Archive for June, 2009

Buyer’s Advantage™  Keeps You Informed

Everyone knows that real estate on Hilton Head Island is a bargain hunter’s paradise these days but still, you have to be ready for opportunity because others are on the hunt for bargains too!  To know about great new listings or large price reductions immediately, you need the Buyer’s Advantage™.  The system costs nothing but it can deliver valuable information to you fast.  I recommend Buyer’s Advantage™ to all of my clients and many use it to monitor their real estate watch lists like a pro! 

How Buyer’s Advantage™ Works 

1. You describe the kind of property you want and based on your preferences, you receive a list of all of the properties for sale on Hilton Head with all MLS companies that match.  Your inventory will be what you want it to be and it will be held in a private web site dedicated to your search. 
2. At your personal site, you can determine your favorite properties and discard the others.  You can sort the listings by price or newest listings.  You can make notes about the properties and I can read them and comment as well as make my own recommendations for you to consider and tell you why one property may be better than another for you.
3. Then, your personal inventory is updated with new listings automatically or when there are price or status changes.  New and changed listings will always come to the top of your list so you can’t miss them.
4. You will have all of the information you need to make an offer on the property of your choice when you are ready. 

Buyer’s Advantage™ Works Well for All Properties

• Hilton Head foreclosures. 
• Hilton Head luxury homes and villas.
• Economical homes for sale on Hilton Head Island, in Bluffton, Hardeeville and Ridgeland.
• Hilton Head retirement properties.
• Hilton Head investment properties.

There’s No Cost or Obligation

There is no cost or obligation for this service.  All that you need to do is to let me know what kind of property you want and the Buyer’s Advantage™ will deliver it to you.  The description of the property you want should include details about:  

A.   Home or villa
B.   Primary home or vacation home
C.  Personal use only, vacation rental or long-term rental
D.  Price range
E.   Number of bedrooms
F.   Location
G.  What you will do with the property i.e. rent to vacationers, live in it, etc. 

Buyer’s Advantage™ works well and it is easy to use.  On many occasions my clients who use Buyer’s Advantage™ come to Hilton Head Island with their first, second and third choice properties already picked out!   Our work is done on the Internet before they visit and that means that they will spend less time shopping for the property that they have always wanted and more time with their family on the beach, playing golf and other kinds of shopping when they are here!

Some clients use Buyer’s Advantage™ to make offers over the phone for properties that they know well; sometimes they know about a new listing before I do and that’s perfectly okay because when my clients use this technology, we both win.   No agent can monitor every client’s wish list as well as an automated system and the Buyer’s Advantage ™ is as good as it gets.  Knowledge is power and foreknowledge is even more powerful!  

 Of course, you are welcome to search all Hilton Head MLS listings at any time on your own at gogated.com but to get the information that you need with automatic updates please tell me about the bargain that you have always wanted and we’ll get started.   The Buyer’s Advantage™ gives you a personal inventory with important and valuable updates to help you find and track Hilton Head foreclosures and other properties like a pro!

Richard Kadesch, Owner and Broker-in-Charge The Gated Community Specialist ® Go Gated Realty ® Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Rich@gogated.com www.GoGated.com 1-800-333-5025 Read Some of My Clients’ Success Stories

This Southern style Tilton Group Signature Home at 73 Hampton Lake Drive in Hampton Lake became the Designer’s Show House in May, 2009 to benefit the Hilton Head Alzheimer’s and STARS charities.

Hilton Head Alzheimer’s and STARS Charities

The Designer’ Show House at Hampton Lake in Bluffton, South Carolina was open from May 8-24 to raise funds and increase awareness of two important Hilton Head non-profit organizations:  Alzheimer’s Respite & Resource and STARS (syncope trust and reflex anoxic seizures).  Tilton Signature Homes and ten talented Hilton Head interior designers worked together to transform a new Tilton Group Signature Home into a Designers’ Show House, exhibit their talents and discuss varying facets of casual southern elegance and the latest trends in interior design and home decor. 

The living room has a high ceiling with a high window and it is open to the foyer, dining room and kitchen.

Alzheimer’s Respite and Resource

Alzheimer’s Respite & Resource was established in 1997 offering a social day program for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, operating one day a week.  Today, recognizing the unmet need in the community to help both the patient and the caregiver, AR&R offers a high quality social day program five days a week and over 7,500 hours of respite care each year.  Alzheimer’s Respite & Resource strives to be a center of excellence for persons with Alzheimer’s and their families by providing daycare programs and education in a compassionate and dignified manner.  For more information visit www.alzheimersrr.org or call 843-842-6688

The kitchen has a pine floor, bead-board island, PaperStone counter tops, stainless steel appliances and it is open to the living room and a breakfast area unseen in this picture, to the right (back of house).

STARS (Syncope Trust and Reflex Anoxic Seisures)

STARS (syncope trust and reflex anoxic seizures) was founded 16 years ago in England by Trudie Lobban after her daughter was diagnosed with reflex anoxic seizures, a form of syncope.  Due to the overwhelming response from United States sufferers, STARS-US was established.  Syncope is a medical term for fainting that is caused by a sudden lack of blood supply to the brain.  This loss of consciousness happens when a drop in blood pressure occurs or a sudden change in heart rhythm decreases the amount of blood that the heart pumps throughout the body.  When the blood supply slowly tapers off or when blood pressure falls significantly, several warning signs appear before loss of consciousness including:

• lightheadedness
• fading of vision
• buzzing in the ears
• In some cases, when the brain is deprived of oxygen due to decreased blood flow, epileptic like symptoms may occur, such as stiffening and spasms.

Syncope affects a million and a half people each year. Tragically, more than 40% are misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed.  STARS a national nonprofit organization is committed to improving the quality of life for individuals and their families that are coping with a syncope condition. The main focus is educating and supporting sufferers, their families, the medical community and the general public by offering a support system where they can get a better understanding of these conditions.  For more information about syncope and STARS visit www.stars-us.org or call 843-785-4101

The master bathroom with dual vanities, custom cabinets, limestone floor and shower and spa tub.

 The Tilton Group Signature Home

Tilton Group President Steve Tilton said, “The event was able to expose people to this unique style of building and interior design while raising money for two very worthy charities.”  Tilton grew up in the Hilton Head lowcountry and has been building custom homes since 1994 with a philosophy of building dream homes that offer each homeowner with today’s lifestyle the traditional lowcountry experience of spending of spending casual and quality time with family and friends. 

Tilton Director of Operations Ron Bushaw said that the home was designed using Southern vernacular construction with a big back porch and a bead board ceiling, with many quality reclaimed materials like pine floors and PaperStone™ counter tops.   The house is an EarthCraft certified green home, energy star compliant and it has a smart panel for multimedia.  Some other details are:

• 3,300 heated square feet with everything is on one floor except the guest suite over the garage
• The guest suite can be used as a 4th bedroom, game room, office, studio or fitness area.  
• Four and a half bathrooms.
• ‘Split’ first floor plan with the master, 2nd and 3rd bedrooms separated by the center home areas: the foyer, dining room, living room, kitchen and breakfast area.
• The living room has a high ceiling with high window.
• The master bathroom has dual vanities, custom cabinets, a spa tub and limestone shower and floor.  
• The large back screened porch has a fireplace, barbecue and stone floor for luxurious outdoor living.  
• The exterior of the home has hardiplank siding, wood trim and the windows have wood casing. 
• The home has a two-car garage.
• Located on a .42 acre lot.

• The home may be purchased for $799,000. 

The back porch opens from the living room and offers luxury outdoor living.

The Hilton Head Interior Designers

Ten interior designers from six Hilton Head interior design firms participated in the Designer’s Show House at Hampton Lake:

• John Kilmer and Jennifer Kirkland, Beverly Hall Interiors.
• Suzie Dixon, Casual Living.
• Bob Cooksey and the design team at Ethan Allen.
• Michelle Wood, Fine Furniture Galleries/Coastal Living Interiors.
• Kay Merclean and An Pickhardt, Georgia Furniture and Interiors.
• Michelle Pearson, Interior Motives.

During the two-week duration of the Show House, these designers and others scheduled talks at the house about interesting topics. 

• Mike Woodall of Kravet and Lee Sofa Fabrics and Furniture spoke about “The Latest Trends in Color and Fashion for Exclusive Quality Homes and the Discerning Consumer”. 
• Jennifer Kirkland of Beverly Hall Interiors spoke about “Window Treatments #101″. 
• Bud Martin of Southern Palmetto Landscapes discussed “Going green with water conservation and native plants”.
• Gerardo Alvarex of Divine Touch, “Decorating with Paint and Faux Finishes”.
• Bob Cooksey of Ethan Allen talked about “All Phases of Down Sizing” and “What you always wanted to ask and Interior Designer”.
• Laurel Greif of Le Cookery spoke about “In the Kitchen – Easy Party Foods”. 

Each of the four bedrooms were decorated differently and by different designers.

The Hampton Lake Community and Real Estate

The private freshwater lake community located in Bluffton, South Carolina opened in 2006 and in 2008 was awarded the “Best Community in America” award by the National Association of Home Builders.  The location, quality of the residences the amenities has made Hampton Lake one of the most popular new gated communities in the Hilton Head and Bluffton area. 

Hampton Lake is located on the Bluffton Parkway just 9 miles from Hilton Head Island in Bluffton, South Carolina, 21 miles from Beaufort, 30 miles from Savannah and 98 miles from Charleston.   Hampton Lake’s location The community has 906 total acres that include 345 preserved for nature and a 165-acre lake with a depth of about 8 feet, 7 miles of navigable waterways and 15 miles of shoreline.  The community will have approximately 900 residences that include both custom homes and villa homes.  There is a top-quality model home program with many builder-participants.  

 Hampton Lake’s amenity village is called “Lakeside” and includes:

• “Fitness Central”, a state-of-the-art spa and fitness center.
• “Adventure Lagoon”, a family-oriented, resort style swimming pool with a ‘river.’
• “The Cool Pool”, a separate area with cabanas for adults only.
• “Lakeside Courts”, four clay tennis courts.
• “The Lakehouse” with Blackwater Bill’s Restaurant.
• “Sandi Point”, a lakefront beach area with tiki huts for shade.
• “Doc’s” community boathouse featuring boats for members’ use and “The Tackle Box” bait, tackle and convenience store.
• “The Racks” canoe and kayak storage.
• “Reunion Field”, a picnic area.

Today, the prices of villas and patio homes at Hampton Lake begin at about $315,000, custom home prices start at about $700,000 and building lot prices start at about $145,000.  For more information about the custom home featured in this article, Hampton Lake or any other Hilton Head area real estate, please call the Hilton Head Gated Communities Specialist® today!

Richard Kadesch, Owner and Broker-in-Charge The Gated Community Specialist ® Go Gated Realty ® Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Rich@gogated.com www.GoGated.com 1-800-333-5025 Read Some of My Clients’ Success Stories

This house is for sale for $6,975,000 and it is the most expensive foreclosure on Hilton Head Island today.  It has approximately 18,000 heated square feet, eight bedrooms, ten full bathrooms, 4 half bathrooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a five-car garage, private boat dock and water views of Broad Creek and the Calibogue Sound.  Foreclosures start for less than $100,000.  For information about all foreclosures, contact Richard Kadesch.

•  About 3% of all Hilton Head homes for sale today are foreclosures (80 of 2,779 total).   

• About 4% of all Hilton Head villas for sale today are foreclosures (55 of 1,279 total). 

These numbers are for foreclosed proeperties that are for sale.  Most Hilton Head homes and villas are not for sale and the number foreclosures compared to all homes and villas on Hilton Head today is much less than two or three per cent.   

Foreclosures Are Often The Lowest Prices

When Hilton Head foreclosures are listed for sale they typically are the lowest priced properties for sale in their neighborhoods.  Higher-priced properties cannot always compete with foreclosures but this is not always true; foreclosures affect some communities more than others.   

• Hilton Head custom homes vary greatly by price, size, features and floor plans.  Because they are so different from one another, one custom home may be nothing like what a buyer wants even if it is a foreclosure.  In addition, communities with custom homes have the fewest foreclosures.     
• More ’cookie cutter’ homes are foreclosures than custom homes and ‘cookie cutter’ communities are effected more by them.  The homes are so similar to each other that a low foreclosure price can often be the best buy.
• Condominiums have more foreclosures than homes, are generally similar to one another and  banks have the tightest lending requirements on condominiums.  These issues make condominium  foreclosures a problem for other condominium sellers and for their homeowner association that has less income from regime fees when there are too many foreclosures.   

Monitor Foreclosures Like a Professional

Foreclosures can be a golden buying opportunity.  More people are buying foreclosures now and if you would like to receive a list of all foreclosures on Hilton Head Island or Bluffton with no cost or obligation, please let me know.  I can provide any list of properties to you, including foreclosures that can be sorted by location, price and other features as you want.  For Hilton Head foreclosures or any real estate on Hilton Head Island, call Richard today!

Richard Kadesch, Owner and Broker-in-Charge The Gated Community Specialist ® Go Gated Realty ® Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Rich@gogated.com www.GoGated.com 1-800-333-5025 Read Some of My Clients’ Success Stories