Hilton Head Real Estate Buying Experience

Hilton Head Island's location and non-commercial resort lifestyle attracts millions of vacationers every year. We're fortunate to have a wonderful year-round climate (yes, it's hot during the summer but if you're on the beach the breeze is excellent) and it's roughly a day's drive for most folks from the mid-west or northeast so it's convenient for the most part by car. You don't have to fly but can access Savannah and Hilton Head airports easily.

Typically, people find our vacation paradise, fall in love with its character and charm, and decide to make Hilton Head a permanent fixture - whether it's a second-home for vacations or a permanent residence (most likely retirement). So the sequence is pretty much the same - come for a week or two for a couple of years and then decide to make the Island a home away from home.

When people are interested in real estate, it's just a matter of going the Hilton Head MLS website - www.hiltonheadmls.com and they have access to every property currently listed for sale. Some folks are quite knowledgeable about Hilton Head neighborhoods, certain real estate areas, even specific floorplans or views of certain properties while others who've visited only a few times, know Sea Pines Resort or Coligny Plaza but have no idea where Abbington Villas are in Palmetto Dunes Resort.

The Internet changed everything when it comes to prospecting efforts by customers. Many times I'll have a client ask me about a property that  I didn't know was on the market. Many times folks search listings for months before they ever contact a real estate professional. I'm not saying that's time wasted but in many cases if I were to talk to a prospect for 15 minutes and discovered the critical information regarding the criteria for their purchase, I most likely could have greatly reduced the customers time on the MLS website.

The Internet's information has created very well-informed Buyers who already have a good idea about price points for certain neighborhoods, etc. However, the real estate professional's role is to take all of the detailed information as to what the client deems most important and based on those facts, begin a counseling process where a short list - maybe 5-10 - of properties could be singled out and then begin the "elimination process". The most important phrase a Buyer can utter is, "This won't work. We can scratch it off the list." That's music to my ears. Because when you get right down to it, you're narrowing down the choices to the best match available.