Home and Garden

CHARTER ONE REALTY HOSTS ANNUAL TOY DRIVE

Charter One Realty has started its sixth annual Holiday Toy Drive in partnership with Deep Well, Bluffton Self Help, and the United Way. Members of the community are invited to drop off new, unwrapped toys at its sales offices through Tuesday, Dec. 7. Charter One Realty is also collecting toys during the Bluffton Christmas Parade on Dec. 4. Parade attendees who wish to donate a toy to a child in need can drop a toy in a collection box at 1 Promenade St.

FEWER AVAILABLE HOUSES MEAN STIFFER COMPETITION, HIGHER PRICES

Real estate broker Michael Manesiotis started the second week in October with one house in his rental home inventory. He knew it would be gone by the end of the week.

“It is amazing the climate we have,” said Manesiotis, broker in charge at Hilton Head Long-Term Rentals. “We can list a property on Thursday and have four or five hits or interested inquiries by Monday.”

Handcrafted quality for everyday living

One of the easiest ways to add a little bit of luxury into your daily life is to upgrade your linens.

Whether you are looking at bedding or towels or napkins, quality linens should be seen as an investment instead of a cost.

Modern day luxury needs to be livable.

WEICHERT REALTORS HIRES FOUR AGENTS 

Judy Grant, Shannon Docherty, Bob Steadman and Alexandra Simis have joined the Weichert Realtors real estate team. 

Grant, who will work out of the Hilton Head Island office, began her real estate career in Wisconsin. After their children finished college, Judy and her husband decided to move to Hilton Head. Before joining Weichert Realtors, Grant started her own “boutique’’ real estate agency. 

DESIGNING HOMES THAT EMBODY THE LOWCOUNTRY STYLE

Lowcountry style means different things to different people, from the traditional origins in the late 18th century (think Savannah) to the modern day that has incorporated traditional elements into 21st century splendor. 

Homes were built for comfort, practicality and for keeping the interior cool to provide an escape from the hot, humid southern weather. This included double-hung windows, porches to capture the afternoon breezes, transoms, pilings to raise the first floor to allow cooler air to circulate beneath the home and protect against high water tides, wraparound porches with awnings, and shutters for bringing the outside light and ventilation in. 

COLLINS GROUP REALTY WELCOMES LISTINGS COORDINATOR

Cameron Clark has joined Collins Group Realty as listings coordinator. He will provide comprehensive support and assistance to CGR’s listings team in the processing and logistics of properties listed in the Lowcountry. Clark is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He previously worked as House of Representatives page at the South Carolina Statehouse. 

SCARE INVENTORY EXPECTED TO SHAPE FUTURE OF HOME SALES

As a veteran real estate pro and farmer, James Wedgeworth knows this to be true: “You can’t sell from an empty wagon.”

Which is his way of saying scarce inventory will shape the market for home sales — nationally and in Hilton Head — in the months ahead.

“It’s about a lack of inventory,” said Wedgeworth, co-founder of Charter One Realty and Marketing, noting that the number of homes available for sale has declined monthly for most of this year.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN HOME-TECH TRENDS

If you can dream it, we can build it. 

It sounds like a marketing slogan. But when it comes to smart home technology, what once felt more like fictional thinking out of a movie is becoming both doable and affordable.

If you live in the Lowcountry year-round, chances are your friends who live elsewhere are jealous. This area’s beautiful beaches, world-class resorts and wide selection of restaurants, shopping and activities make the the Lowcountry a top vacation destination, and a great place to call home.