Roman on the island – actually, one of our favorite Italians is Ida Zeger, who is married to retired attorney Warren Zeger who bears an uncanny resemblance to actor Kevin Costner. The Zegers live on Baynard Park Road in Sea Pines where, instead of watching oceanfront sunrises, they enjoy endless views of Calibogue Sound and spectacular sunsets. Parties there take full advantage of the views.

Hilton Head has always attracted notables. Having chronicled social events off and on for years in local newspapers and magazines, I think of early hero-residents such as Air Force chief General Nathan Twining and Lt. Gen. Edward J. Timberlake, commander of the U.S. Air Force’s Continental Air Command. Historical novelist John Jakes once said that the island was a place where islanders left their medals at the bridge. He also said the island was one of the most beautiful areas he had ever seen, that everything good was put here by God, or nature, not by a developer or a tourism promoter. He and his wife, Rachel, lived here for 32 years.

Other high profile residents, second home owners and visitors have included Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank, currently the owner of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons; Michael Jordan, former NBA player who owned a house in up-scale Wexford; fiction author Patricia Cornwell who once owned two large oceanfront homes here at the same time (and would fly in piloting her own airplane); former New York mayor John V. Lindsay, TV personality Gary Moore, NBC’s Frank Blair, J. Edgar Hoover’s right hand man Deke Deloach. Visiting aboard their yachts in the Harbour Town Marina were Walter Cronkite, Joseph E. Levine, Jackie Gleason. The annual Renaissance weekend, hosted by islanders Phil and Linda Lader (Phil became the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain) drew CEOs and intellectuals from across the country, including President Bill and Hillary Clinton (she became our U.S. Secretary of State).

There have also been well known musicians, such as John Mellencamp who has owned oceanfront homes; Jimmy Buffet who visited and jammed with Mellencamp at a favorite watering hole in Harbour Town , The Quarterdeck. Even Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers brought his bride Cher to visit second home beachside owners Phil (Capricorn Records) and Peggy Walden (the coconut vine was really rumbling over that visit). One of the younger singers, songwriter and composer (“Barely Breathing”) Duncan Sheik spent part of his growing up years on Hilton Head as did another up-coming musician Trevor Hall, the talented son of Jeff and Wendy Hall. Trevor is noted for his songs "Other Ways" (which was part of the Shrek the Third sound track) and "Brand New Day", among many others. He spent his last two years of high school boarding at Idyllwild Arts Academy in California where he met many international students. His senior year he was signed by Geffin and later by Vanguard Records. He is currently touring.

We’re having an early springtime explosion of real estate activity. Inventory is down. In Hilton Head Plantation some houses in the $300-$500,000 range are selling almost as soon as they are listed. Buyers slow to make a buying decision are left in the dust. One new listing called a “showhouse” is priced at only $599,000 (make an offer).

The South Carolina Real Estate Association’s year-end report shows the number of home sales in the Hilton Head Island area have increased by more than 20%, a larger jump than any other part of the state. However, prices are still low, as are interest rates, making this an ideal time for the smart buyer to step in. Even the Wall Street Journal reports that in Vail, Hilton Head and Palm Beach foot traffic is up by at least 30% this year.

Several days ago Steve Kroft of “60 Minutes Sports” was here, filming and interviewing the architect of the Harbour Town Golf Links, Pete Dye on the 18th fairway. The interview is to be shown on "60 Minutes Sports" in July.

Some interesting golfers with huge fan bases have committed to play in the upcoming RBC Heritage presented by Boeing on April 15-26. Since the Heritage Classic Foundation, the general tournament sponsor, was founded in 1987 it has donated more than $23.5 million to hundreds of non-profit organizations. A recent Clemson University study revealed that the golf tournament brings in over $83 million a year to our area. For tickets, you can go online to rbcheritage.com/tickets. If you are unable to come to the island for this popular event (which has been compared to one big tail-gate party) it will be televised on Thursday and Friday on the Golf Channel and on Saturday and Sunday on CBS Sports.

Tag lines: Hilton Head lifestyle, nature, Gucci house, John Jakes, Patricia Cornwell, RBC Heritage Golf, Bill and Hillary Clinton.