Part two in my series is a little one...Literally.  Bugs.  What about the bugs on Hilton Head Island?   Yes, we have them.  No, they won’t be your in bed or even in your house at all if you sign up with a good pest company.    I moved here from Michigan and so therefore it was easy for me to do the following quick logic…. 1) Remove a dead bug carcass, legs up, off my floor once every two years or so…or 2) shovel snow off my driveway for 4 months or more out of every year?

No contest.

If you want to know more about Hilton Head Island Real Estate, Call or Text Lorri Lewis at 843-422-6448.

On Trends in Hilton Head Real Estate, the great crunch is underway.  There are less homes on the market to purchase and, as a result, less on the market to rent for the long term.  This is a problem that screams Opportunity! 

Where’s the opportunity?  Let’s say you’ve been planning to retire to Hilton Head but the time just isn’t right.  You see property values going up, and at least once a week you look at your spouse and say “gee, I wish we could do this now”.   Good news.  You can.

Take Bob and Debbie for example.  Not ready to retire, but ready to find that home on the island.  After lots of looking, we found THE ONE.   They purchased the home and then put it on the long term rental market where the wolves were waiting to pounce.   They had a two year rental signed up within the week.

So now, they are getting income on their future retirement home.   They locked in today’s prices for a “somewhere down the road” retirement and they are covering their costs by capitalizing on the slim inventory in the rental market.     Genius.

Buying Real Estate in Hilton Head is different than buying real estate in other locations.  You need an expert to show you every option.

If you’ve been thinking about Hilton Head Real Estate or Bluffton Real Estate…or if Retiring in Hilton Head or Retiring in Bluffton sound appealing, call Lorri Lewis at 843-422-6448 to talk about options.

The Ocean Course Villas hold a special place in my heart.  Many years ago, when I lived in the Great White North, Ocean Course was my preferred location when I came to Sea Pines on Vacation.   Very spacious floorplans, fee simple and walking distance to the beach and the plantation club - everything is at the door step.

I'm proud to announce my new listing at 548 Ocean Course Villas:

For more information on this property or anything related to Hilton Head Real Estate, Call/Text Lorri at 843-422-6448

Will the rental income that I make on an investment property on Hilton Head Island cover my expenses?

To begin my series of “Questions most often received by a Hilton Head Real Estate agent”, I have to start with this one.   Sometimes the answer is “absolutely” and sometimes the answer is “no way”…but the first response I always give is..”Well, it depends…”.

So, what does it depend on exactly?  Some things we will have a great feel for up front.  I can help you figure out what the existing rental income is and, if it’s not currently a rental but you want it to be, I can obtain rental projections.  We can nail down the expenses to run the home including average electric, taxes and insurance, and any community dues you may be responsible for.

The big variable is…How much are you going to borrow?   It makes sense that if a property can’t bring in enough income to cover expenses not including a mortgage, then you better be buying it strictly to enjoy and know that you have enough disposable income to hit the payments without needing the rental income.

More often than not, however, rental income can easily cover expenses not including the mortgage with some left over.  Whether your “leftover” will cover a mortgage payment will depend on the size of the mortgage.

My job as a Realtor is to help you understand all of the ins and outs of owning income producing property.  I knew that darned accounting degree from MSU would come in handy J

For help evaluating Hilton Head Island Real Estate or Bluffton Real Estate, to live in or to invest, call Lorri Lewis at 843-422-6448.

The town of Hilton Head announced this week the purchase of additional acreage on the south end of the island in the all important circle to circle corridor.   The town continues to showcase its forward vision for the island by taking steps such as this to plan for future growth.

You can read the full article on the Town's website HERE

Travel and Leisure, this week, pointed out what so many of us already knew...voting Hilton Head Island as the #2 Island in the US and Canada and also the Sea Pines Resort as the #6 Family destination in the U.S. on their "World's best" list.

To top it off...the 21 million monthly users at YAHOO.com voted Hilton Head Island the #1 family vacation destination.

Hilton Head Island property owners come from all over the world, each with a special purpose.  Some see the value in picking up a vacation villa that they can use and also generate income from to cover their expenses.  Others like a hideaway from the hustle and bustle of life and choose a home or a villa on Hilton Head just for their own occasional use.

And then we have the folks who are ready to make Hilton Head their permanent way of life.   They pick up from where they are and land in the beauty of this peaceful island ready to call it their forever home.

If you are interested in learning more about real estate on Hilton Head Island or in the Bluffton area, please call/text me at 843-422-6448.  I can tailor a search specifically for you.

Hope to see you soon...

A widely discussed issue in the real estate community is the property tax debate.   Please do not stress out about this one.  It's an easy calculation and you can find the link HERE.

So what's all the fuss?  In South Carolina, non residents pay more property taxes than residents do.  Isn't this the case in most states, you ask?  Good question and you are right...it is. However, since there are so many second homes in South Carolina, the issues seems to stand out here more than other cities.

The first thing you need to do is to put it in perspective.  There's a decent chance that your current resident taxes are no higher than what your nonresident taxes will be in SC.  Moving here 9 years ago from Oakland County Michigan, I was floored at how low the taxes were in South Carolina.  

So, before you worry that the sky is falling, check the calculator.   Might be much ado about nothing.

It's a GREAT TIME TO BUY!

~Lorri

After a lull in activity for villas, sales are on the rise in Sea Pines.  With the $55 million cash investment by the resort owners, more and more potential buyers are stepping up to the plate to take advantage of our "off the charts" rental season in Sea Pines...which just seems to get longer every year.  Gone are the days where summer was the big rental season...it still is, but look out for those large golf and wedding groups in Spring and Fall and don't forget the snowbirds who plant themselves here for a few months over the winter until the snow melts up North.  

Looking for a great buy?  Check out this first floor unit in Harbour Town!   Huge patio area and just a few steps to the famous candy-striped lighthouse or the new Harbour Town Clubhouse.  Slam dunk. 

Sea Pines is new again.  Buy an investment property today.

It's that time of year again.  For those of us who live and work in Sea Pines, there is a definite day when everything shifts and you just know...time to get ready for the RBC Heritage PGA tournament.

Dubbed as the favorite stop for the tour players, Sea Pines wastes no time in preparing to host the players and spectators. As I drove down Plantation Drive this morning I saw the stands being constructed and landscape workers busily grooming the grounds.

It's a humbling experience to watch the effort that goes into putting such a huge event together.   And this year, like every year before, I will proudly purchase my tournament badge and enjoy the event.  It's a family affair at our house.   Even the local schools are closed for the duration of the tournament.

So, get your plaid on.  The tournament runs from April 13 through April 19.   More information can be found at www.rbcheritage.com

~Lorri