Communities have different ‘characteristics’. 
 
When you are considering a home or villa for vacation use, relocation or retirement, the Hilton Head or Bluffton SC area communities have different features and locations to meet your needs.
 
 A) Hilton Head vacation rental properties are typically located on or near the beach in neighborhoods with resort features and services that include hotels, public restaurants, water sports, bicycle rentals and available golf, beach and tennis. The most popular of these areas are Sea Pines, Forest Beach, Shipyard, Palmetto Dunes, Singleton Beach, Bradley Beach, Folly Field and Daufuskie Island. Together, these areas comprise a ‘world class’ resort area with a wide variety of vacation-rental homes with 1-6 bedrooms and priced from $135,000 to $12,900,000.
 
 B) Primary and second homes can be located in the same beach and tourist areas already noted with some segregation of tourists and residents but many communities are for residents only. Sea Pines has one beach club for owners only and another for owners and visitors. Leamington in Palmetto Dunes restricts vacation rental to two weeks per year as does Port Royal Plantation and Hilton Head Plantation. Vacation rentals are prohibited in Indigo Run, Wexford and Long Cove and many other communities. Several private communities allow limited vacation rentals of golf ‘cottages’ located immediately next to their golf clubs. These communities include Belfair, Berkley Hall, Colleton River, Hampton Hall, Moss Creek, Oldfield and The Crescent. To determine the best community for your needs, contact us.

C) Retirement residences are located throughout the Hilton Head and Bluffton SC area for young and many active retirees. Only one community is limited to seniors-only: Sun City Hilton Head, located in Bluffton 13 miles from the bridge to Hilton Head Island. This is a community with outstanding recreational and social amenities for seniors who are 50 years old or whose spouse is at least 50. For a detailed description and video tour of Sun City Hilton Head, click here. Read more about Hilton Head Retirement in the retirement section of this website.
 
 D) Private club and golf communities are very popular and have varying membership programs. These are 1) Communities with optional memberships to golf or tennis clubs that are also open to the public. Membership is optional and public play makes membership costs low, 2) Communities with optional private clubs. These clubs are equity or modified equity clubs that are not open to the public. Initiation fees and dues are mandatory for members of the community who choose to join the club, and 3) An equity club that is private and integrated with the community so that all residents are members and initiation fees and annual dues are mandatory. These communities have the highest annual Property Owners’ Association fees because they include full club memberships for the families of all residents. Click here to see the list of all Property Owner’s Association fees for the area. Use the Compare Communities feature of this section to see which communities have private golf.
 
 E) Marina communities include Sea Pines with the South Beach and Harbourtown marinas, Wexford and Windmill Harbour that each have locks that protect their harbors, Shelter Cove in Palmetto Dunes, Skull Creek Marina in Hilton Head Plantation and Palmetto Bay Marina and Broad Creek Marina, both in non-gated areas of Hilton Head Island. Other communities with shared and private docks and boat ramps include Long Cove, Spanish Wells, Moss Creek, Colleton River and Spring Island.
 
 F) Equestrian communities with stables include the Daufuskie Island Resort and Spa, Moss Creek, Rose Dhu Creek Plantation, Rose Hill Plantation Sea Pines and Spring Island. There are many private homes that are not within gated communities that have private horse barns and have neighborhood horse trails.
 
 G) Non-gated communities typically have fewer recreational amenities, no restricted access and lower annual Property Owner’s Association fees. These communities are generally away from tourist areas. Some non-gated communities are new, family friendly and close to area schools. Examples on Hilton Head Island are Chinaberry Ridge, Squiresgate and Old Woodlands. Examples in Bluffton SC are the Farm at Buckwalter, Pine Ridge, Pine Crest, Edgefield and Lake Linden. Some communities are older and have a mix of new and old properties valued for their private docks on the May River and other low country waterways or for their larger acreage.