If you live in Georgetown, S.C. and are waiting for some homes to sprout out of the ground at some of the local developments, this is good news! Lot 91 at Cravens Grant, a waterfront community and marina on Winyah Bay, has broken ground.

Marina and Waterfront living at its BEST! Planned amenities: Gated Entrance, pool, tennis courts, community boat dock, gazebos, walking trails and clubhouse. Georgetown, SC gives you proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, beaches, rivers, bay, golf, fishing, waterskiing, power and sail boating, shopping, fine dining, entertainment and the ultimate Lowcountry beauty with extraordinary sunrises and water views. Rare opportunity to own a deep water boat slip on Winyah Bay. The marina has been approved & phase 1 boat slips will be made available to lot owners in early 2008 at introductory pricing. You must own a lot to buy a boat slip.

South Carolina just joined the ranks of states that allow alligator hunting-Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi are the others. 1,000 permits will be made available through a drawing this year. $10 application fee and a $100 permit fee is due if you are drawn and accept the permit. Application can be made at DNR's Website, www.dnr.sc.gov/purchase.html

The website provides guidelines for hunting alligators and DNR will be hosting optional seminars for permitted alligator hunters. The season begins September 13^th and ends October 11^th.

Every Saturday from late Spring through early Fall, farmers and vendors from the area converge on the Live Oak-shaded grassy patch of land on North Fraser Street that is the home of the Georgetown Farmers Market. The hours are 9AM through 1PM, but get there early for the best selections. Local favorites like raw peanuts, boiled peanuts, local shrimp, and fresh beets tend to run out before Noon. There are live performances on occasion and the atmosphere is casual and friendly. Terrific breads and pastries, smoked cheeses, fresh flowers, seafood, and the most incredible produce are just some of the treats in store for market shoppers. Meet old friends and make new ones at the Georgetown, S.C. Farmers Market. You'll wonder why you waited so long.

The minimum size limit for Flounder has been raised in South Carolina from 12 to 14 inches. That may not sound like a lot but every inch helps in the fight to keep our Flounder population numbers up. We are lucky in South Carolina to have such low size limits. In the state of Delaware the minimum size limit is 19.5 inches! Bear in mind that we have 3 Flounder species found in our waters: the Southern Flounder is predominant, the Gulf Flounder, and the Summer Flounder. Male Southern Flounder typically do not grow beyond 14 inches in their lifetime, while other flounder species and female Southern Flounder grow larger. Female Southern Flounder reach sexual maturity at 16 inches and 2 years, sometimes sooner, and spawn in the Fall so it is important to protect the smaller females and allow as many as possible to spawn offshore at the end of the year.

In South Carolina Flounder may be caught on rod and reel or by gigging. Gigging is spearing the fish in shallow inlet waters. It is usually done at night using powerful lights to reveal the silhouette of the fish on the bottom. Giggers need to be mindful of size limits because once you gig it, it's yours.

Morgan Park in Georgetown, S.C. consists of 10 acres, 70% of which is high ground and the remaining 30% is marshlands. Morgan Park is adjacent to the 53 acre East Bay Park that currently accommodates recreational fields and a boat ramp not to mention that it is a gorgeous waterfront location. Since the city announced that the recreational facilities will be moved and the boat ramp will be made obsolete by the new Campbell Marine Complex on the Sampit River, many people are wondering how the land will be used? Although Morgan Park can never be sold by the city, East Bay Park could be sold. 

What happens to the land at East Bay Park will be decided by City Council after they hear input from the public and the Keep Georgetown Beautiful Committee. The accessibility and landscape of Morgan Park will largely depend on what happens to its larger neighbor, East Bay Park.

Harmony Township is a 779 acre development with a marina and frontage on the Sampit River and Turkey Creek. The plan for Harmony Township is to create a mix of residential and commercial locations giving residents the convenience of downtown without ever leaving their community. The new owner of Harmony Township is Harmony Development LLC, purchasing the project from Harmony Holdings LLC and Spanish Moss Development LLC and assuming the current debt and mortgages.

So far, there are approximately 30 homes built in Harmony Township with a total of 1,710 homes permitted on the property. Harmony Township is located between Georgetown and McClellenville, S.C. and is convenient to both Myrtle Beach and Charleston. It may take some time to fully realize the potential of this property but smart investors and retirees will be buying lots, boat slips, and existing homes in Harmony now.  

Find out if your boat meets all current safety regulations and registration regulations BEFORE you get a ticket. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division will be conducting courtesy safety inspections at some public boat landings this Memorial Day weekend.  For specific times and landing locations visit the DNR website www.dnr.sc.gov/boating/index.html

Boat owners in violation of registration or safety regulations will not be ticketed during this courtesy inspection.

This is a good idea for boaters in any state. See you on the water!

Luckily this multi-million dollar beachfront home in Debordieu Colony, Georgetown, S.C. was vacant at the time of this conflagration last week. Imagine the heat that this fire generated. Several other homes in the area were damaged by heat and flying, burning debris. The cause of this fire is still under investigation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the owners of this home and no amount of insurance can replace the beachfront memories that this home held. We are thankful that no owners, guests or emergency personnel were injured or killed in this Debordieu fire tragedy.

Market Common, built on the site of the old Air Force Base in Myrtle Beach, takes the best of the city and leaves the worst out. Parking meters will not be installed at least for one year. The "urban village" concept combines retail stores, restaurants, parks and residential housing in the same complex. It is a sight to see and is stunning. Fortunately the developers and the Myrtle Beach City Council decided to leave out the parking meters. If you want walking distance access to Market Common without living there look at Seagate Condominiums. These are the original Air Base houses converted into condos. Some are single, detached homes just like a regular neighborhood and some are duplexes. Condo fee covers all exterior maintenance including paint among other things.

Myrtle Beach State Park (think long walks on the beach) and a dog park are both within walking distance.

If you want to know where future growth will happen, follow your local infrastructure: Roads, Water, Sewer, Power. Here in Georgetown County, South Carolina we are watching the corridor of Highway 701 that runs north out of Georgetown, South Carolina to Conway, South Carolina. From the recent Plantersville zoning meetings to the continued speculation about where a future road will cross the Waccamaw River and Intracoastal Waterway to connect the Waccamaw Neck to Highway 701, this area is changing.

 One entity to watch carefully is the Georgetown County Water and Sewer District (GWSD). Don't be fooled by the name, this is a private water company and must make a profit to survive. In other words, they expand in areas that promise a viable customer base. One such area is Plantersville, S.C.

 GWSD has applied for financial assistance from the federal government to continue their public sewer system from Georgetown, north across the Black River and into an area encompassing most of Plantersville. An environmental assessment must be done for this project and copies of it have been made available to the public.

 As real estate professionals it is our duty to constantly educate ourselves and discover material facts about areas, neighborhoods, and specific properties. Knowledge and experience are how we add value to a transaction, never stop learning.