Overlooking the peaceful waters of Chowan Creek, this stately home offers luxury as well as comfortabledaily living.  Heart of pine floors add warmth, the custom crown molding compliments the high ceilings throughout, oversized Anderson windows give way to natural light and tremendous water views. With over 5000 square of luxurious living that includes a glorious master suite with custom tiled shower, whirlpool tub, dual vanities, and enormous closet. Formal dining and living rooms provide elegant entertaining while the great room provides splendid space for family and friends.  The kitchen boast custom wood cabinetry with oversized pantry, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances. The second floor provides two large bedrooms, sitting area, built in shelving, and ample closet... 12/14/2010

This home in Mossy Oaks, beautiful Beaufort, SC has been reduced to $119,000. Within walking distance to award winning schools, a moments drive to both historic downtown Beaufort and downtown Port Royal, this home has incredible value. Recently renovated to include brand new kitchen, bathroom, windows and doors! Hardwood floors and crown molding add charm, while the large yard adds privacy and plenty of room for entertaining on Lowcountry evenings. Schedule a tour today! 12/14/2010

I no longer put teeth under my pillow nor am I overly disappointed in the absence of colorful eggs and plastic grass next to my bed Easter morning. Mirror mirror on the wall reminds me I am no Peter Pan, and as long as I have been fishing, I have yet to see a mermaid. Unexpected rainbow sightings no longer cause an immediate search for leprechauns or glowing black pots. Halloween doesn't necessarily have me looking to the sky for brooms, and after years of traveling the world, I give up on any yellow brick road. It doesn't mean I don't believe. The tooth fairy now has a very nice office and if I am good, I visit sandman while he cares for my teeth. The Easter Bunny sends me to Walmart to dye my own eggs so that more age appropriate children can search for them. Obviously, he believes in... 12/13/2010

The RE/MAX Network: 90,311 Associates | 6,275 Offices | 84 Countries Coldwell Banker Veteran Chooses to 'Raise the Bar' BIG OR SMALL: Max Mitchell (right), a longtime hot-air balloon pilot, helps set up a RE/MAX cold-air ballon at a breast cancer walk. AMONG FRIENDS: Mitchell (rear left) joins his new colleagues from RE/MAX Realty Associates in giving back. By Amanda Okker, RE/MAX Times Online Editor He's a real estate agent and hot air balloon pilot named Max, so he probably should have realized long ago that RE/MAX was the right place for him. Better late than never, Max Mitchell is finally on board. Mitchell joined RE/MAX Realty Associates in Champaign, Ill., on Sept. 1, after a successful 20-year career with Coldwell Banker. Several factors motivated Mitchell to consider a change. H... 12/13/2010

Beaufort, SC, and the surrounding Lowcountry has some marvelous options available for buyers seeking a home near South Carolina's greens and fairways. Take, for instance, Dataw Island and Callawassie island, two a well-groomed communities offering a nice country club lifestyle. Of these two communities, Dataw is closer to downtown Beaufort, just minutes east, on St. Helena Island. Of the 120 homes currently on the market on Dataw, asking prices range from just under $160,000, up to more than $2 million.  Dataw Island features some of the best waterfront property available in Beaufort, and two Pete Dye golf courses. Callawassie Island has 27 holes of golf,  designed by Tom Fazio. Currently, There are currently 16 homes on the market, with asking prices ranging from $255,000 to $845,000. ... 12/13/2010

Despite an historic combination of affordability and low interest rates, October 2010 was a month of frustration for many involved with the Beaufort, SC, real estate market, as pending and closed sales figures dipped from October 2009. The Beaufort Mutliple Listing Service recorded 55 home sales in October of this year, compared with 73 home sales for October 2009, a decrease of 24.7 percent. Pending sales also dipped, with 134 homes under contract at month’s end, compared with 202 for October 2009, according to information provided by the Beaufort County Association of Realtors (BCAR). As we mentioned, October 2010 was a challenging month despite a combination of historically low interest rates, and a very high affordability index for the Beaufort, SC real estate market.  Still, the o... 12/10/2010

For most of us, this time of year, the weather cools and physical activity wanes. Vitamin C becomes second nature and Kleenex sales soar. Have you made an appointment with the Dock?!? You should. There is valuable advice regarding your health at your disposal. I try and visit the Dock at least once a week and more when stress levels are high. The Dock isn't hard to find. No appointment necessary. The Dock always reminds me to slow down, breathe deeply, and appreciate the little things. In Beaufort South Carolina, there are plenty of Docks, public, private, old, and new. Each has it's own way of promoting good health. If you haven't seen the Dock lately, it is time for you to come down, up, over or across to beautiful Beaufort, South Carolina. Walk ins are always welcomed. 12/10/2010

As Christmas approaches at the speed of light, I realize my since of humor (and egg nog) will be my saving grace yet again:) Here is my Realtor version of the Twelve Days of Christmas!   On the first day of Christmas my buyers gave to me....a list of a million homes to see! On the second day of Christmas my buyers gave to me...two scores below 500 and a list of a million homes to see. On the third day of Christmas my buyers gave to me..three french words Two scores below 500, and a list of a million homes to see. On the fourth day of Christmas my buyers gave to me...four decisions to rent Three french words Two scores below 500 and a list of a million homes to see. On the fifth day of Christmas my buyers gave to me..Five new short sales Four decisions to rent Three french words Two scor... 12/10/2010

Amidst the hustle and bustle, the obligations, the rush and scurry, I chose to sit at home. It was beautiful last night in Beaufort SC.  The stars were bright and clear, Christmas lights twinkled atop sailboats, and the frogs were out in full force on caroling spree matched only by the crickets. My social calender has been so full the past few weeks my time to sit and relax has been slowly scheduled out of my life. Not tonight. Instead of packaging myself in yet ANOTHER cocktail dress, shoes NO woman without superior balance should EVER wear and a hair do that just isn't me, I decided to slip into my Beaufort Water Festival t-shirt, old flannel pj pants, and my favorite pink flip-flops. I turned off my phone, shut down my laptop, turned on the Christmas lights, and made my way to my dec... 12/10/2010

You might visit Beaufort, SC, a hundred times and never find your way to Land's End. The casual visitor to Beaufort will visit Bay Street, Hunting Island, the Beaufort Waterfront Park, and the other popular points of interest. Land's End is a bit more off the beaten path. That's not to say that Land's End is far away. No, it is about 25 minutes from downtown Beaufort. It's just that Land's End is a destination, not a place you will accidently stumble upon. And this is exactly what attracts many real estate buyers to the area. Land's End is what you might imagine Beaufort being like 40 years ago. It is very peaceful and secluded. Located on the southern tip of St. Helena Island, Land's End is just across Port Royal Sound from Hilton Head Island.  Land's End has it's own beach area, and ... 12/09/2010

Who says you need 85 degree temperatures to enjoy the beach? Not Riann Mihiylov, the talented Beaufort-based photographer who snapped this creative image. The location is Hunting Island State Park, the most visited state park in South Carolina. Located 16 miles east of Beaufort on the Atlantic Ocean, Hunting Island is one-in-a-million. From it's lighthouse (the only one in the state open to the public) to it's maritime forest, which runs to the beach and into the water in some places, Hunting Island is a must for anyone visiting Beaufort and the Carolina Lowcountry. A popular spring and summer destination, Hunting Island is also surprisingly visited during our cool winter months. Beaufort residents commonly bundle themselves and their children up, and head east to the park, which is ope... 12/08/2010

Are you looking for a wonderful waterfront community? If so, think about Battery Point. Located just minutes from downtown Beaufort, Battery Point is one of the area's best neighborhoods. Battery Point was developed in the mid-1990s.  Battery Point is one of the area's many "neo-traditional" neighborhoods which combine the charm of early 20th Century coastal architecture with the modern conveniences of new homes.   Presently, there are 25 homes on the market in Battery Point. These homes range in price from $201,500, up to $675,000. The most expensive homes overlook Battery Creek, and many enjoy private docks. There have been 12 Battery Point sales in 2010. The median "sold" price has been $252,000. There are also homesites on the market, ranging from $45,000 to $549,000 for something ... 12/06/2010

Recently it occurred to me that if something is told to you over and over again, regardless of its relevance and/or truth, soon is makes it's way into your belief system. That is absolutely terrifying when I think about the repetitive statements that ambush our world daily. In the world of social media, internet, texting, and the rest of the arsenal of constant communication not only am I exposed to some of the most ridiculous statements ever uttered, I am reminded of them every 13 seconds. This phenenom is not reserved for the credit of technology, technology just makes it easier to spread than the common cold. With incredible detail I remember proudly explaining to my 5th grade sociology class that Ichabod Crane (the headless horseman from Sleepy Hollow) was most definitely my great u... 12/02/2010

  It is amazing what a little planning, and a cast of 3000 people, can accomplish in four days.   Behind me and my daughter, Rebecca, stands a house which was not there two weeks ago. And, no, it wasn't trucked in modular style.   A very dated brick home with no kitchen -- when I say no kitchen, I mean there was no kitchen -- stood on this spot, at the intersection of Abercorn Street and 55th Ave. in downtown Savannah.   The owners, Jim and Carmen Simpson, racked their brains, trying to figure our how they were going to cook Thanksgiving dinner for the family. All they had at their disposal was a microwave, toaster oven, and a fold-out table.    Well, that conundrum was solved easy enough.   On Nov. 12, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition icon Ty Pennington ambushed the Simpsons at the Lady ... 11/25/2010

 Realtor's Thanksgiving Prayer   Thank you for all the little things Emails requesting help with a dream A cell phone that still rings And bloggers who are exactly what they seem.   Give me patience for neighbors And family and  friends Who see Realtor and think favor  Lord, continue to help me grin.   Grant me peace during stress and please hold my tongue from commenting on the mess our industry has become.   Let my lockbox unlock my fliers still fly my sellers avoid shock and my buyers still buy.   For my Lord, I am just an agent hanging on with all my might occasionally using the internet to vent and a little wine to sleep at night.     11/24/2010

Well, another week, another post on what is going on in the Beaufort real estate market. All in all, this is still a great time to buy.  Although mortgage rates have started to tick up, and certainly that is the long term direction for rates, they are still at or near historic lows.  There were 870 homes for sale in the greater Beaufort area as of Monday Nov 22, 2010.  About 15% of these were either short sales or foreclosures, and both of those categories have inched higher in the last couple of weeks. There were 60 homes under contract, of about 7% of the active market.  This is as high a number as we have had since late September and early October.  However, as you can see from the chart below, the overall trend for under contract homes is still down. So what does this mean?  Two thi... 11/23/2010

After many months of planning, permitting, and tons of building we are getting closer and closer to opening our design center and model homes at Somerset Point of Beaufort. So many hours spent anticipating the wants and needs of home seekers, so many ideas coming to life, and so many hopes of what the next few months will bring. I am truly excited to watch another community take form. I can't wait to give they keys to that first family.   I have seen a community go from a vacant lot to a vibrant neighborhood; exactly what I am looking forward to seeing again.   With butterflies fluttering in my tummy, I take pride in each forward step we take to bring a breath of fresh air to the already lovely Ladys Island.   Home seekers will soon have an option not before seen in this price range. Ex... 11/22/2010

January 3, 2011 we will have our design center along with a gorgeous model ready for Beaufort SC home seekers. Somerset Point of Beaufort provides brand new construction on Ladys Island combined with exquisite detail, immaculate craftsmanship, and contemporary style. These gorgeous homes built by Manorhouse Builders of South Carolina are tucked peacefully underneath the Live Oaks of Beaufort South Carolina in one of our most desirable locations; Ladys Island. Ladys Island residents have waited patiently for such a development and we are so happy to launch this awesome community. We are happy to mail or email complete welcome packages that showcase each floorplan.   11/21/2010

11/21/2010

Somehow I doubt that the Pilgrims updated their Facebook status expressing the many things of which they were thankful. It seems unlikely that they sent a mass text wishing the happiest of Thanksgiving to hundreds of their closest pilgrim friends. I am guessing they may have been a tad bit under dressed for an overly impressive harvest cocktail party; yet, I am certain at some point during the preparations someone mentioned the small things. Of course we are all thankful for our health, our jobs, our family (well most of us). Secretly we are abundantly thankful for wine, our days off, and the fact that our family lives 2 hours away. This is normal, don't feel guilty. There are many things we are thankful for that may never be announced over turkey but should be noted nonetheless. The li... 11/19/2010