Beaufort SC Real Estate

It's fitting that we take a moment to look back on this past month on Halloween, because it has been a creepy month for Realtors, with a mere 52 homes going under contract so far in October.

Before we go any further, this is not a gloom and doom post. All things considered, there are some encouraging signs to be found in Beaufort's real estate market.

There are several communities that have had real success in the area which ha e had great success selling new homes at the new price point. Liberty Point in Shell Point, which recently broke ground on its new homes, has placed five homes under contract in the past few months, in the $80 to $115 per square foot price point.

Somerset Point on Lady's Island has seen 17 homes go under contract this year, in the $98…

We here at Lowcountry Properties get many requests for "overviews" of Beaufort and the surrounding Lowcountry.

When I think of like in Beaufort, the word, "character" comes to mind.  You won't find many towns with the character of Beaufort. With all due respect to our friends South of the Broad River, Bluffton and Hilton Head don't have 1/10 the charm or character of Beaufort. Then again, most towns don't. Beaufort was founded in 1712, and is one of the most historically significant towns in the Southeast. In downtown Beaufort, and the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, we have two of South Carolina's three National Historic Districts. The other is in Charleston.

If you are seeking a "special" place, a place that feels like you're on the water every day,…

Short sales and foreclosures are on everyone's minds these days. As we mentioned in a recent blog, a foreclosure involves the sale of a property which is owned by the bank, which took back the property after the owner defaulted on the mortgage, while a short sale involves the sale of a property which is still owned by an individual, but is subject to approval by the owner's lending institution because there is a gap between what the property is worth and the outstanding mortgage on the property.

With so many foreclosures and short sales on the market in Beaufort, SC, it is tempting for a prospective buyer to focus only on these type of properties. After all, that is where the best values are.....right?

Not necessarily. A property does not have to be a short…

We think 109 Bartram Drive is the one of the smartest homes in Battery Point, a terrific community about 7 minutes from Historic Downtown Beaufort, SC. Designed  with incredible detail to quality, 109 Bartram Drive has all the modern conveniences of a new home, yet has the look and feel of a home built from the early 1900s.

109 Bartram Drive is located in heartbeat of Battery Point, just a few steps from the community tennis facilities, pool, and playground.  Despite this central location, 109 Bartram has a sense of privacy because of its location in a cul-de-sac, and the green space out back. Spectacular oaks further enhance this sense of privacy, and will enable the residents to enjoy the upper porch in private.

The screened back porch overlooks

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Wander through Historic Downtown Beaufort, and you are walking some of the most hallowed historical ground in America. Ask anyone who lives in the Historic District, and they will likely tell you they would live nowhere else.  There are few places like downtown Beaufort, with its spectacular mansions, incredible oaks, and historical significance.

Many prospective home buyers drive through Beaufort's Old Point and dream of living downtown, the land of Pat Conroy, one of Beaufort's best-known native sons. We dreamed of being able to walk downtown for dinner at the shops and restaurants of Bay Street, Beaufort's best-known thoroughfare. The Old Point, which sits in a bend in the Beaufort River, is at the heart of Beaufort's Historic District, is perhaps

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Beaufort County has some wonderful country club communities available for those looking for a home on or near the greens and fairways of South Carolina.

For those looking for a well-groomed, country club lifestyle, both Dataw Island and Callawassie Island are worthy of consideration.  Dataw is located just minutes east of downtown Beaufort, on St. Helena Island. There are currently  120 homes on the market on Dataw, with asking prices ranging from $159,000 up to $2.4 million.  In addition to two beautiful Pete Dye golf courses, Dataw Island features some of the best waterfront property available in Beaufort.

Callawassie Island features 27 holes of Tom Fazio-designed golf, and sits between Beaufort and Hilton Head. There are currently 16 homes on the

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Because I have so many clients ask are past market statistics, here we are going to give a retrospective view on October 2010 vs 2009.  Here goes the wayback real estate machine.

Opportunities continue to abound for buyers interested in the Beaufort, SC real estate market, but October saw many of these buyers refuse to get off the fence.

Despite the continuing combination of low interest rates, and a very high affordability index in the Beaufort area, October was a month of frustration for many involved with the Beaufort, SC, real estate market. Compared with sales figures from October 2009, sales and pending contracts were down in October 2010, according to statistics provided by the Beaufort County Association of Realtors (BCAR).

The Beaufort

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Activity breeds activity, and nowhere is that more evident in real estate. New construction is a sign of a healthy development. When you ride through a neighborhood with lots of vacant homesites, but no ongoing construction, watch out. Certainly, Beaufort has seen some developments flame out since 2006, when our real estate market began to slow.

However, several developers are in the process of trying to spark new life into some of these communities, and that's a very healthy sign.

Hamilton Village, an upscale condo complex on Lady's Island, overlooks Factory Creek and downtown Beaufort, and is another example of a developer who has changed priced point in an effort to move property. Originally priced in the $700,000-plus range, these beautiful

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One of the best friends a Beaufort, SC Realtor has is Hunting Island State Park. Talk about a sales tool. Located about 20 minutes east of downtown Beaufort, SC, Hunting Island sports three miles of some of the most unique beach you'll find anywhere in the world.  The maritime forest extends all the way to the beach area. In fact, the terrain of the park is so  unique that it has doubled for Asian jungle scenery in films such as "Forrest Gump" and "The Jungle Book."

So, we Realtors are very happy to be able to offer this incredible amenity to anyone thinking of either moving to the Beaufort area, or just in town for a visit.

There are miles of walking trails, which can also be used for bicycle use, and one of the top camp grounds in the state.

Most

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Battery Point is one of the terrific neighborhoods in Beaufort, SC. Developed in the mid-1990s, Battery Point is one of the "neo-traditional" neighborhoods which flourished in Beaufort during this time period. Newpoint, Habersham, and Broad Street are other examples of this type of development, which captures the cultural rhythm and architectural style of early 20th Century coastal towns like Beaufort and Charleston.

Battery Point is a well-thought out community. Mail pickup is located at centralized locations, to encourage interaction among residents, and Battery Point front porch allows residents to visit each other from their own property.

I noted to the homeowner that foreclosures and short sales have impacted Battery Point, as they have just about

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