WE BE Bloggin with LowCountry Joe®

Hilton Head MLS STATS Jan. - Sept. 20th, 2002-2007

2002    One (1) Billion One Hundred Fifteen (115) Million

2003    One (1) Billion Three Hundred (300) Million

2004    Two (2) Billion Sixty (60) Million

2005    Five (5) Billion

2006    Two (2) Billion Three Hundred Twenty (320) Mill

2007    Two (2) Billion Seventy (70) Million

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With all the Boo Hooin' Going around in the media it seems like we are doing just fine down here in the Carolina Lowcountry and the stats are presented to you to prove it.  With the exception of the boomer 2005 year we are pretty much on average. No matter what happens anywhere else, the Carolina Lowcountry, continues to be the "place of choice" for folks looking to fulfill their dreams. One can only imagine what is going to happen very shortly when tens of millions of  baby boomers head South. No question, there are a lot of listings out there, but the ones that are priced right are obviously selling to very satisfied buyers. In my twenty three (23) years of selling in the Lowcountry I dont believe there has ever been a better time to buy either a home or a home site at a truly wonderful and sometimes incredable price. When the market "hits" again all that will change very quickly, overnight, and once again sellers will receive top dollar plus. 

300 Acres of Open Space

Hello from Low Country Joe.....

I am pleased to include a great Island Packet article re: Daufuskie Island conservation at the Webb Tract.....It tells a lot about the real future of the Island.....

For comparison purposes.......Bloody Point is approximately 110 acres.....

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Developer donates 300 acres on Daufuskie for conservation

By PETER FROST
Island Packet

Published Thursday, September 20, 2007

A Daufuskie Island developer has agreed to donate a conservation easement on 300 acres of undeveloped land in the Webb Tract on the central portion of the island.

The developer, Fort Mill-based Plantation Land Properties, is preparing to transfer the wooded land to the Nation Ford Land Trust this fall. When the easement is granted, the land will remain protected from development in perpetuity.

The 300-acre donation is the first of its kind on the barrier island, and comprises more than 40 percent of the developer-owned Webb Tract. Plantation Land Properties also owns the 540-acre Oak Ridge Tract on the south end of Daufuskie.

Also headquartered in Fort Mill, the Nation Ford Land Trust is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving open spaces, natural beauty and scenic heritage of South Carolina.

"Uncle Ben" a LowCountry Joe Perspective

The angling sunlight shown through the Spanish moss laden live oak trees that seemed to shield and caress the small, wooden tin roofed home of an elderly King. Everyone knew that Uncle Ben was special in God's eyes and that the vast marshes and creeks at the Cooper River end of Daufuskie was his domain. He seemed to be put at this special pristine beautiful place for a purpose and his subjects came to him in times of happiness, turmoil and grief.

This late afternoon early Fall day finds Uncle Ben eating his evening meal consisting of hoe cake and clabber. Times were simpler then and the homemade pan bread and milk curdled cottage cheese surely was fit for any  mortal man. Sitting there in his throne made of oak he looks quite regal even though the homemade clothes made by his loving wife Sarah seem tattered and torn. With his crown of wrapped cotton cloth and wooden cane as his scepter he seems to be in deep thought as another Daufuskie day was about to end.

And there was plenty of reason for deep thought. In the early days on the Island you really had to know what you were all about. Almost everything came from the land and sea and careful planning for the next day and following seasons could mean life or death. In his over sixty years of life Uncle Ben knew that quite well and felt responsible for the young families and children that looked up to and respected him. His honorable seat at the church meant that even the elders listened closely to his words of wisdom.

But there was one person that Uncle Ben cared and looked after more than anybody, and that was his wonderful wife Sarah. She was his guiding light and bore him eight healthy, happy children. With Ben's help they instilled in their children a sense of loving, caring and a deep respect for the property and rights of others. Those feelings just naturally filtered out to the community.

That whole community also always seemed to be in Uncle Ben's shaded yard. Boys in their wagons came courting, children played with their home made toys and friends and family sat and relaxed in the heat of the day. Chickens scratched and pecked at the dusty ground and the family cow nonchalantly laid under a huge oak tree swatting flies with her tail. Uncle Ben lit up his pipe, slowly rocked in his chair and dreamed of tomorrow.

But even Kings run out of tomorrows. Uncle Ben finally passed with Sarah holding his thick, heavy gnarled hand. She buried him on a shady bank overlooking the Cooper River. Family and friends grieved and rejoiced knowing that this special man was now with his King. At the end of this Daufuskie day all that was left was a simple limestone headstone with the inscription "Uncle Ben".

A Tear

Originally Written by LowCountry Joe, September 25, 2001

My Bride, Mary, flicked to C-Span the other night as an escape from university professors pretending to be experts on everything from biological weapons to foreign affairs. What she found was a real interesting character that was reviewing a best selling book about his long departed Grandmother and relatives. Seems they all enjoyed getting "ginned up" each weekend at the local still and beating the brains out at anyone that looked sideways at them. Yup....he actually was invited to speak in front of a National audience about this book and made me realize that, I too, might have a chance to someday do a "signing" at the local Barnes and Noble. In the following question and answer period he told a humorous story about "writers block" and how a fellow writer cured the problem by actually tying himself to his chair....in front of his computer....and forced himself to write as "nature called"......Tears rolled down my face as Mary and I laughed out loud and slapped our legs in the old fashioned way. It was then that I realized that we had not laughed in two weeks. It was the first time in my recent memory that the tears were from pure unadulterated joy and not from sadness and grief.

But the writers block segment had struck a serious chord. I have been struggling recently trying to publish what has been known as "Low Country Joe's view from the Marsh". I have been struggling to feel comfortable talking to my clients and customers about real estate, the main source of income that provides for Mary and I. I have been struggling to rid myself of the hate, considering the fact that I have always loved my Country and volunteered for service in Viet Nam. I have been struggling to understand why, over past years, very few of us flew the flag and the few chances of viewing those beautiful stars and stripes was over a used car dealership.

The evening after the attack I drove my trusty 74 Chevy pickup down to the beach. The Carolina sky was as clear as ever and as I looked up I felt like a kid when I first visited the Planetarium in Pittsburgh. It was as if I could reach up and touch the stars, to grab the handle of the big dipper, to be "one" with the Milky Way. As the waves crashed at my feet I reminded myself to focus clearly, to capture the moment, to imprint this special time in History on my mind.....for Lord Willing, even though the uncluttered view of the Heavens was extraordinarily beautiful,  I would never want to experience it again. Like the Indians that had walked these sandy shores before me and saw giant bears in those twinkling dots, I was seeing the sky in its purest form. The usually busy sky was void of flying steel birds....free from vapor trails streaming North and South in the Lowcountry sky.

It was then that I had this strange flashback of an old TV commercial that has always made a lasting impression. It was the one where the Indian looks over the land with its filthy can and bottle laden steams and the environment of America in decay. The wrinkles of his sun baked leathery skin are even more pronounced as he stares over the lands of America and then....sheds a single tear. That night I am sure that the spirits of the Indians that once walked these shores....that made footprints in the sand like I did that evening....also shed a tear for the land that they loved.

In closing, I want to say to my wonderful Mom in Pittsburgh "my most avid reader" that everything will be alright. ....To say to my friends in the Netherlands, Germany, Scotland and England that I appreciate your E-Mails full of support for America....To say to my Bride, Mary, thanks for being with me in these difficult times and sincere condolences to Bill, a recent acquaintance, that lost his dear and closest friend.

Have a great day and God Bless America.

Daufuskie Property owners get FREE ferry rides..

More good news for Daufuskie. It's now easier to get to the Island and its FREE to property owners and friends. Please check out the following Island Packet article.   LCJoe

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New Daufuskie ferry contract to offer six round-trip rides daily to Hilton Head

By PETER FROST

Published Thursday, September 6, 2007

After months of wrangling with contractors and scheduling issues, Daufuskie Island will soon have a new ferry service contract that provides residents access to at least six round-trip rides to Hilton Head Island each weekday.

The new service, which is slated to begin next week, will give residents the option of riding night and weekend routes on a limited basis.

Also, for the first time, island landowners and friends and family members will have free, unlimited access to some ferry routes. In the past, non-residents had to pay up to $40 for round-trip fare.

The new contract is seen as a major win for Daufuskie residents and landowners, who long have lobbied the county and ferry providers for inexpensive and reliable service to the barrier island reachable only by boat.

“We’ve never been able to accommodate landowners and friends and family like this,” said Peggi Lyn Noon, president of the Daufuskie Island Community Improvement Club, the island’s de facto governing body. “It’s a huge deal for us, and we’re very happy.”

Congratulations to Melrose "New" Home Owners!!!

Congratulations to Maree Hansen and Patrick Allison, the Proud new owners of 19 Volunteers Ridge, in Melrose. I have sold many homes in my twenty three (23) years in LowCountry real estate but this sale was very special to me. Both the Buyers and Sellers were wonderful to work with and were able to work together and put the "deal" through smoothly. Many thanks go to Paralegals Lou Hansen/Bob Deeb Atty. and Celeste Pinkston/Dean Bell Atty. These gals are real Pros and have once again, made Bob and Dean "Look Very Good".

This is the Fifth (5th) home sale in Melrose this year. Only three (3) homes remain listed for sale and I am confident they will sell soon. So much for the "naysayers" and all the negative press out there. We are doing "Just Fine" on Daufuskie...Thank You...

So once again, Congrats to Maree and Patrick. They bring fun, love and warmth to the Melrose community and there enthusiasm will surely rub off on you..

LCJoe

                  SOLD

"To Fraction" or "Not to Fraction"

When I was in grade school many moons ago I learned my fractions. 1/3rd…..1/8th….1/12th…..Never in my right mind did I think  fractions would have influence on my life other than figuring out “philosophically” if the glass was ½ full or ½ empty. Well….like everything else in my sixty two (63) years of life “things” have changed. No longer do I wear size 34 pants and no longer is the word “fractional” or if you “prefer” timeshare a bad word. Now I know some of you will say that calling a “timeshare” a “fractional” is like calling a cockroach a Palmetto bug. And there are even companies out there whose definition of fractional ownership is “A new kind of timeshare”….”Say what”!!!!! … Old LowCountry Joe  says call “A spade a spade”…. “YOU ARE SHARING TIME WITH SOMEONE ELSE”…..no matter how you look at it….it’s a timeshare.  But when you seriously think about it ….is “sharing time” all that bad.

A good number of years ago my Bride Mary and I had the chance of buying a Timeshare/Fractional (lets call them TF’s) in a beautiful place in Virginia called “The Homestead”. There is no question that the resort tucked high in the mountains is one of our very special places. I call the complex “casual elegance” and for some reason makes us feel right at home. Plus that…the Jefferson Pools are one of the finest natural hot springs in the world. Well….like many folks we procrastinated and the place sold out. More importantly we missed a very wonderful opportunity in our life. We could have spent many/many  months, in a place that we “really and truly liked”. We would have used our “Time” wisely and enjoyed all the Allegheny Mountains had to offer. But no…..many years passed…..we visited the Homestead only occasionally and every year we wasted our time saying…ya know we should have bought one of those.

Well that’s life…..but if I may lets get back to (TF’s) and why you might want to consider one on the ocean on Daufuskie Island. After all…if ya haven’t already figured it out……that’s the reason I am penning this correspondence. 

First of all fractional ownership is “In”…..Rich folks are doing it…All you have to do is Google Search “Fractional ownership” …whether it be private jets, boats or even RV’s, you will find “high end” and I really do mean “high end” (TF’s) offered in some cases condos and homes for a Million…..yes I said Million dollars for one month. Even the Ritz Carlton has got into the act. So when your friend’s wife or hubby  at the club asks you “what and where” you bought you wont have to fake a “timeshare coughing spell” where all they can discern is “ Frack Owensheep on  da Oceen  crosm from hee Head”…..You can proudly and clearly say “I bought a fractional ownership on the ocean across from Hilton Head”….and you know I can even see Hilton Head’s Harbourtown Lighthouse across the water where the golf classis is played” ….. and then you can get proud as a peacock and say “We even play golf on a classic Jack Nicklaus Course where three holes run right along the ocean and golf is included free for ever and ever Amen…..Now just wait for the response….lets wait now….here we go…..  “Honey guess what Frankie and Suzie Just bought” reverberates over the clubs lounge. Come here “honey” they just bought a fraction off Hilton Head…isn’t that great……”Enough Said”.

Ok if you are the quiet type,  don’t go to the club, and your hubby or wife is an accountant here’s how the conversation might go in the privacy of your living room.  You know Honey the real estate market in the Hilton Head market has slowed down a bit but we will still have to  spend $750,000 to $1,500,000 for something nice on the ocean….and you know if we can’t be on the ocean…well…I really don’t want anything…..plus that with Suzie going to College in Toledo and Billy going out West to Vetinary School  we really wont be able to spend much time there anyway, traveling to see them and all…….but you know Honey how much I just love the Beach……and  we can comfortably  afford $100 to 200 thousand without breaking the bank, and it would kind of force us to “vacation” and we are getting older…..What do ya think…….

Now here’s where I come in……A call to Old LC Joe will only take a few minutes and before you know it a shiny brochure with pretty Daufuskie Pictures will arrive at your door….Or if you prefer….through the power of the internet I can E-Mail a packet for your perusal….Then you can decide when you want to visit for a few nights “With Super Discounted LC Joe Rates” play a few rounds of golf or maybe just walk hand in hand with your Bride on the beach……And if its truly for you…you will know it and you can be “one up” on old LC Joe, not be a procrastinor, take time from your busy schedules and  enjoy life together”. Now isn’t that what it’s all about….

LC Joe

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Popular Fractional Ownership at its Best.....

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How about a nice Jet for your travel pleasure...

CESSNA CITATION JET CJ2

Seats six passengers in comfort. Refreshment center, aft lavatory. Storage for personal luggage and yacht provisions. Fly non-stop 1800 nm. Popular model for charter.

Co-ownership from $1 Million.

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Or how about a little Boat.....You guess the price of this honey of a 164 footer!!!!!

164' The Newest 50M Westport Tri-deck Flagship.
The new Westport is truly magnificent and in a class by itself. Known worldwide for superior performance with speed and range and in providing every possible comfort and efficiency.

Choose from a Donald Starkey designed interior or the in-house designers. Elevator lift throughout. Models in build. Fractional Opportunity.