New Hilton Head Real Estate easy search app

I've just branded a new free app for real estate in Hilton Head Island and Bluffton, SC.

You can easily search homes, townhouses, condos, villas, rentals, lands/lots, boat slips and more. You can search by neighborhood, area, number of bedrooms, and map-draw. Many more features available!

You can download for Android or iPhone by clicking the link.

http://t.ikenex.com/?k=4X9 Note: Tap the link again to brand to me.

8 Tips for Adding Curb Appeal and Value to Your Home

Article From HouseLogic.com

By: Pat Curry

Published: February 18, 2011

Here are eight ways to help your home put its best face forward.

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Homes with high curb appeal command higher prices and take less time to sell. We're not talking about replacing vinyl siding with redwood siding; we're talking about maintenance and beautifying tasks you'd like to live with anyway.

The way your house looks from the street -- attractively landscaped and well-maintained -- can add thousands to its value and cut the time it takes to sell. But which projects pump up curb appeal (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/landscaping-gardening/landscaping-curb-appeal/) most? Some spit and polish goes a long way, and so does a dose of color.

Tip #1: Wash your house's face

Before you scrape any paint or plant more azaleas, wash the dirt, mildew, and general grunge off the outside of your house. REALTORS say washing a house can add $10,000 to $15,000 to the sale prices of some houses.

A bucket of soapy water and a long-handled, soft-bristled brush can remove the dust and dirt that have splashed onto your wood, vinyl, metal, stucco, brick, and fiber cement siding (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/clean-and-care-siding/). Power washers (rental: $75 per day) can reveal the true color of your flagstone walkways.

Wash your windows inside and out, swipe cobwebs from eaves, and hose down downspouts. Don't forget your garage door, (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/garages/garage-doors-guide-options/) which was once bright white. If you can't spray off the dirt, scrub it off with a solution of 1/2 cup trisodium phosphate-TSP, available at grocery stores, hardware stores, and home improvement centers-dissolved in 1 gallon of water.

You and a friend can make your house sparkle in a few weekends. A professional cleaning crew will cost hundreds--depending on the size of the house and number of windows--but will finish in a couple of days.

Tip #2: Freshen the paint job

The most commonly offered curb appeal advice from real estate pros and appraisers is to give the exterior of your home a good paint job (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/10-steps-perfect-exterior-paint-job/). Buyers will instantly notice it, and appraisers will value it.? ?Of course, painting is an expensive and time-consuming facelift. To paint a 3,000-square-foot home, figure on spending $375 to $600 on paint; $1,500 to $3,000 on labor.

Your best bet is to match the paint you already have: Scrape off a little and ask your local paint store to match it. Resist the urge to make a statement with color. An appraiser will mark down the value of a house that's painted a wildly different color from its competition.

 Tip #3: Regard the roof

The condition of your roof (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/home-thoughts/inspecting-and-maintaining-your-roof/) is one of the first things buyers notice and appraisers assess. Missing, curled, or faded shingles add nothing to the look or value of your house. If your neighbors have maintained or replaced their roofs, yours will look especially shabby.

You can pay for roof repairs now, or pay for them later in a lower appraisal; appraisers will mark down the value by the cost of the repair. According to Remodeling magazine's 2013 Cost vs. Value Report (http://www.remodeling.hw.net/2013/costvsvalue/national.aspx), the average cost of a new asphalt shingle roof is about $18,488.

Some tired roofs look a lot better after you remove 25 years of dirt, moss, lichens, and algae. Don't try cleaning your roof yourself: call a professional with the right tools and technique to clean it without damaging it. A 2,000 sq. ft. roof will take a day and $400 to $600 to clean professionally.

 Tip #4: Neaten the yard

A well-manicured lawn (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/lawns/lawn-maintenance-calendar/), fresh mulch, and pruned shrubs boost the curb appeal of any home.

Replace overgrown bushes with leafy plants and colorful annuals. Surround bushes and trees with dark or reddish-brown bark mulch, which gives a rich feel to the yard. Put a crisp edge on garden beds, pull weeds and invasive vines, and plant a few geraniums in pots.

Green up your grass with lawn food and water. Cover bare spots with seeds and sod, get rid of crab grass, and mow regularly.

Tip #5: Add a color splash

Even a little color attracts and pleases the eye of would-be buyers.

Plant a tulip border in the fall that will bloom in the spring. Dig a flowerbed by the mailbox and plant some pansies. Place a brightly colored bench or Adirondack chair on the front porch. Get a little daring, and paint the front door red or blue.

These colorful touches won't add to the value of our house: appraisers don't give you extra points for a blue bench. But beautiful colors enhance curb appeal and help your house to sell faster.

 Tip #6: Glam your mailbox

An upscale mailbox, architectural house numbers, or address plaques can make your house stand out.

High-style die cast aluminum mailboxes range from $100 to $350. You can pick up a handsome, hand-painted mailbox for about $50. If you don't buy new, at least give your old mailbox a facelift with paint and new house numbers.

These days, your local home improvement center or hardware stores has an impressive selection of decorative numbers. Architectural address plaques, which you tack to the house or plant in the yard, typically range from $80 to $200. Brass house numbers range from $3 to $11 each, depending on size and style.

Tip #7: Fence yourself in

A picket fence (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/fences/fencing-guide-options/) with a garden gate to frame the yard is an asset. Not only does it add visual punch to your property, appraisers will give extra value to a fence in good condition, although it has more impact in a family-oriented neighborhood than an upscale retirement community.

Expect to pay $2,000 to $3,500 for a professionally installed gated picket fence 3 feet high and 100 feet long.

If you already have a fence, make sure it's clean and in good condition. Replace broken gates and tighten loose latches.

Tip #8: Maintenance is a must

Nothing looks worse from the curb--and sets off subconscious alarms--like hanging gutters (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/roofing-gutters-siding/replacing-rain-gutters-and-downspouts/), missing bricks from the front steps, or peeling paint. Not only can these deferred maintenance items damage your home, but they can decrease the value of your house by 10%.

Here are some maintenance chores that will dramatically help the look of your house.

          •Refasten sagging gutters.

          •Repoint bricks that have lost their mortar.

          •Reseal cracked asphalt.

          •Straighten shutters.

          •Replace cracked windows.

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Open House Timeline: Countdown to a Successful Sale

Article From BuyAndSell.HouseLogic.com

By: Dona DeZube

Published: May 06, 2011

An inviting open house can put your home on buyers' short lists.

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Get ready for your open house-stress-free-by starting early and breaking down your to-do list into manageable chunks. Use this timeline of 35 tips and your house will stand out from the competition on open house day.

Four weeks before the open house

          •Ask your parents to babysit the kids the weekend of the open house. Then book a reservation for your pet with the dog sitter or at the kennel. Having everyone out of the house on the day of will help you keep your home tidy and smelling fresh (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/pet-odor-can-chase-away-buyers/). Plus, no dogs and no kids equal more time for last-minute prep.

          •Line up a contractor to take care of maintence issues your REALTOR® has asked you to fix, like leaking faucets (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/plumbing-leaks-8-smart-tips-stop-them/), sagging gutters (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/repair-sagging-and-leaking-rain-gutters-save-money/), or dings in the walls (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/repair-walls-give-rooms-fresh-face/).

          •De-clutter every room (even if you already de-cluttered once before). Don't hide your stuff in the closet-buyers will open doors to size up closet space. Store your off-season clothes, sports equipment, and toys somewhere else.

          •Book carpet cleaners for a few days before the open house and a house cleaning service for the day before. Otherwise, make sure to leave time to do these things yourself a couple of days before.

Three weeks before the open house

          •Buy fluffy white towels to create a spa-like feel in the bathrooms.

          •Buy a front door mat to give a good first impression.

          •Designate a shoebox for each bathroom to stow away personal items the day of the open house.

Two weeks before the open house

          •Clean the light fixtures, ceiling fans, light switches, and around door knobs. A spic-and-span house (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/cleaning-house-secrets-truly-deep-clean/) makes buyers feel like they can move right in.

          •Power-wash the house (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/clean-and-care-siding/), deck (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/care-and-maintenance-your-deck/), sidewalk, and driveway.

One week before the open house

          •Make sure potential buyers can get up close and personal with your furnace, air-conditioning unit (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/appliance-maintenance-heating-venting-and-air-conditioning-hvac/), and appliances (http://www.houselogic.com/categories/maintain/structures-systems/appliances-electronics/). They'll want to read any maintenance and manufacturer's stickers to see how old everything is.

          •Clean the inside of appliances and de-clutter kitchen cabinets and drawers and the pantry. Buyers will open cabinet doors and drawers. If yours are stuffed to the gills, buyers will think your kitchen lacks enough storage space.

          •Put out the new door mat to break it in. It'll look nice, but not too obviously new for the open house.

Week of the open house

          •Buy ready-made cookie dough and disposable aluminum cookie sheets so you don't have to take time for clean up after baking (you can recycle the pans after use). Nothing says "home" like the smell of freshly baked cookies.

          •Buy a bag of apples or lemons to display in a pretty bowl.

          •Let your REALTOR know if you're running low on sales brochures explaining the features of your house.

          •Clean the windows (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/green-window-cleaning-makes-glass-pane-fully-clear/) to let in the most light possible.

          •Mow the lawn two days before the open house. Mowing the morning of the open house can peeve house hunters with allergies.

Day before the open house

          •Make sure your REALTOR puts up plenty of open-house signs pointing in the right direction and located where drivers will see them. If she can't get to it on the Friday before a Sunday open house, offer to do it yourself.

          •Put away yard clutter like hoses, toys, or pet water bowls.

          •Lay fresh logs in the fireplace.

Day of the open house

          •Put checkbooks, kids' piggybanks, jewelry, prescription drugs, bank statements, and other valuables in the trunk of your car, at a neighbor's house, or in your safe. It's rare, but thefts do happen at open houses.

          •Set the dining room table for a special-occasion dinner. In the backyard, uncover the barbeque and set the patio table for a picnic to show buyers how elegantly and simply they can entertain once they move in.

          •Check any play equipment for spider webs or insect invasions. A kid screaming about spiders won't endear buyers to your home.

          •Clean the fingerprints off the storm door. First impressions count.

          •Put up Post-It notes around the house to highlight great features like tilt-in windows or a recently updated appliance.

          •Remove shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, and other personal items from the bathtub, shower, and sinks in all the bathrooms. Store them in a shoebox under the sink. Removing personal items makes it easier for buyers to see themselves living in your house.

          •Stow away all kitchen countertop appliances.

One hour before the open house

          •Bake the ready-to-bake cookies you bought earlier this week. Put them on a nice platter for your open house guests to eat with a note that says: "Help yourself!"

          •Hang the new towels in the bathrooms.

          •Put your bowl of apples or lemons on the kitchen table or bar counter.

          •Pick up and put away any throw rugs, like the bath mats. They're a trip hazard.

15 minutes before the open house

          •Open all the curtains and blinds and turn on the lights in the house. Buyers like bright homes.

          •Light fireplace logs (if it's winter).

          •Didn't get those cookies baked? Brew a pot of coffee to make the house smell inviting.

During the open house

Get out of the house and let your REALTOR sell it! Potential buyers will be uncomfortable discussing your home if you're loitering during the open house. Take advantage of your child- and pet-free hours by treating yourself to something you enjoy-a few extra hours at the gym, a trip to the bookstore, or a manicure.

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11 Ways to Create a Welcoming Front Entrance for Under $100

Article From HouseLogic.com

By: Cara Greenberg
Published: November 05, 2012

Wouldn't it be nice to approach your home's entrance with a grin instead of a grimace? Take our tips for beating a clear, safe, and stylish path to your front door.

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First impressions count - not just for your friends, relatives, and the UPS guy, but for yourself. Whether it's on an urban stoop or a Victorian front porch, your front door (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/windows-doors/exterior-door-installation-options/) and the area leading up to it should extend a warm welcome to all comers - and needn't cost a bundle.

Here's what you can do to make welcoming happen on the cheap.

1. Clear the way for curb appeal (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/home-improvement/adding-curb-appeal-value-to-home/). The path to your front door should be at least 3 feet wide so people can walk shoulder-to-shoulder, with an unobstructed view and no stumbling hazards. So get out those loppers and cut back any overhanging branches or encroaching shrubs.

2. Light the route. Landscape lighting makes it easy to get around at night. Solar-powered LED lights (http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/lighting/outdoor-solar-lights/) you can just stick in the ground, requiring no wiring, are suprisingly inexpensive. $45 for a pack of 8, lowes.com.

3. Go glossy. Borrow inspiration from London's lovely row houses, whose owners assert their individuality by painting their doors in high-gloss colors. The reflective sheen of a royal blue, deep green, crimson, or whatever color you like will ensure your house stands out from the pack. Consult Bonnie Rosser Krims' book, The Perfectly Painted House, for ideas.

And find out what your front entryway says about you (http://www.houselogic.com/photos/windows-doors/front-door-for-home-personality/).

4. Pretty up the view. A door with lots of glass is a plus for letting light into the front hall -- but if you also want privacy and a bit of decor, check out decorative window film (http://www.houselogic.com/blog/windows-doors/decorative-window-film/). It's removable and re-positionable, and comes in innumerable styles and motifs. About $5.25 per running foot, decorativefilm.com (https://www.decorativefilm.com/).

An less expensive way to get the look of stained glass without doing custom work or buying a whole new door: Mount a decorative panel on the inside of the door behind an existing glass insert, $92 for an Arts and Crafts-style panel 20" high by 11" wide.

5. Replace door hardware. While you're at it, polish up the handle on the big front door, or better yet, replace it with a shiny new brass lockset with a secure deadbolt, $57.

6. Please knock. Doorbells may be the norm, but a hefty knocker is a classic that will never run out of battery life, and another opportunity to express yourself (whatever your favorite animal or insect is, there's a door-knocker in its image). $39, potterybarn.com.

7. Ever-greenery. Boxwoods are always tidy-looking, the definition of easy upkeep. A pair on either side of the door is traditional, but a singleton is good, too. About $25 at garden centers. In cold climates, make sure pots are frost-proof (polyethylene urns and boxes mimic terracotta and wood to perfection). $80, frontera.com (http://www.frontera.com/cape-cod-patio-planter-14x14-black.html).

8. Numbers game. Is your house number clearly visible? That's of prime importance if you want your guests to arrive and your pizza to be hot. Stick-on vinyl numbers (http://www.etsy.com/search?q=vinyl%20house%20numbers&view_type=gallery&ship_to=US) in a variety of fonts make it easy, starting at about $4 per digit.

9. Foot traffic. A hardworking mat for wiping muddy feet is a must. A thick coir mat can be had at the hardware store for less than $20, or spring for something fancier, like this decorative half-round that promises weather and mildew resistance, $45, frontgate.com.

10. Go for the glow. Fumbling for keys in the dark isn't fun. Consider doubling up on porch lights with a pair of lanterns, one on each side of the door, for symmetry and twice the illumination. $69 each, shadesoflight.com (http://www.shadesoflight.com/caboose-outdoor-light-medium-3-finishes.html).

11. Snail mail. Mailboxes run the gamut from kitschy roadside novelties masquerading as dogs, fish, or what-have-you to sober black lockboxes mounted alongside the front door. Whichever way you go, make sure yours is standing or hanging straight, with a secure closure, and no dings or dents. The mail carrier will thank you.

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Amazing Sunsets

Hilton Head Island has some of the most amazing sunsets!

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Hilton Head 350/30

This past weekend, Hilton Head Island celebrated the 350th anniversary of the island's sighting and naming by Captain William Hilton. We also the celebrated the town of Hilton Head Island's 30th anniversary.

Re-enactment of Captain William Hilton (seen on the bow) spotting Hilton Head Island.

My wife and I volunteering at the Hilton Head 350/30 event on Coligny beach.

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Beach-goers and the sail boats at Coligny beach.

Executive chef and crew from Hudson's seafood restaurant. Hudson's is Hilton Head Island's oldest and (in my opinion) best seafood restaurant, serving fresh, local seafood daily.

Some of our Richardson Group real estate agents dancing to Lowcountry Shag music played by the live band (stage in background).

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