Susan Jacobsen

The Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce held their annual ball Saturday night. Amid all the hoopla and fancy dresses - it was a Mardi Gras theme - they recognized some wonderful members of our community.

The top award, the Alice Glenn Doughtie Good Citizenship Award for the first time was presented to two honorees; Ida Martin and Betsy Doughtie. Ida Martin, who created Bluffton Self Help in her garage in 1987 also most recently was awarded the Presidential Citizenship Award by President Obama in Washington, D.C. Betsy Doughtie serves as Executive Director of Deep Well; an organization that was created by Charlotte Heinrichs to address the lack of adequate drinking water and now provides assistance to thousands of Hilton Head area residents.

For such a small geographic area we are so fortunate to have these wonderful people with generous spirits committed to making lives better.

Another award winner, a friend and fellow Realtor, Gloria LaCoe was named the Zonta Woman of the Year. Gloria founded the annual Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas teen party at the Boys and Girls Club, and because it appears she has a few moments left, has recently partnered with St. Andrew by the Sea Methodist Church to create a soup kitchen.

As well as the organizations above we have Volunteers in Medicine, Cancer Thrift Store, the Litter Box, and of course Rotary, United Way, Goodwill, Salvation Army and more - plenty of organizations that would love your help.

If you live here, join in continuing to improve Hilton Head and Bluffton; if you are thinking of moving here, you'll become a valuable member and much appreciated partner!

Well, we know that people are moving here, but no where is it more apparent than the upswing in sales - and prices - in Sun City Hilton Head (not actually on the Hilton Head Island by the way). The average age in Sun City has also dropped and this lively community of over 7,000 people continues to grow. Beginning on the Beaufort County 'side' of Highway 278, Sun City now straddles the highway into Jasper County.

As the chart shows, prices are up - and this, by the way, does not show the in-house sales by Pulte but just the re-sales! Lots of good opportunities.

If you'd like more information, or to schedule a getaway weekend, give me a call - a golf cart awaits!

In spite of some continuing pockets of resistance, and the ongoing short sales and foreclosures, Bluffton, SC is showing a solid rebound.

Along the Buckwalter corridor alone, Pinecrest, Pine Ridge, Woodbridge, and Hampton Hall just to name a few of the 13 communities, prices have begun to stabilize. As indicated, sales year over year are stronger and foreclosure properties are being presented in much better condition.

It's still a great time to buy - but call me to find the remaining opportunities in Bluffton!

It's always such a joy to have the opportunity to get to see oceanfront homes on Hilton Head Island. Even more of a joy when the home turns out to be as stunning as the ocean view!

Yesterday morning as the sun was gleaming off the beach in Palmetto Dunes, I visited a home on Night Hawk. Offered by a fellow Realtor(R), this home exemplifies all that is potential and wonderful about the options on Hilton Head.

While we in general don't have Frank Gehry style architecture and some would say that it is not creative, the beauty of this home on Night Hawk surpasses all that.

The architectural details of a cut out window high in the powder room wall, to the mixture of contemporary, traditional, and features of the beach. This home has it all!

You sweep into the entry from travertine steps, flanked by steel railings that won't rust (even thought this is OCEANFRONT), you enter the foyer and witness the power of the ocean. The furnishings are exemplary because they complement the style of the home without overwhelming it. The colors might be found right on the sand at your back door; sea foam, soft beige, a splash of the color of a junonia shell. The living room is balanced with a stone front fireplace, kitchen with glass front cabinets,

Now why do I wax poetic on a home that is not even my listing? Because it is amazingly priced for oceanfront, for the view, and reminds us that Hilton Head is filled with great homes at great prices. The prices in Palmetto Dunes have INCREASED since 2010 - so the question as to whether or not the market has hit bottom has certainly been answered for this community. If you would like additional information on this, or any other home in Palmetto Dunes, please feel free to give me a call - your Resort and Second Home Specialist in the luxury market.

It's winter in the lowcountry! How do I know that when the temps remain in the 60-70 degree range you might ask? (Though by some decision by Mother Nature today brought a cold, windy day) Though the shiny thick magnolia leaves cling to the brances since they are actually evergreens, the fragrant flowers have dropped and huge pods with bright red seeds hang there instead.

A favorite area on Hilton Head Island is Coligny Plaza - the bright buggy seems to be decked out in holiday colors and though it's this color year-round, against the crisp skies and cooler temps it seems even more festive now.

For birdwatchers, the Audubon Christmas count is a delight since the lowcountry is a major rest stop for migrating ducks and songbirds. The hooded mergansers take baths in our lagoons, the woodstorks with their grave countenance look disdainfully while the diving birds go after fish. Our purple finch remain and bright yellow finshes look like canaries in the trees.

The smell of wood smoke permeates the air as firepits are started either just to sit around and chat, or to enjoy freshly steamed May River oysters.

The skies are clear and our usual humidity disappears as the reflection of the moon dances on the ocean and makes the sand on the beach sparkle.

Romance is in the air as well since mistletoe grows wild in our oak trees. I'm told the favorite way in the south to harvest it is to bring out your shotgun and shoot it down. Not sure about that method but have learned not to question local culture.

Decorations are plentiful on the smallest cottages to the elegant homes with wide inviting front porches, Snap dragons, pansies, poinsettias blooming all on their own, amaryllis, and hollies take over from the flamboyant summer flowers.

Our winter also brings an abundance of vegetables. With farmers' markets in Hardeeville, Ridgeland, Bluffton, and on Hilton Head Island, there are no excuses for not enjoying collards, kale, blackeyed peas and turnips.

It's also a busy time for our visitors. For those who are able to take advantage of our empty beaches, enjoy no waiting at the restaurants, or being able to walk right on to a golf course; there's no better time of the year than winter in the lowcountry.