It’s a beautiful Winter Day on Hilton Head Island. Though it is a little chillier than usual the sun is shining and the sky is a Brilliant Blue. I’ll just put the top down on the little black convertible, keep the windows up and turn the heat on. We’ll call this Blue Saturday.

Today we are taking a drive to Main Street Village.  The village is located on the north end of the island. Take 278 to the entrance of Hilton Head Plantation. Go ¾ around your first round about and you can see the entrance to the village. It is conveniently located for those living in Hilton Head Plantation, Indigo Run, Port Royal and Wind Mill Harbour.

 It is a very quaint little village with brightly colored shops which are now cheerfully decorated for the Holiday Season. The shop keepers and restaurants are looking forward to the rush of holiday shoppers.  There are plenty of parking spaces but you may want to get an early start – more shoppers will be out as we get closer to Christmas.

It is a great day to take a leisurely walk thought the village. There are some very unique shops where you can find the perfect gift. Let’s see what we can find.

Roberts Jewelers: is a family owned shop that has been in business since 1962. It features fine jewelry for a gift that will sparkle. You can also see that there are beautiful pieces of Lladro figurines displayed in the windows.

Letters: Is a fun place to find all kinds of delightful gift items and accessories that you can personalize.  Special unique infant gifts, Christmas ornaments, fun bags, hostess gifts and special papers. The items are beautifully displayed. Fun, Fun, Fun.

Camille & Company: Is a Boutique featuring contemporary ladies apparel and accessories. To quote the owner “Fashion is never finished”

The Pink Pineapple: Furniture, furnishings, Gift items and finishing touches for your home that reflect an elegant flavor.

Stop for lunch:

 Main Street Café: A wonderful café with a cozy neighborhood feeling. Very warm and inviting. The food is delicious. Some of their homemade soup and Quesadillas sound great for this chilly day. (They also serve dinner)

Munches: You are greeted by a gigantic Teddy Bear – so sweet. Have a quick hot dog in this cute deli or some fudge or ice cream.

Back to shopping:

Euro Bike Boutique: Very cool bikes for folks with a discerning eye for fashion forward bikes and accessories in wonderful colors. Bike saddle bags and Nantucket Baskets. They also carry some bike apparel.

Legends Sports Gallery: All kinds of Sports Memorabilia, and accessories plus great wooden signs and some small gift items. To quote the owner “A Sports Enthusiasts Haven” A fun shop.

Stop for Dinner:

Frankie Bones: Wonderful restaurant that serves lunch, dinner and a terrific brunch on Sunday. It has a club feel with its rich décor and dark leather seating. Sights, sounds and smells are great. There is something on the menu for everyone.  An award winning member of the Serg Group.

Wise Guys: Newly expanded Wise Guys has a contemporary urban feel to its décor; lots of stainless steel. To quote the owners: “Big Wines, Small Plates and Signature Entrees” Very trendy. “Late Night Happy Hour in the Lounge” Also a member of the Serg Group.

It’s been a busy day – found some unique gifts for family and friends. Also had a wonderful dining experience at a village restaurant.

Time to go home and wrap presents and regroup. Santa will be sailing to the island soon.

Glenn and I wish you and your family the Happiest of Holiday Seasons. Be safe and stay warm.

 Until next time,

Jane & Glenn

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Come on, admit it…when it rains outside, many of us hum or sing that old tune “Singing in the Rain”…since we don’t get too much rain here, and usually need it, and typically the weather is not too cold, we are in a good mood when it rains, right?

A great idea on a rainy evening, would be to visit the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, here on Hilton Head Island, for an uplifting production of the vintage musical show,

“Singing in the Rain”, one of the best musicals of all time, many would say.

The story is set in the “Roaring Twenties”, where all movies were silent movies, and the new dawn of high tech “talkies” has just begun, which was great and amazing for movie enthusiasts. But what about the movie stars? Well, if you were Don Lockwood, leading man, all was fine because he had a wonderful voice. However, his leading lady, Lina Lamont, had a voice that sounded like a cat scratching a chalkboard! So what were they to do, fire the beautiful actress whom audiences knew and loved? Not a chance, so the producers hired a lovely up and coming actress to voice Lina’s part, and to the cast’s surprise, became Don’s love interest!  Much hilarity evolves, as jealous Lina finds out about the two of them.

Palmetto Dunes Villas for Sale

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38 Properties Found. Page 1 of 7.

75 Ocean Lane, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,171 Sf

MLS # 402468

2 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,315 Sf

MLS # 405721

1 Ocean Lane, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,232 Sf

MLS # 393591

76 Ocean Lane, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,488 Sf

MLS # 404739

47 Ocean Lane, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 1 Beds, 2 Baths, 985 Sf

MLS # 402120

65 Ocean Lane, Hilton Head Island

,900 – 1 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,019 Sf

MLS # 398235

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The rest is for you to find out, when you attend this wonderful show…

Upcoming shows at the Arts Center are “Cash, the Story of Johnny Cash”.  “Gypsy” and “Xanadu” are two more productions on the 2015 schedule. 

The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina is a fabulous “home town” facility, whose goal is to constantly seek to delight the local residents and visitors, with award winning productions of some of the most famous plays ever produced, and the talented actors are both local grown and New York bred.

The Arts Center also hosts community events and educational outreach programs, and the art gallery is well utilized by local artists and fund raising events.

The Arts Center is a non-profit organization, and depends on donations and grants from sponsors, supporters, and the town of Hilton Head Island. To learn more about their events, or to hopefully make a much needed donation to ensure that this wonderful organization continues to provide such a needed service to our community, or to just purchase tickets, please log on to www.artscenterhhi.com.

See you at the shows!!!!!

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On a nice sunny day in November with temperatures in the 70s, I had the pleasure to join friends to cruise the Okatie River with Captain Eric Burns on Berkeley Hall’s 25 foot pontoon boat. 

_{Berkeley Hall, a private golf community, is known for its two “core” golf courses designed by Tom Fazio where no homes are built on the golf course and for its beautiful homes.  An added pleasure of living in or visiting the Berkeley Hall community is the opportunity to enjoy The Berkeley Hall River Park where you can fish, crab, kayak or take a cruise.    Berkeley Hall has more than one mile of frontage on the Okatie River.  Afternoon sunset cruises are offered to owners and guests.}

_{Okatie is pronounced “Oh-kuh-tee” and means “shallow waters” which often refers to waters which fringe the edges of marsh islands.  The Okatie River is an estuary of the Port Royal Sound and is simply, beautiful, as it weaves around communities like Berkeley Hall, Riverbend, Oldfield, Colleton River Plantation and Pinckney Colony.} 

Homes for Sale in Berkeley Hall

_{Captain Eric, a Clemson graduate, returned to the lowcountry because of his love for the area and is quite a historian.  He was the perfect host explaining the area, pointing out wildlife and sharing stories from the past about sugar cane plantations, oyster factories, the “monkey farm” on Pinckney Colony and more.}

_{As we departed from the dock, a solitary loon greeted us.  This loon is one of the first to flee the oncoming cold weather in the north to enjoy the lowcountry for the winter – sounds like a smart plan to me.}

_{The edges of the river are home to many magnificent maritime forest live oaks which interestingly, are federally protected.  Also plentiful are saw palmetto trees which assist in erosion control and can withstand the spray from salt water.  South Carolina officially chose the palmetto tree as its state tree in 1939; however, the tree has been a symbol in South Carolina since the trees were used to build and protect Fort Moultrie in the Revolutionary War. Cannon balls shot into the spongy tree-lined sides of the fort bounced off, were retrieved and then used to fire back to defend the fort.  The fort located on Sullivan’s Island near Charleston, SC. still has some of the walls in place.}

 _{What a treat to see several eagle nests where eagles return year after year increasing the size of their nest each year.  Eagle nests are quite huge with the largest recorded nest found in Florida being 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep.  Most nests are built in close proximity to water.  We saw 7 eagles including adult and juveniles.  No matter how many eagles you see, each sighting “makes your day”!} 

_{Experiencing the Berkeley Hall river cruise on the pristine Okatie River was an amazing experience that highlighted the natural beauty of the lowcountry and reminded me how fortunate I am to call the lowcountry “home”.  Despite living in the area for 37 years, every day offers a new adventure.} 

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This past January we sold our marsh-front home in the gated community of Belfair. We felt fortunate with the sale and were excited about what was next.  Our plan was to buy a Belfair lakefront site and build a smaller house. 

To avoid moving twice we had hoped to lease back from our buyers while we built, but they were ready to relocate.  So we moved from our 4350 SF home with a giant garage underneath to an 1800 SF rental and tight two-car garage. The buyers purchased lots of our furnishings including oriental rugs, grand player piano, dining room suite, tables, chairs, sofas, matching bedding and draperies, original artwork, lamps and accessories.  We discussed renting storage, but opted to sell most of our things and buy new upon our next move. We kept enough to furnish the rental and the rest went into the garage. 

We bought a smaller lakefront home site in keeping with our plan and began designing a new house. The site was a great buy at a whopping 89% discount off the original developer price paid in 1998. We were on the right side of real estate and it felt great.  It was still a buyer’s market, but building costs were quickly climbing.  Building meant we’d get exactly what we wanted but it would also take over a year to plan and build. Perhaps buying a fixer upper might also be a good option?

Then one Wednesday afternoon in August my husband called and suggested I have a look at a Moss Creek home he’d just previewed. It was a Dunes Real Estate listing and had just been reduced to ,900, down ,000 from its list price 15 months earlier.  The lake and marsh view was beautiful, but the house – not so much!  Built in 1985, the foyer and kitchen had dark green slate floors and in spite of the fact that it had new kitchen cabinets and granite, mostly remodeled baths and new flooring (except for the green slate), there was a LOT to be done.

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9 Properties Found. Page 1 of 2.

41 Royal Pointe Drive, Hilton Head Island

,900 – 3 Beds, 3 Baths, 2,862 Sf

MLS # 397077

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45 Royal Pointe Drive, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 3 Beds, 3 Baths, 1,613 Sf

MLS # 405864

43 Stable Gate Road, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,371 Sf

MLS # 405747

38 Stable Gate Road, Hilton Head Island

,325 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,486 Sf

MLS # 405584

14 Timber Lane, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 3 Beds, 3 Baths, 2,068 Sf

MLS # 401725

129 Devils Elbow Lane, Hilton Head Island

,000 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,247 Sf

MLS # 403038

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Behind the house, the lake and marsh were divided by a dam that serves as a nature trail.  All of that in the back view for less than half the price of building and we could be in by December first!  We made an offer the same day and closed on October 8^th.  Our remodeling adventure has begun.   

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Dunes Real Estate is throwing a huge Spring Palmetto Dunes Real Estate Open House and You’re Invited! Spanning Two days! February 6th & 7th!

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CALL 843.842.1111 OR STOP BY OUR REAL ESTATE SALES OFFICE
LOCATED BESIDE THE PALMETTO DUNES PASS OFFICE.

Dunes Real Estate is holding an open house in Palmetto Dunes featuring 7 properties on Friday and 7 properties on Saturday. This is a fantastic oppotunity to see homes and villas behind the gate of Palmetto Dunes across a variety of price points. To access simply visit our Palmetto Dunes office which is located immediatly to the right as you enter the plantation. We’ll have market information, real estate tools and the entire Hilton Head MLS availible. Stop by!

#1) 5 Weather Shore

#4) 5 Weather Shore

#2) 50 Haul Away

50 Haul Away

#3) 1 Brigantine

#1) 1 Brigantine

#4) 458 Captains Walk Villas

458 Captains Walk

#5) 117 Abbington Villas

117 Abbington

#6) 208 Barrington Arms Villas

208 Barrington

#7) 41 Queens Way

41 Queens Way

Here’s what you missed on Friday!

( Download the Flyer Here )

#1) 1 Brigantine

#1) 1 Brigantine

#2) 6 High Rigger

#2) 6 High Rigger

#3) 30 Swing About

#3) 30 Swing About

#4) 5 Weather Shore

#4) 5 Weather Shore

#5) 35 Water Oak Villas

#5) 35 Water Oak Villas

#6) 614 Barrington Park Villas

#6) 614 Barrington Villas

#7) 672 Queens Grant Villas

#7) 672 Queens Grant Villas

HAVE YOU DREAMED OF OWNING –Programs are out there to help

Please pass blog to all of your friends!

Find out if you can qualify for a home today – waiting may cost you more than you think.

As a REALTOR and SC State Housing Certified Real Estate Professional, I can tell you that this is a great time to be a first time home buyer in South Carolina. If you do not own a home or property at this time in South Carolina, even if you have owned a home before, many of the benefits may be available to you too- surprise! Keep reading- I have information in this blog you may not know and may save you money.

I know you understand that if you don’t own a home, but are paying rent, you may be paying more to your landlord than you would for your own home. Maybe you think you can’t afford to purchase a home or how much the upfront cost would be when you buy. Do you really understand the costs and benefits of owning your own home? First, I suggest talking to a qualified local lender who is familiar with our area and who knows the many ways to help you know your options, your budget and who can assist you to become prequalified for your loan. Second, you should talk to your tax advisor for the tax benefits you will receive owning your own home. You can also do a great deal of research on line, but be sure to include a discussion with a local professional.

So what is out there for you to check out? Again, I am a REALTOR and I have also been trained a bit in programs offered by SC Housing. I am always excited to introduce these programs to people because they may make the difference for my clients being able to own their own home. Something is out there for nearly everyone to help you own a home! These programs do have income restrictions, so that is probably one of the first items your lender will talk with you about – if you make too much money you may not apply. Also there are credit score and income expectations. There’s one way to know if you will qualify and that’s simply to ask a lender who participates with these programs.

Let’s talk TAXES first– and I think there is even better news coming soon! Everyone who is buying a home please read this-I want you to check out the SC Mortgage Tax Credit. It is a REAL CREDIT- so cool! The MCC (Mortgage Credit Certificate) allows eligible borrowers to take a DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR federal tax CREDIT of up to 30% of the mortgage interest they pay annually or ,000, whichever is less- every year! Again, lenders who participate with this program will be able to give you all of the details – be sure to ask.

Next we have the LOANS: SC Housing Loan Programs are based on a fixed interest rate loan with a maximum loan-to-value (LTV) of 97% (for Rural Housing) or 96.5% (for FHA). Therefore, if you buy a home for ,000, the minimum down payment that would be required is ,000 (for Rural Housing) or ,500 (for FHA). SC Housing may have down payment assistance funds available to pay all or part of the required down payment. This down payment may even be given to you as a grant. With the new lending guidelines with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, we are seeing loans with down payments as low as 3 percent down starting again.

The fabulous news on top of that is that interest rates are still very low! Owning your own home may be within your reach now more than ever! And this may be the very best time to buy as we look to the future. In Bluffton, we have affordable and very nice homes for first time home buyers. Have you dreamed of your own home, a yard, a garage – a place you can change as you wish? Now is the time, it takes a team – you, the right lender and the right Realtor. I’m happy to help.

This could be your neighborhood pool!

 This beautiful home would fit most programs 

You can contact me for a copy of the SC Housing Homebuyer Program guide and also the SC Mortgage Tax Credit program guide.
Best wishes – Stacha Schiller-Stinson, REALTOR and certified SC Housing Specialist

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Hilton Head is so much fun in the Spring.  There are a lot of special things happening.  Here are just a few you should not miss if you are coming to Hilton Head:

One of my favorite places, The Art Center of Coastal Carolina at Shelter Cove, has some great performances this Spring.  Ring of Fire:  The Music of Johnny Cash starts February 10 – March 1. From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, home and family, struggle and success and rowdiness and redemption. More than two dozen classic hits – including “I Walk the Line,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and the title tune paint a musical portrait of The Man in Black.

Another very special evening at The Art Center will take place March 7^th for one evening only. Two time Grammy Award winning pianist, Peter Nero will leads his unrivaled pops orchestra blending classical, swing, Broadway, blues and jazz — all performed with virtuosity, authenticity and engaging sense of humor. For more information on either of these shows and to purchase tickets, go to www.artshhi.com.

If you are looking for a new place for dinner before or after the theatre, check out the newly opened Poseidon Restaurant and Roof Top Bar.  The newest addition to Shelter Cove, it offers a wonderful menu and magnificent views of Broad Creek. Their website is www.poseidonhhi.com. Be sure to call for reservations; they are the most popular spot in town!

Don’t forget Valentine’s Day on February 14. If you want to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a really different way, how about taking  the Alligator Wine & Cheese Cruise! I didn’t even know there was such a thing until just recently.  You and your “honey” can enjoy a sunset cruise on the freshwater lakes of the Sea Pines Forest Preserve and discover indigenous plants and animals while enjoying complimentary wine and cheese. How many people can say they spent Valentine’s Day with some alligators! Reservations are required (adults only), and may be made by calling The Nature Center at (843) 686-5323. 

March on Hilton Head is “Fest Month” – Seafood Fest, Wine Fest and Wing Fest all occur in March.  Whether you prefer seafood, wine, wings or all of the above, March on Hilton Head offers it all. 

SEAFOOD FEST takes place March 1 – March 7.  There are special events and a great entertainment lineup.  For the full schedule, go to http://www.davidmcarmines.org/seafoodfest/hilton-head-seafood-festival.

WINE FEST The 30th Annual Hilton Head Island Wine & Food Festival, taking place March 9-14 brings together wine, spirits and food lovers and celebrity wine experts at one of the largest outdoor wine festivals on the East Coast, featuring 500+ wines. For more information on this exciting event, visit www.hiltonheadwineandfood.com.

WING FEST is March 21 at Shelter Cove Community Park from 11 am until 6 pm

15-20 local restaurants will cook their best wings to compete for the 2015 Best Wing of Hilton Head. There will be many activities such as a kid’s zone, rock climbing wall and bungee jump. You can even catch a March Madness game on the big screen and enjoy live music by local entertainers.  More info at (843) 681-7273 or islandreccenter.org.

Right in the middle of all the “FESTS” is the NOT TO BE MISSED 

       Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade

                 March 15, 2015 – Sunday, 3 pm

Welcome to Hilton Head Ireland! Founded in 1983, the Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade has grown to become one of Hilton Head Island’s most beloved and popular annual events. Upwards of 25,000 spectators (in a town of approximately 40,000 permanent residents) line Pope Avenue each spring to enjoy this local tradition.  Follow the countdown to parade day and get more info at http://www.hiltonheadireland.org/

Another sure sign of Spring on Hilton Head is the return of Gregg Russell Concerts in HabourTown!  Gregg’s Spring concerts run from March 30 – April 3 at 7:30 pm every evening under the Liberty Oak in HarbourTown. Over the years, Gregg Russell has become a Sea Pines classic, entertaining adults and children alike. It’s total family fun. Most families come night after night because they know the show is always different, always exciting. His concerts are not to be missed. Shows are free. http://www.greggrussell.com/

Plan your Spring trip to Hilton Head Island soon and join us in all the fun!  HAPPY SPRING!

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I remember growing up that my dad would go to garage sales and thrift stores every weekend looking for who knows what.  I asked him, “Why do you go to garage sales every weekend when you can just go to the store and buy new things?”  I can still recall his answer.  After a long pause he said, “Son it’s always about the find.”

In truth we really didn’t need most of the things that he brought home but years later I am beginning to think I might have inherited some of the old man’s enthusiasm for bargain hunting.  A few years back I remodeled my first home on a very tight budget.  I found that I had a knack for finding items both new and old for much less than retail.  Once my project was complete I started managing remodels for other people, which often included fully furnishing the home or condo.

After going to a number of new furniture stores I began to realize there wasn’t going to be a way to do all of the desired renovations plus have enough money left over for furniture, artwork, bedding, lamps, etc.  At this point I thought back to consider what would my dad do? I wondered if I could find some stores on Hilton Head and the surrounding Lowcountry that would have good quality used furniture for less.  Well the more I investigated I found a treasure trove of consignment, antique and thrift stores right in my own back yard.

There are a number of consignment stores on Arrow Road including Furniture and Sound Solutions, Annie’s Attic, Classic Consignments of Hilton Head, Home Décor & More and my personal favorite Bargains & Treasures.  The quality of their consignment pieces are like new and the pricing can’t be beat.  As Dave Spahr, one of the owners of Bargains & Treasures says, “We are not a museum.  We are in the furniture moving business.”  What he means is that they only choose the best pieces and price things to sell so they are constantly getting in new inventory. 

After I make my rounds on the Island I head out to Bluffton where there is a second Bargains & Treasures and Annie’s Attic location.  Shopping these stores both on the Island and in Bluffton means that any large furniture purchases that you make only require one delivery fee.  Most of my remodel jobs last 4-6 weeks so it gives me plenty of time to shop around and accumulate every thing I need prior to the construction work being complete. 

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Old Town Bluffton

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9 Properties Found. Page 1 of 3.

8 Guerrard Ave, Bluffton

,000 – 3 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,816 Sf

MLS # 401588

38 Lawton Street, Bluffton

,000 – 2 Beds, 1 Baths, 775 Sf

MLS # 400968

25 Shults Road, Bluffton

,900 – 2 Beds, 2 Baths, 1,662 Sf

MLS # 404412

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Kurt and Brenda Croteau who own Annie’s Attic are so friendly and helpful.  Their new store in Bluffton is very well organized and will have a cash and carry section as well as a painting booth to spray old furniture pieces.  Kurt frequently gets donations from timeshares and hotels that are looking to refresh their rooms plus he has a large selection of bed frames and mattresses.

My new favorite consignment store in Bluffton is Vintage Market.  They have over 10,000 square feet of retail space with a collection of furniture & home décor, artwork & collectibles, as well as custom furniture painting.  They also offer low cost home staging. 

After consignment store shopping in the Lowcountry for years now I can tell you that antiques and older furniture pieces are often of better quality than items you could by new for a fraction of the price.  What I will often do is look for quality made pieces regardless of the color and go to Revival Designs & Décor to have them painted or do it myself.  Her brand of chalk paint comes in a variety of colors and doesn’t require any sanding, priming or waxing! 

Sometimes the lessons we were taught by our parents take a while to sink in.  My dad was right the thrill is in the find.  The best designed homes do not look like they were purchased right out of a catalog but acquired over time.  Consignment store furniture shopping forces you to be creative and isn’t that what design is all about?