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Welcome! Merry Christmas! From all of us at Collins Group Realty,
we wish you a fun and safe holiday, as well as great things to come
for you and yours in the new year! Enjoy! |
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20
Timber Marsh Lane
$625,000 |
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Consider
this outstanding opportunity to buy on a 4 or 5-bedroom home
on a full-size lot in popular Palmetto Hall at this price.
You won’t find a better deal in the plantation! Located
on the quiet cul-de-sac of Timber Marsh Lane, this home enjoys
a terrific neighborhood. The large, full-size lot accommodates
front and rear yards, ideal for landscaping, play areas and
privacy buffers from the street and the neighboring homes.
Just behind the formal living areas is the casual “heart”
of the home. This is the combined kitchen, breakfast, family
room that features soaring ceilings, loads of glass for natural
light, tile flooring and an open, flowing floorplan. The room
is appointed with a fireplace, center island and a door leading
to the charming screened porch overlooking the rear of the
property.
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As
a means of exposing you to different areas of Hilton Head
Island / Bluffton, we present this interesting and entertaining
section of our email newsletter. Below, you will see photographs
taken of a very specific location in our area...and all
you have to do is guess where it is! Well, actually, we
tell you at THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE NEWSLETTER, so don't
get too frustrated if you can't figure it out. Have fun
with it...and good guessing!)
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Your
Home Insurance
Don't Let Deductible Definitions Blow You Away
Stories of post-Katrina insurance travails should be cautionary
for coastal area homeowners. Misunderstanding your coverage
and definitions of your coverage can be costly. There are,
for example, major differences between “Wind and Hail”
deductibles, and that of a “Named Storm,” states
Bill Thomas, president of Carswell Insurance Services. |
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For
example: say your home is insured for $300,000. Your roof
is damaged by a thunder storm. If your policy has a Wind
and Hail deductible of 2 percent (the usual), your share
of whatever the repair cost totals will be $6,000 (2 percent
of $300,000).
But
if you have “Named Storm” coverage, says Thomas,
with a deductible of 2 percent and $1,000 for “All
Other Perils,” your share of the repair will be only
$1,000, a savings of $5,000.”
Of
course, if the damage were caused by a tropical depression
named by the National Weather Bureau, there would be no
savings. The 2% deductible would apply.
Thomas
also points out that, “Flood insurance is also subject
to definitions of cause. Your concerns are damage to the
dwelling as well as damage to its contents.”
Most
policies clearly cover damage caused by a storm ripping
off a roof, damaging the structure and soaking the contents.
But what if the storm leaves the roof intact but causes
nearby waters to rise and flood the structure and contents?
Is that storm-caused damage, or flood damage?
In
areas hit by Hurricane Katrina there are a number of disputes
whirling about those definitions. Was damage caused by broken
flood control structures – levies – covered by
Named Storm/All Other Perils or is that related to Wind
and Hail coverage? What caused the damage, wind or water?
Would waters have risen and levies break unless driven by
hurricane force winds?
The
knowledgeable staff at Carswell Insurance Services is equipped
to answer questions such as these as well as any other insurance
related topics.
Carswell
has offices in both Hilton Head and Bluffton, and can be
reached by calling (843) 785-5191 or (843) 815- 9650.
Villa
Market
Probably the hardest hit segment of the market this year,
villas may represent some of the “best buys” in
the first part of 2007. There is a very high inventory of
listed villas for sale at this time, and some sellers have
a fairly good amount of equity that provides them added flexibility
as they contemplate what their eventual sales price may be.
Translation: Buyers may be able to make lower offers and find
that some sellers (especially those who have owned for several
years or more) are willing to negotiate pretty significantly.
As for the future of villa values, consider the following
graph that demonstrates how villa appreciation has compared
to the stock market performance. Let us know if you may have
an interest in checking out some of the best villa buys in
the area.
Hitting
Bottom
After a 14-18 month “adjustment” period in our market,
indicators seem to suggest that we may be at or close to hitting
bottom. Market activity is increasing – in fact November
2006 produced 137% of the number of sales that we saw in November
2005. Plus, historically-low and stabilized interest rates
are generating economic feasibility for second-home buyers.
Additionally, reduced pricing within the large current inventory
of homes and villas seems to be stirring new buyer-traffic
in the market, indicating that price-points have hit a point
that stimulates sales. As buyers snatch up the best-buys and
begin to establish a stronger baseline of closed sales, other
buyers who have been monitoring the market will jump into
the market in large numbers, aiming to buy before prices begin
escalating again. Bottom line: This is THE time to buy if
you want to “buy low and sell high.” Give us a call
so we can help you find the best-buy in the market |
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We
hope that you find the following tip on home maintenance,
etc. to be helpful. If so, feel free to pass it along to a
friend.
This Month's Tip
This is such a fun time of year when so many people decorate
their homes with lights, garland, trees, wreaths, etc.. A
lot of the last minute shopping that takes place is for strings
of lights, timers for lights, extension cords, yard decorations
like inflatables, etc... – and the stores love us because
we are all captive buyers who need/want it right now. So we
pay the going rate and get back to the decorating at hand.
As an idea, consider thinking ahead – way ahead –
for next year. After the holidays, keep an eye on pricing
of such items as the demand drops way off before the stores
remove them from the shelves. This might be an ideal time
to pick up a few strings of lights at a discount price. You
might even be able to stock up on some wrapping paper, ribbon
& bows and more – all at a savings compared to what
you would otherwise spend in December of 2007. Food for thought…
Happy holidays, and happy shopping! |
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Across
the Country
In order to help put our local market into perspective, we
have provided some nationwide real estate news that we hope
you will find interesting. Just click on the USA map to the
right to access this section of our newsletter...and be sure
to let us know if you have any questions or comments. |
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Deep
Well
This past Saturday, the Realtors and staff
of Collins Group Realty facilitated a true
collection “drive” in the Westbury
Park neighborhood for the Deep Well Project.
With the aid of the Collins Group Realty “Community
Vehicle” donations were picked up door-to-door
throughout Westbury Park, making giving this
holiday season easier than ever before. Collins
Group delivered an information flyer and a
clear-plastic 30-gallon collection bag to
each residence on Thursday, announcing that
the Group would be driving through the
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neighborhood
on Saturday between 9:00 a.m. and Noon. Three complete
sweeps of the neighborhood during that time-frame
resulted in the collection of canned goods, clothing,
and toys from 60 homes in Westbury Park. All goods
were promptly delivered to Deep Well immediately after
the “drive.” Given the great success of
this proactive, convenient collection program, Collins
Group Realty looks forward to conducting additional
“drives” at different neighborhoods throughout
the new year.
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The
Community Vehicle
As mentioned above, our Community Vehicle
has become a great asset to our Team, our
clients and the overall community. This 15’
box truck is utilized almost daily by local
non-profit and charitable organizations to
help them in their respective causes. The
list of organizations and clients who have
used the truck runs for pages and pages, and
we proudly allow them to use the truck with
our compliments. Plus, the truck now dons
all new graphics, reflecting our new company
name as well as colorful water images that
reflect the beautiful surroundings of Hilton
Head Island. As the truck reads: “Buy
or sell with us…
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Use
this truck for Free!” – We hope that you
as our client will keep the truck in mind if it can
ever be useful to you.
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Marathon
Well…he did it! Chip completed his first marathon
just over a week ago on Kiawah Island, SC. The 26.2
mile course makes 2 loops throughout the residential
community, providing a low-traffic, flat venue for
an otherwise brutal endeavor. Chip and his brother
completed the course in just under 4 hours, which
was their goal! After a few days of tender-stepping,
Chip is looking forward to a half marathon on Hilton
Head Island in February and may shoot to run the Chicago
or Marine-Corps Marathon in late Fall of 2007. More
news to follow.
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Beach
Renourishment
This
is an exciting and somewhat disruptive time for beachgoers
on Hilton Head Island. The Town of Hilton Head is conducting
a massive beach renourishment program that extends from
Coligny Beach to north of the Westin in Port Royal, as well
as South Beach in Sea Pines and Fish Haul Creek along the
Port Royal Sound. The nearly $17 Million project is an important
proactive (and in some places reactive) project that helps
preserve Island beaches that protect the Island and provide
a important attractive for the Island’s tourism industry.
For more information, read about the project (and even see
a video) on the Town’s website: Click
Here
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Smoking
Ban
Following
a growing trend across the nation, our area will soon see
an end to smoking in restaurants and bars. Beaufort County
passed a no-smoking law for unincorporated areas of the county
which will go into effect on January 10, 2007. The Town of
Bluffton followed suit with a similar law that will go into
effect on January 11, 2007. Bluffton's ban will penalize the
smoker, not the business, with fines of up to $500 and 30
days in jail. Columbia and Greenville already have passed
smoking bans. Charleston, Clemson, Liberty and Lexington County
are considering them, as is Beaufort and Hilton Head Island.
On Hilton Head Island, the Town Council plans to meet this
week to discuss drafting an ordinance that could be voted
on in early 2007, and there is debate about whether the ordinance
should include all restaurants, bars and businesses or perhaps
make some exceptions. More news to follow.
Delta
to Fly to HHI
Delta
has recently added Hilton Head Island to its air-service network.
Starting in the Spring of 2007, Delta will provide direct
flights back and forth between Hilton Head Island airport
and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport,
which is a main hub for Delta Airlines on a seasonal schedule
between March 17 and September 4. There will be three flights
per day, and tickets are now available to purchase. Delta’s
service will be operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines and
will use a 66-passenger ATR turbo-prop airplane featuring
two-by-two seating and a large cargo capacity. Click
here for some stock photos of the line of ATR turbo-prop
airplanes. |
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Congratulations
are in order for our November E-mail
Newsletter Drawing Winner
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Robert
Maguire of Roswell, GA
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As a recipient
of this e-mail newsletter, you are automatically entered into
our drawing for next month's giveaway. Good Luck...and don't
forget to pass this along to a friend so they can sign up
to be a recipient of the newsletter and an entry in our drawing!
Thanks! Simply
click here to enter. |
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The
Greenery Antiques & Garden shop along Highway 278 on
the South end of Hilton Head Island. This charming building
was moved from Beaufort where it originally served as a
church. The shop is a great place to buy tree ornaments,
antiques and garden collectibles. If you go, ask for our
friend Lisa!
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