Here's hoping you have had a great start to the new year! As always, we welcome the opportunity this year to be of service to you and those you know, so please let us know when/if we can help you with your real estate questions and goals. Until then, happy reading!


44 Hearthwood Drive
$1,270,000

Consider this outstanding newer home located in Sea Pines situated on a private lagoon, with its central location between the main gate and Harbour Town. This beautiful home offers an elevated entry with brick steps leading to the divided light front door with adjoining sidelights. This home opens with an inviting entry foyer featuring hardwood floors and a soaring ceiling. Immediately adjacent to the foyer is a formal dining room with large picture window, crown and chair moldings, hardwood floors, and a classic chandelier with matching sconces.

As a means of exposing you to different areas of Hilton Head Island / Bluffton, we present this interesting and entertaining section of our email newsletter. Below, you will see photographs taken of a very specific location in our area...and all you have to do is guess where it is! Well, actually, we tell you at THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE NEWSLETTER, so don't get too frustrated if you can't figure it out. Have fun with it...and good guessing!)

Popular Business
At a recent Broker-in-Charge meeting with our local Multiple Listings Service, we learned that our current MLS has 1,100 member-agents! The last census put our year-round population somewhere in the range of 35,000. That means that essentially 1 out of every 35 residents is a member of the MLS!!! There are also now 160 local real estate companies that are members of the MLS. As if real estate weren't already competitive enough.
2004 Results
2004 was an outstanding "recovery" year in the Hilton Head area real estate market. Inventory built-up in 2002 and 2003 cleared out at a record pace with prices escalating nicely throughout the year. To get a feel for the performance of 2004, please click on the graph below.

ResortQuest Expands Island Presence
One of the nation's largest vacation property management companies has recently purchased East West Resorts, which owned and operated local Hilton Head companies Oceanfront Rentals and Sand Dollar Management, bringing their total of locally-managed villas and homes to over 930. ResortQuest also manages properties in Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Hawaii and Canada. In 1999, ResortQuest purchased Worthy Rentals and Shoreline Rentals, which were combined into one operation, currently located on Pope Avenue on Hilton Head Island.

Across the Country
In order to help put our local market into perspective, we have provided some nationwide real estate news that we hope you will find interesting. Just click on the USA map to the right to access this section of our newsletter...and be sure to let us know if you have any questions or comments.
New Licensees (Almost)
We are proud to announce that Gail Bonnett (Closings Manager) and Christian Marocco (Marketing Coordinator) have both successfully passed the 60-hour pre-licensing course and are well on their way to securing their South Carolina real estate license. Once they pass the State test, they will complete our goal of having ALL of our full-time staff members being licensed! Hats off to Gail and Christian - way to go!

Nearly $60 Million in Team Sales in 2004
We finished another record-setting year for our Team in 2004 with nearly $60 Million in closed and pending sales. Serving over 140 clients, we feel very fortunate to have such strong support in the marketplace, and it is extremely rewarding to continue to get "Excellent" ratings from our clients. Our goal for 2005 is to increase our production by 25%, and we hope that we can have the opportunity to serve you at some point throughout the year.

Hilton Head Island 1/2 Marathon
For those of you who have committed to a higher level of fitness this year, consider the upcoming ½ marathon on the Island. This 13+ mile course starts at Chaplin Park and works its way into the northern section of Hilton Head Island, returning back to the Park for a grand celebration. If you would be interested in participating (or volunteering), please contact Bear Foot Sports at http://www.bearfootsports.com/. See you there.
Heritage Golf Group Buys Island Courses
A California-based company has purchased the golf courses in Port Royal and Shipyard Plantations as well as the Oyster Reef Golf Club in Hilton Head Plantation. With this acquisition (purchase price details have not been disclosed), the company now owns 20 golf courses in California, Florida, Georgia, Texas and Washington states. The company plans to spend about $3 Million on general clubhouse and landscaping improvements, including a significant upgrade of the Port Royal clubhouse.

Highway 278 "On Speed"
Construction companies presented their plans to the public this week for developing an elevated "Express Loop" to move traffic on the heavily traveled highway off-Island. 250 local residents attended the discussion , which centered on two topics: whether to build extra lanes on the landscaped median and whether to charge a toll on the rebuilt highway. Based on the proposed plan, motorists could switch between local lanes that would meet cross streets at traffic signals and express toll lanes that would use bridges to bypass the signals. More to follow as this important issue develops.

LWoods New Restaurant
Located at Circle Center on Pope Avenue, the Island's newest restaurant features delicious seasoned burgers, huge portions of fried grouper, big fat steak fries, and much, much more. Put LWoods on your list of must try's on the Island.you'll be glad that you did!

Congratulations are in order for our December E-mail
Newsletter Drawing Winners

Rebecca and Matthew Mastrorocco, Hilton Head, SC

As a recipient of this e-mail newsletter, you are automatically entered into our drawing for next month's giveaway. Good Luck...and don't forget to pass this along to a friend so they can sign up to be a recipient of the newsletter and an entry in our drawing! Thanks! Simply click here to enter.

As referenced above, Hilton Head Island's newest and most expansive sports park, Chaplin Park, has become a significant hub for soccer teams, tennis players, dog walkers and playground-seeking kids. Located centrally on the Island between Palmetto Dunes and Port Royal Plantations, Chaplin Park is a welcomed answer to a long-awaited need for recreational space on an Island whose youth population is exploding.