Gateway Realty

Celebrate Craft Beer on Hilton Head Island

admin — Sun, 13 May 2012 10:38:50 +0000

As part of Celebrate Craft Beer Week, Piggly Wiggly is presenting the Hilton Head Taste of Summer Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, May 19, 2012. The event takes place in the afternoon from 2:00 to 6:00 at the Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina. As the name suggests, the emphasis at this event is on craft beers, and the event will include a sampling of around 60 different flavorful beers from 20 different craft breweries, including pale ales, fruit beers, summer ales, ciders, Pilsners, Hefe-Weizens, and American-style wheats. For those craving a wide variety of high-quality artisan beer, there is no better place to be.

The Hilton Head Taste of Summer Craft Beer Festival will also include summer favorites from a number of Hilton Head Island’s restaurants, including Kickin Chicken, Bistro 17, The Lodge Beer & Growler Bar, San Miguel’s, and more. There will also be live music provided by The Blue Dots and Patwa.

Admission is free, but you will need to purchase a festival ticket if you would like to sample the beer. Festival tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. They include 15 beer samples as well as a souvenir sampling glass for the first 800 people. Some of the event’s proceeds will benefit the Palmetto Animal League and Hilton Head Rotary Club.

Contact Gateway Realty at 843-757-7710 or email us, we are the mainland experts and our knowledeable sales agents are ready to assist you in all your Bluffton, SC and Lowcountry real estate needs. Let one of our agents start making that dream home become a reality.

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Reinvigorate Your Yard In A Weekend

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:41:43 +0000

Every homeowner wants a beautiful yard, however most homeowners have fallen into the trap of believing yard work can be too expensive and too time consuming. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to pump up your home’s curb appeal in preparation for a sale, or you’re looking to get the most out of your yard for relaxing and entertaining, here are 5 budget friendly projects to bring your yard up to a “10″, and better still, each can be done over a weekend!

1.Lighting- Adding exterior lighting to your outdoor spaces makes it possible to enjoy more time outside and are a perfect way to create mood and ambiance. Consider going green with solar lights, they are affordable, require no wiring, and are eco-friendly.

2.Lawn- By fertilizing and seeding the lawn you can create lush, durable greenery. Eco-grass seed requires less watering and is over all lower maintenance, apply the seed to the areas needing grass then use a spreader to fertilize the whole yard.

3.Patio- Find an area in the yard to create a small area specifically designed for entertaining and relaxing. Brick or flagstone can help define the space and give you an area suitable for a table, chairs, and grill – what a great spot to spend some relaxing time!

4.Garden- A gardener with a black thumb? Worried about the upkeep required for beautiful plantings? No worries, plant a xeriscaped garden. These gardens are full of plants that require little maintenance and are drought resistant! Consider using such colorful plants as lavender, Russian sage, yarrow, sedum and salvia, all of which thrive in dry conditions.

5. Water- Adding a water feature to your yard provides an attractive focal point as well as a pleasurable background sound element to your outdoor space, the addition of a simple fountain or small pond will also give birds a reason to visit, adding more sounds and beauty to your yard!

Contact Gateway Realty at 843-757-7710 or email us, we are the mainland experts and our knowledeable sales agents are ready to assist you in all your Bluffton, SC and Lowcountry real estate needs. Let one of our agents start making that dream home become a reality.

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Source: realestate.msn

34th Annual Bluffton Village Festival

admin — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:18:08 +0000

Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with a trip to the 34th annual Bluffton Village Festival. The Mayfest will be held on Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Calhoun Street, where history meets Lowcountry festivity. The “people’s festival” is coordinated by the Rotary Club of Bluffton as a celebration of the artisans and musicians that gift the area with their talents and to give families a chance to be exposed to the arts.

No local festival would be complete without local vendors supplying their food: Gullah inspired, homemade treats like peach ice cream, crab cakes, shrimp burgers and shrimp salad sandwiches. You never know what you’ll find among the honey, preserves, Ulmer bread and shortcake. Although there will be over 100 vendors, if you’ve been to any of the Bluffton Village Festivals in the past, you know they sell out quickly, so plan to get there early!

The festival is made for those who love to mosey under the oak trees, eat with friends and chat on a beautiful spring day. Admission is free and so is parking if you shuttle from Red Cedar Elementary, available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And don’t forget the 24th annual Ugly Dog contest at 1p.m. on the front porch of the Sprouts store. Kids of all ages love those ugly mugs!

Beaufort Gullah Festival Set to Kick Off in May

admin — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:54 +0000

The Beaufort Gullah Festival will be celebrating it’s Silver Anniversary this year, and festival planners want you to attend! The Gullah festival – the original festival to celebrate the heritage of the Sea Islands – will take place May 25th -27th, 2012 at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in nearby historic and picturesque Beaufort, South Carolina.

This year promises the same great line up of food, art, entertainment, and historic tributes of previous years, but will also include a few new twists. Festival goers can purchases a weekend pass good for admission to the park and all events throughout the weekend, as well as a play and a 3 hour tour of Beaufort, Port Royal, Lady’s Island, St. Helena’s Island, Coffin Point, a Praise House, Historic Churches, and other points of interest to the Gullah culture and history here in the Lowcountry. And, for the first time ever, the event will provide a Jazz Club night on the 25th from 9-12 PM. For more information, visit the Beaufort Gullah Festival’s website.

The Society of Bluffton Artists Strives to Educate and Enrich

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:45:32 +0000

The picturesque scenes of Lowcountry life have been the subject of many a photo, portrait, and sculpture. Many of the country’s most famous artists call this home. From Jonathan Green to Cassandra Gillies, Luther E. Vann and more, artists have made vignettes of coastal life world-famous. Many of these artists are supported locally by organizations such as the Society of Bluffton Artists, which helps to hone the skills of local artists as well as provide an avenue through which their work can be seen.

The Society of Bluffton Artists is a nonprofit organization which was established in 1999. SoBA exists to promote an appreciation for the visual arts in and around Bluffton communities. They provide support to local artists in the form of continuing education, and help to increase public interest and support of the arts at all levels. The organization has grown to meet the needs of the community and local artists, opening a new 1200-square foot gallery in 2003, and the Center for Creative Arts – which provides professional art tutoring for the local school students free of cost, adult continuing education classes, and seminars featuring guest artists throughout the year – in 2011.

Currently, SoBA’s Center for Creative Arts features a new show approximately every six weeks. The center’s current show, The Black and White Photography Exhibition, runs through April 21. Art Cornell, renowned poet, painter, and fellow photographer is serving as the judge for this event. The gallery is open between 10 am and 5:00 pm every day except Sundays. All shows feature approximately 100 original pieces. The ever-changing displays of artwork ensure that there is always something special to see and experience.

Contact Gateway Realty, we are the mainland experts and our knowledeable sales agents are ready to assist you in all your Bluffton, SC and Lowcountry real estate needs. Let one of our agents start making that dream home become a reality.

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The American Heart Association’s Low Country Heart Walk

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:01:59 +0000

The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization working to prevent, treat, and defeat heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, with a mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

This year’s Low Country Heart Walk is scheduled for Saturday, March 31st at 9am, in The Promenade in downtown Bluffton on the corner of Calhoun and May River Road. Over 1,000 walkers are expected to participate in the one or three mile walks.

Gateway Realty first committed to the American Heart Association back in December of 2007 to honor our friends and family that have been touched by heart disease, heart attack, or a stroke, and this year we will once again participate in this worthy event.

Cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, is the leading cause of death in the South Carolina. Just about all of us know someone who has been affected. Let’s make the Low Country Heart Walk help South Carolina save lives—one life at a time.

View highlights of last year’s event

Contact Gateway Realty, we are the mainland experts and our knowledeable sales agents are ready to assist you in all your real estate needs. Let one of our agents start making that dream home become a reality.

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Gateway Realty’s Randy Fix Presents “Curb Appeal” Seminar at The Lowcountry Home & Garden Show

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:59:24 +0000

When a home buyer pulls up to a home the first thing they will notice is its curb appeal. Does the exterior look well maintained and the yard look attended to and manicured? It is critical for home sellers to be sure that the appearance of their house clearly conveys an answer of yes to these questions because, often times, the decision as to whether or not to view the interior of the home, will be based on those critical first few minutes viewing from the curb. But where to begin? An experienced real estate agent can give you tips on what works - and what doesn’t - when home sellers are looking for ways to maximize their home’s curb appeal. Join Gateway Realty’s own Randy Fix at the The Lowcountry Home & Garden Show taking place at the Buckwalter Recreation Complex in Bluffton, on Saturday March 24 at 11:00 for his seminar - Curb Appeal: Surefire Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home and get tips on how to ensure that the first impression of your home is a positive one to home buyers.

While you’re visiting the Home & Garden Show and learning about creating curb appeal for your home, you may want to pick up a few of these proven, easy to maintain plants to use in your landscaping:

Hostas- Although not truly a flower, these plants will act as great ground cover and offer a beautiful landscape.
Geraniums- Colorful and a natural mosquito repellent! Add to that the fact that they will bloom all summer and you have found yourself a true winner.
Petunias- Use these to accent the house, place them in decorative baskets and hang them from the front porch to add color well into the fall.
Violets- Make an excellent border to a bed of flowers or a walkway to the door.
Impatiens- These flowers do well in the shade and are great additions to the surrounding areas of trees.
Marigolds- These flowers are brave little guys, gardeners who have a black thumb couldn’t bring them down!
Vincas- Line your sidewalk with these flowers to add accent and distinction to your garden.

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Tips To Consider When Preparing Your Home For Sale

admin — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:43:18 +0000

Home sellers need to be particularly attentive when preparing to sell their home to be sure that it makes a positive impact on potential home buyers. According to the National Association of Realtors, the second-biggest reason – after price - that a home won’t sell is because the homeowner hasn’t taken care of details such as ensuring the house is clean and uncluttered, the décor is neutral, and playing up the home’s best features. Here are some tips to consider when preparing your home for sale that will put your house in the best light:

•Pack up all of your personal memorabilia. The potential buyers don’t need to see your life in the house, they need to be able to visualize their life in the house.

•Put away all the objects you do not need on a daily basis. Books, pictures, personal décor, any other knick knacks that once added familiarity and a home like feeling now appear as clutter to potential buyers.

•As the seller you need to sell the idea that your house is maintained well. You can do this by arranging closets and cabinets to portray a neat and orderly appearance, it’s this kind of attention to detail that will pay off in the long run.

•Clean every square inch of the house until it shines. Make small repairs as you go along, patch the nail holes, put up fresh paint, fix the squeaky door. Again it’s in the attention to detail!

•Be sure your house looks as immaculate from the outside as it does within, the front yard is the first glimpse of the house potential homebuyers will see, be sure it leaves a lasting impression.

•Understand once you decide to sell, the home is now just a house. Put aside personal feelings, say goodbye to each room, and begin to look at the house as a product which needs to be sold.

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Lowcountry Home & Garden Show

admin — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:53:34 +0000

Spring is just around the corner and with the change of seasons comes an eagerness to refresh and rejuvenate our homes and yards. But where to begin? With more than 80 home and garden exhibits you’re sure to find inspiration at the Lowcountry Home and Garden Show taking place from Friday, March 23 through Sunday, March 25, 2012, at the Buckwalter Recreation Complex at 905 Buckwalter Road in Bluffton, South Carolina.

You’ll gather plenty of ideas to implement in your own home and garden, and local experts will be on hand to answer any questions you might have on home improvement, decorating, and landscaping ideas.

Additional highlights of the Lowcountry Home & Garden Show include dozens of workshops and seminars, Parade of Homes Tour, a spring plant sale, and a play and workshop area for children. Plan to join in the fun at the Lowcountry Home & Garden Show and get ready to “renovate, decorate and landscape your home!”

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Bluffton Self Help’s Red Apron Chili Cookoff!

admin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:01:24 +0000

If you’ve lived in the Lowcountry long, you know that we’re all about good food and fun. Come have a bit of both at the Bluffton Self Help sponsorsed Red Apron Chili Cookoff regionally-sanctioned chili cookoff! On February 25, bring the whole family out to Tanger II Outlets from 10 AM to 4 PM to see how the chili experts do it! Local cooks as well as chefs from throughout the southeast will compete for a regional title, and move on to compete in the Upstate Chili Cookoff slated to be held in April. Winners will also have a chance to compete in the international chili cookoff.

Each contestant will prepare their signature version of the dish from scratch, in front of the attendees and judges. From prep to simmer, contestants will have about three hours to complete their entry. Once they place their final products on the table, the tasting and judging begin! Local restaurant chefs and other celebrity judges are slated to be on hand to select and award the Chili Champ in each of the following categories: Traditional Red Chili, Chili Verde, Salsa, Homestyle Chili, and People’s Choice Chili!

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