Niche, Nature and Nice Neighbors

In the past week, I’ve had two terrific meetings with realtors from Pawleys Island who wisely chose to bring their clients to DeBordieu. It also became pretty clear that I think one of the roles I will play in my new/old position at DeBordieu is one of “outside-realtor liaison.” In fact….having formed some wonderful relationships with realtors in Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet over the past few years, it might just be my little niche. It was a lot of fun connecting with my realtor buddies and meeting their very qualified clients!

People: The first client was an extremely nice lady looking for a large home with a minimum of 4000 hsf. She needed it to be as nice and new as possible, with an elevator and good view. She and her realtor were pretty worn out after looking all over Pawleys Island so I treated them to a wonderfully, relaxing lunch at the DeBordieu Clubhouse. Afterward, the three of us visited just one house that fit her requirements and price parameters. She loved it, and she LOVED DeBordieu. Because this was her first visit to DeBordieu, she wants to come back when she can bring her hubby and spend more time.

The second client was an absolutely delightful retired businessman. His love of nature and wide open spaces made him a perfect fit for DeBordieu. There were two homes that fit his price parameters and could possibly reach the rental potential he was looking for. An avid photographer, he could particularly appreciate the way DeBordieu looked in the late afternoon light….absolutely gorgeous. Here’s some info about the homes we saw, click on the name to get to the link:
Places: Located in the Ocean Green area of DeBordieu, the 7 bedroom BRASELTON house is perfect for a big family. The huge kitchen opens to the Dining and Living Rooms, and the porches run the entire width of both levels….offering fabulous views!
The STUCKY house was also beautiful, and at just $1.7, one of the best oceanfront deals in the county! Located on a “back-flag” lot, this home has been updated, but thank goodness they didn’t touch the gorgeous woodwork inside.

Things: Hobcaw Barony – located right next door, to the south of DeBordieu, this 17,500 acre wildlife preserve was once home to Wall Street millionaire and presidential advisor, Bernard Baruch, and subsequently, his daughter, Belle. At Belle’s death, the property was placed in a foundation and preserved for teaching and research purposes. Today, Clemson University conducts research in the forest, and the University of South Carolina performs marine biology research in North Inlet. What great neighbors to have, eh?

There truly is no place like home…..and there’s no place like DeBordieu.

My First “DeBidue” Sales Meeting

I attended my first sales meeting since my return to DeBordieu Colony Real Estate! Attorney Tripp Hutto was a special guest. He brought us up to speed about a few subjects including closing issues with lenders and timelines. Thanks Tripp!

PEOPLE: DeBordieu property owner, Mary Witt, is the facilitator of my small group in the Women in the Word Bible Study, in which I’m participating at All Saints Church in Pawleys Island. Last time we met, a bunch of us enjoyed lunch afterward at Bistro 217, where Mary shared with me that she is the daughter of Caroline Clapp, one of DeBordieu’s first property owners, and one of my all time favorites. Caroline is no longer with us, but her lively spirit, sense of humor, and love of God certainly lives on in Mary.

PLACES: After the sales meeting we toured a couple of new listings at DeBordieu. The Randolph house, oceanfront, with the bright red roof offered something I’ve never seen before…..the elevator goes all the way to the top of the roof deck! From there, the view was absolutely spectacular. Having assisted the sellers with the purchase of that oceanfront homesite many moons ago, I was delighted to witness the stunning home they built and are now offering for sale. We’ll have the pictures and virtual tour processed soon…give me a shout if you would like for me to send you the link.

THINGS: “Debidue” – that’s the Southern pronunciation that comes from the local Gullah dialect, but where did the “DeBordieu” name come from? Well, legend has it that when the Marquis de Lafayette, landed his ship here in 1777 to help us out with the revolution, he exclaimed “this land is so beautiful, it must be the borderland of God! In French, D’aborde Dieu. The name stuck, and the land is just as beautiful today.

There truly is no place like home…..and there’s no place like DeBordieu.

It’s a BEAUTIFUL day in the neighborhood!

For the next few weeks I’ll be getting familiar with DeBordieu’s inventory. Today I visited some absolutely gorgeous homes in a variety of settings. A few on the Golf Course, a few near the ocean, and some really awesome values in the forest at Patewood North.

PEOPLE: I stopped to chat with Rock Hinson today as he was preparing to put some finishing touches on the facelift he’s given his house on Collins Meadow. Rock and Lib have owned a place at DeBordieu for-just-about-ever. It was good to see him! And his house, with the new metal roof, sure looked great!

PLACES: One of the finest homes I saw today was on the Golf Course, on Collins Meadow Drive. It’s brand spankin’ new, never been lived in, and has a killer view. Take a look at the details of the house referred to as MOMO.

THINGS: DeBordieu Boulevard – Owners at DeBordieu have told me for years that the stress, hustle and bustle of whatever metropolitan area they come from seems to melt away as they travel from the entrance of DeBordieu just a mile or so to the residential neighborhoods. With nature preserves on both sides of the road, it’s about as GREEN as you can get. It looked magical today as the sunlight was filtering through the oaks lining each side of the road.

There truly is no place like home…..and there’s no place like DeBordieu.

Scarlet and Rhett Would Have LOVED it!

I can just picture Scarlet in her hoop-skirt, descending the grand staircase in the foyer of the DeBordieu Clubhouse. Wow! What a gorgeous place! I had a fun lunch with Jeff Kaz (my hubby), Kelly Jones, (Director of Catering), Chris Constable, (Assistant Controller) and Lamont Teeples, (General Manager). It was great catching up
PEOPLE: Helga Morrison - With her thick German accent, vivacious personality, and desire to deliver the best service in the world, Helga has been a fixture at the DeBordieu Grill Room since it opened! Respected by DeBordieu Club Members as well as the staff, Helga has the uncanny ability to remember what you like on your sandwich, your favorite libation, and the names of your children! It was great to reconnect with Helga!

PLACES: The Daly House - Listed by my good buddy Tom Nichols, I had the opportunity to show the Daly house! Stately and elegant, this beautiful home has a spectacular view of DeBordieu's 17th hole. I was very impressed with the recent renovations done to the home, not only in the house, but under the house. What a value! Click here to see it! Daly House Details

THINGS: The DeBordieu Clubhouse - This masterpiece of architecture is the crowning jewel of the Pete Dye golf course at DeBordieu. Beautifully updated last summer, the Colony Room is now light, airy, and offers spectacular views of the course and surrounding marshlands. Numerous memories of Christmas parties and wedding receptions flooded my little brain as I walked through.
There truly is no place like home…..and there's no place like DeBordieu.

Confirmation….it's a good thing.There's nothing like confirmation that I made the right decision to return to DeBordieu Colony Real Estate.
On my second day here I was given the opportunity to show property to a former client, who sold his DeBordieu property a few years ago, and now has the desire to come back. There are some very nice communities in the Pawleys Island area, but once most people get a taste of DeBordieu, they realize that there is really no other place on earth like it. Nothing even comes close!
PEOPLE: Geoff Groat - hysterically funny in a "Dr. House" kind of way, Geoff started selling property at DeBordieu Colony Real Estate back in 1986 just before I came on board. He was supportive of my move from marketing to real estate sales back in the '90s, and he's been just as supportive in my return to DeBordieu. His vast knowledge of the community, and the properties within is staggering. He's been a big help to me already, just as I knew he would be.
PLACES: The DCCA office - One of the reasons people choose to make their home in DeBordieu is that the community association here is SERIOUS about SECURITY. I visited the DeBordieu Colony Community Association office where I had to fill out a detailed information sheet before I could get a decal and bar code for my car, allowing me access to the community. SECURTIY….it's a good thing.
THINGS: The Creek - that property I showed earlier today provided a stunning, panoramic view of North Inlet, one of the most pristine estuaries in North America. DeBordieu provides its owners boat landing access to this fertile fishing ground. I can't WAIT to get out there in a boat!
There's no place like home……there's no place like DeBordieu.

And so it Begins….Again!
My adventures at DeBordieu began in 1986, when I started working in this beautiful community just south of Pawleys Island, as the Membership Coordinator and Marketing Director, and eventually moved into Real Estate Sales. It was here that I met my husband, Jeff Kaz, who is the Controller at DeBordieu Club. I left about 9 years ago to pay a bit more attention to my children and was very fortunate to have the opportunity to sell real estate in the Pawleys Island area. My teenagers are very independent now, so when given the invitation to return to DeBordieu, it didn’t take me long to make the decision to come “home.”

PEOPLE: The Peace Brothers – Because Hampton and Perry basically grew up at DeBordieu, their hearts and souls play a huge role in protecting the integrity of the community. As owners of DeBordieu Colony Real Estate, they are doing a terrific job of doing just that. Hampton and Perry, along with their entire staff, have truly gone the extra mile in welcoming me back to DeBordieu, and I’m so very grateful.

PLACES: The real estate office – while it still has that cozy, casual, “mom and pop” feel to it, DeBordieu Colony Real Estate, in an effort to keep up with its computer-savvy clientele, has gone high-tech, and is run like a well-oiled machine!

THINGS: The Beach – on my first day, I went down to the beach at DeBordieu with Marketing Director Ginny Horton so she could take my picture for this blog. I don’t think there is a more beautiful, private stretch of oceanfront land anywhere.

There truly is no place like home…..and there’s no place like DeBordieu.