The third annual Yacht Hop fundraiser to benefit Hospice of the Lowcountry will take place May 6 in famous Harbour Town, Sea Pines.  Attendees will have the unusual opportunity of visiting 20 of the most elegant vessels in the Southeast, while enjoying extravagant food prepared by an abundance of the area's finest chefs and restaurants.  This year, over 1000 people are expected to attend.  The Yacht Hop is a fabulous way to support the local Hospice which is an independent, community based non-profit organization that has served Beaufort and Jasper counties for 24 years.  All funds donated are used to provide services to help adults and children with end stage illnesses. Cost to attend is $100 for each person.   The event will be held from 6PM to 10PM at the Harbourtown Yacht Basin.  Ti... 04/17/2007

    A splendid hardcoat stucco home located in Oyster Reef Crossing, one of the newest neighborhoods in Hilton Head Plantation. Tons of space including a first floor master bedroom and separate office plus great room, DR and gourmet cook's kitchen. Upstairs there are 3 additional bedrooms....Situated on a pastoral and picturesque lagoon....one of the nicest views in this neighborhood. Owners have lavished care....Home shows like new...If you need space, this is definitely the home for you  For more information, visit my website:  www.dianebell.com    Features  Home Type: Full Size Style: Two Story View: Lagoon Parking: Garage-2 Car Exterior: Hard Coat Stucco Roof: Asphalt Community Pool Floors: Carpet, Tile, Manuf. Wood Restrictions: Motorcycles, Pets OK Heating: Central, Heat Pump Cool... 04/17/2007

The recently passed House Bill 4449 that was passed by the South Carolina State Legislature contained two pieces of helpful news for owner occupied homes in the state.  Part 1 of Section III specifically provides exemption from School Operating Millage.  It provides that 100% of the air Market Value for the 4% assessment ratio will be exempt from paying for school taxes.  Revenue lost from this exemption will be made up by a 1% increase in the sales tax. The beauty of this provision is that it will help to boost home ownership and transfer some of the liability of funding schools to renters and visitors.. Section Four of the same bill has some great news also for those of you who reside in owner-occupied homes.  This section will provide a cap on real property values and will limit the ... 04/17/2007

The annual Golf Expo at Palmetto Dunes will take place on April 28th and what a show it will be!  All attendees will be given the opportunity to demo new equipment and consult with a custom club fitter.  Over a dozen PGA golf pros will be on hand teaching classes covering every gamut of the golf world.  There will even be free golf classes.  Held each year, the expo is a fabulous way for those new to golf and season veterans to experience the game including but not limited to fashion and equipment.  The expo will take place on the Robert Trent Jones course and is FREE to the public.  Come see the Segway demonstratios.  Mark you calendars for GOLF EXPO, Saturday, April 28th from noon until 4PM.  For more information, contact the folks at 843-785-1138.  For more information about the Hil... 04/16/2007

Leamington evokes the memories of old time lowcountry living.  A private community located within Palmetto Dunes, it is comprised of  approximately 450 exquisite acres that include a swim club,  boat and dock access to the Palmetto Dunes 11 mile lagoon system and an oceanfront beach club.  Although located within Palmetto Dunes, homes and villas in Leamington are not utilized as short term rentals, thereby insuring the exclusivity of the community.  The community also boasts an 18 hole Arthur Hills Golf  Course.  Homee prices in this community rangs from the high $800, 000's upwards to multi million dollar homes and villas.  For more information or to view homes in this area, please visit my website:  www.dianebell.com   04/16/2007

Conveniently located at the north end of Hilton Head Island, Avalon at Indigo Run offers a fabulous opportunity for easy carefree  and maintenance free living.  These villas are a generous 1800 sq. ft. and are 3 bedroom residences all on one floor with gas fireplaces and 2 car garages.  Community ameneties include a gated security entrance and a residence community swimming pool.  Prices start in the low to mid $400,000's.  Proprties tend to get scooped up quickly when they come on the market. 04/16/2007

Sometimes referred to as "Heaven on Earth,"  Broad Pointe is perhaps one of the best kept secrets on Hilton Head Island.   This picturesque community is located within the confines of Indigo Run Plantation and situated along Broad Creek with amazing pastoral views of the marshes.  The area has its own swim club and private day dock for fishing and crabbing and is protected by a security gate.  Owners have the option of using the ameneties of Indigo Run community areas.  This is one of the smaller communities on Hilton Head but definitely one worth investigating if you like a smaller, more intimate neighborhood.  For more information on Hilton Head areas, contact me through my website:  http://www.dianebell.com/ 04/16/2007

Indigo Run Plantation......the youngest and newest plantation located on the island and the last grand plantation to be developed on-island.  Consisting of almost 1800 acres and located at the north end of the island, Indigo Run has 2 Jack Nicklaus golf coures--The Golf Club, a private course and The Golden Bear, a semi private course.  The homes in Indigo Run offer a semblance of newer architectural styling and are situated on sweeping picturesque wooded homesites that offer wooded, golf or lagoon views.  Prices start in the range of mid $600's. Ameneties available to residents include the community Sunningdale Park consisting of an olympic sized swimming pool, hard tennis courts, basketball, volleyball courts and a playground for the children.  Many Indigo Run residents are part timer... 04/04/2007

  Spring is in full bloom in the Lowcountry area of Hilton Head and Bluffton.  The Azaleas are in full bloom with a profusion of snapdragons and pansies.  Visitors are streaming to the island for spring break, Easter and of course, the famous Verizon Heritage Golf Event.  Below is a list of various activities available for the month of April in and around the island. April 1-7:  A Painter's Travels   The Hilton Head Library will display and exhibit of watercolors and acrylics by Gerald Williams. April 5-29:  Alice in Wonderland will be presented by the Main Street Youth Theatre...www.msyt.org April 14-15:  American Masters    The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra will perform works of the American Masters at First Presbyterian Church.  Tickets:  843-842-2055 April 25-May27:  Fiddler on the... 04/04/2007

  Hilton Head and Bluffton has fast become a mecca for thrifters traveling here from far and away.  Below is a list of thrift shops in the area that offer a wide and interesting array of merchandise. Happy Thrifting!   THE BARGAIN BOX, HILTON HEAD'S OLDEST THRIFT SHOP   546 WM HILTON PARKWAY, M,W,F 1-4  S,9-12 BARGAINS AND TREASURES, 88 ARROW ROAD, OPEN DAILY CALHOUN STATION, BLUFFTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING, OPEN DAILY CHURCH MOUSE, 50 POPE AVENUE, HILTON HEAD,  OPEN DAILY GOOD WILL INDUSTRIES, 95 MATTHEWS DRIVE,  OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RETAIL STORE, 184-B BLUFFTON ROAD, BLUFFTON, OPEN DAILY HOSPICE COMMUNITY THRIFT, 3-A MATTHEWS DR., OPEN TUES, WED, FRI AND SAT. LITTER BOX, ALL PROCEEDS DONATED TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY, OPEN M, W, T, F, AND S, 46 WILD HORSE ROAD, HILTON HEAD ... 03/29/2007

  Golf Courses Course Name Holes Par Phone Number Island West 18 72 689-6660 Crescent Pointe 18 72 706-2600 Eagle's Point 18 71 686-4457 Hilton Head National Golf Club 27 71 842-5900 Rose Hill Plantation 27 72 842-3740 Old Carolina Golf Club 18 72 785-6363 Old South Golf Links 18 72 785-5353 Golden Bear Golf Club (Indigo Run) 18 72 689-2200 Country Club of HHI (HHP) 18 72 681-GOLF Oyster Reef (HHP) 18 72 681-7717 Barony (Port Royal) 18 72 689-GOLF Planter's Row (Port Royal) 18 72 689-GOLF Robber's Row (Port Royal) 18 72 689-GOLF Arthur Hills (Palmetto Dunes) 18 72 785-1140 George Fazio (Palmetto Dunes) 18 70 785-1138 Robert Trent Jones 18 72 785-1138 Harbour Town (Sea Pines) 18 71 363-4485 Ocean Course (Sea Pines) 18 72 363-4475 Sea Marsh (Sea Pines) 18 72 363-4475 Shipyard Golf Club 27... 03/29/2007

  Spring has Sprung in Hilton Head so what in the world does a person do if they're not die hard golfers?  With the 39th Annual Verizon Heritage golf tournament fast approaching, it almost seems that golf is the only sport on this beloved island.  Well think again! April brings some of the best island weather for activities such as biking, kayaking, fishing, sailing and hiking.  It's a great time to investigate "off the beaten" areas of the island.  Many guides offer dolphin watching trips, kayaking tours that give you an up close view of the environment.  For instance, check out the website for Outside Hilton Head, http://www.outsidehiltonhead.com/ for a vast array of interesting day trips and excursions. April 20-22 ushers in the 3rd annual David Carmines Tennis Tournament, a level fo... 03/29/2007

The 5th Annual Art Market will be held on Hilton Head Island from Saturday, April 28 to Sunday, April 29. Anyone who has visited the beautiful Lowcountry  of Hilton Head, knows that the area is famous for its beautiful natural beauty, certainly a haven for artists. The Coastal Discovery Museum extends invitations to artists from all over the world to come to Hilton Head each year  for a week long juried art and fine craft exhibit and sale, thereby showing off the natural beauty of the area to artists from all over the country.  This year, over 80 artists will converge on Honey Horn, a pristine park consisting of 69 acres at the juncture of the Cross Island Parkway.  Honey Horn has a rich history and is one of the last undeveloped open spaces located on the island.  The area is rich in n... 03/29/2007

Yesterday was a very interesting day for me.  I had a property close that had been listed with me for a short while.  The agent that sold the property was pleasant to work with but largely had no communication with me through the process. And I mean NO COMMUNICATION!   Some of you may recall that I had written about this transaction previously.  I stopped by the house to pick up the lockbox and the new owner met me in the driveway  somewhat distraught.  Seems she was putting up a fence for her dogs when the neighbor came over to let her know her backyard was about 1/4 of the size she thought it was.  Her Buyer's Agent had indicated a property line to her that was incorrect.   I asked her if she had a plot plan.  She said no.  Apparently the Buyer's Agent neglected to provide a plot plan... 03/27/2007

For those of you living in more of a major rental market, help is at hand if you think your rent may be too high.  Check out this website:  www.rentometer.com.  Originally conceived by a New England investment firm, this can be a handy tool if your rental complex is located in a major rental market.  Once you access the site, type in your rental address with a few other pertinent details, click on "Analyze my Property" and the site will compare rates to other complexes in the area.  One of the drawbacks to this site is that it doesn't have the ability to perceive locational differences within your complex.  Say you live on a top floor with a unit that has sweeping vista views, the site won't be able to discern the difference.  Rentometer is a work in progress but who knows whether it wi... 03/25/2007

  The Preserve at Indigo Run Located at the north end of Hilton Head Island, The Preserve offers tremendous opportunities for home owners desirous of living on Hilton Head Island.   Originally sold as an apartment to villa conversion, this complex is completely sold out and offers resales in a variety of 6 floor plans ranging from 927 to 1812 square feet with each building architecturally designed in the Tuscan style, stucco exterios and lush landscaping.  Prices for this complex range from the low $300,000's to the mid $400,000 price point.          03/24/2007

A popular vacation destination, Hilton Head Island is located along the Atlantic coast in Beaufort County, South Carolina. The largest coastal island between New Jersey and Florida, Hilton Head Island is approximately 12 miles long and 5 miles wide at its widest point. Bluffton is located just across the bridge from Hilton Head Island and features a historic downtown with antique shops, craft stores, and quaint restaurants. Bluffton is one of the fastest growing areas in South Carolina, with amazing and wonderful shopping areas, fantastic restaurants, and businesses galore.With dozens of golf courses, hundreds of tennis courts, several marinas, miles of biking trails and pristine beaches, the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton area offers something for everyone.   For more information about t... 03/18/2007

One of the most interesting and exciting fund raisers of the year will soon take place on world class Hilton Head Island.  Chefs from all over the country as well as wine makers will converge on the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina's Wine Auction and Celebration next weekend. Taking place during the week of March 23,  the fundraiser features a slate of private dinners, seminars and wine tastings. Chefs will cook small dinners in private homes paired with complementary wines. Vintners will share their expertise during tasting seminars. The week ends at the Wine Auction Gala with a gourmet dinner and a bevy of items to be auctioned off including trips to various wine making areas such as Napa Valley and top vinter wines up for auction. The fundraiser is wildly popular and has been a huge d... 03/17/2007

Pinckney Island may well be one of the best kept secrets of Hilton Head and Bluffton.  The refuge entrance is located on U.S. 278, 18 miles east of Hardeeville, South Carolina or 0.5 miles west of Hilton Head Island, as an access just off the main bridge that leads to Hilton Head.  Pinckey was originally a plantation of over 4000 acres owned by Major General Charles Pinckney, a prominent South Carolina lawyer.Nearly 67% of the refuge consists of salt marsh and tidal creeks.  A wide variety of land types are found on Pinckney Island alone:  salt marsh, forestland, brushland, fallow field and freshwater ponds.  In combination, these habitats support a diversity of bird and plant life.Pinckney is a virtual habitat of perfection for aspiring photographers offering access to an incredible ar... 03/16/2007

For the first time since 1991, new airline service and broader options will be available to visitors wishing to fly into the Hilton Head local airport.  Delta Airlines will begin service on Saturday, March 17 with three daily flights from Atlanta through the summer season.  This service is slated to be available until September 4 although Delta will review their options at that time to determine whether they will maintain or expand the service.  Service will be offered by a Delta subsidiary, Atlantic Southeast Airlines on ATR Turboprop 66 seat planes.  With Atlanta being one of the main feeder markets for tourism on Hilton Head Island, this is an incredible opportunity for Atlanta residents to easily access the Hilton Head Airport, thereby maximizing their vacation opportunities and sav... 03/16/2007