Along with the lilting sound of speech in the lowcountry of South Carolina and on Hilton Head Island, there's a whole different way with real estate terms. For starters
Where's north, south, east, and west? Basically we don't talk about that on Hilton Head Island; our paradise is shaped like a foot, so for directions, we may tell you the home is close to the toe, or heel, or ankle. Quaint, but as you get into the swing of things, it is actually easier to visualize.
What's Dead Low. No, we don't wish you ill, nor are we talking about burial depth. If you're looking for waterfront property on Hilton Head Island or in Bluffton and Beaufort County in general, whether it's oceanfront or marsh, we have very extreme tides here (usually a 6' to 8' difference!). That beautiful water that you see lapping at the edge of a potentially interesting property may be non-existent later in the day. We measure the value of waterfront property by how much water is left at "dead low" tide. If you plan to have a dock and boat, the greater the amount of water remaining at dead low, the higher the value of the property - and price.
What's a plantation on Hilton Head Island. No, we don't still grow rice and indigo and it's not a single parcel of land; instead a plantation in our area is actually the name of a development or community.
Gated Really quite self-explanatory, there are 10 secured and gated communities on Hilton Head Island allowing access only with the assistance of a Realtor* see exception following. They are Sea Pines (largest plantation located on the toe of Hilton Head Island and famous for the PGA Heritage golf tournament), Shipyard (located mid-island), Wexford (mid-island on Broad Creek side), Long Cove (next to Wexford, mid-island on Broad Creek side), Palmetto Dunes (located in the instep) Pt. Royal (heel), Palmetto Hall (inland at the ankle) Hilton Head Plantation (located at the top of the ankle), Indigo Run (inland opposite Hilton Head Plantation and across the water from Palmetto Dunes), Windmill Harbour (surrounded by water and located at the 'bend' of your foot).
* It is possible to purchase a daily pass to go into Sea Pines to enjoy all of the amenities and ride the trolley. If you're vacationing in Shipyard or Palmetto Dunes, you'll receive a special weekly pass.
Non-gated. Shelter Cove (mid-island across the street from, and part of Palmetto Dunes, with harbour and boat views), Spanish Wells (located at the instep) has a pretty entry gate but is not secured, South and North Forest Beach (along the ocean between Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes), and finally, Singleton, Burkes, Bradley Beaches and Folly Field (on the ocean between Palmetto Dunes and Pt. Royal working your way down the bottom of the foot toward the heel).
POA or HOA. These are acronyms for the various plantation management administrations. (Property Owners Association, or Homeowners Association).
Villas. This could be a 'unit' in a complex, could be a townhome in a complex, could be an individual apartment in an apartment ownership complex, could be an attached home in a complex - basically, we don't usually say 'condo', it's a 'southern' thing.
Regimes. No there has not been a coup on Hilton Head Island; this is the management relative to the condos, townhomes, villas, etc.
CL-100 This is an inspection that will be accomplished prior to closing. A pest company inspects to see if there is an active infestation of termites.
Transfer fee. Paid at closing, and negotiable but typically paid by the buyer of a property, these are assessed by the POA's (see above). They generally vary from 1/4 of 1% to 1/2 of 1%. The Town of Hilton Head Island also assesses a transfer fee at closing; best to check with your attorney relative to the calculation. By the way, South Carolina is a State that requires an attorney to facilitate your closing, we do not use title companies to accomplish this.
Well, this rudimentary guide should take away some of the confusion - ya'll come on down and check out our real estate!
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