By: BOB LANG Of The Post and Courier
Staff
Originally Published on: 10/06/01
Page: G 4
Subheadline: Island's serenity attracts
residents
Photo Information: PHOTOS BY BRAD
NETTLES/STAFF- Several waterfront homes can be seen
through a window in an unfinished home
on Dewees Island, where views from
an upper-floor deck can be spectacular.
Dewees resident George Hilton fishes for
flounder one morning recently in an island lake. He says Dewees
is a great place to retire.
Few if any trees were harmed to make
room for the home of Ed and Ann Wilmot.
Arla Jessen talks about an alligator
skeleton at the Dewees Island
environmental educational facility.
Every home on Dewees Island has some
sort of water view.
The community pool on Dewees Island is
treated with environmentally safe
table salt instead of other chemicals.
There is also an info box and a Post and
Courier map.
DEWEES ISLAND - George Hilton enjoys the
fishing here. One recent morning he caught a 29-inch red drum and
a hefty-sized flounder.
Ann Wilmot loves the animal life. From
her porch, she can see herds of deer running through a nearby
field.
Arla Jessen cherishes the peacefulness.
When she takes a walk on the beach, there usually isn't anybody
else around.
"Living on Dewees is pure
magic," said Jessen, echoing the sentiments of the other two
residents. "I don't think you could live here unless you
felt that way."
Accessible only by boat, this 1,206-acre
barrier island north of the Isle of Palms isn't for everyone.
There aren't any gas stations, grocery stores or golf courses.
You can't make a quick run for a video or burger.
The roads are unpaved. Instead of cars,
people get around on golf carts. Houses are are situated on lots
that average 2 acres each, so borrowing a cup of sugar from your
neighbor can involve a lengthy walk.
Everything here is slow and quiet.
Said Wilmot, "You have to be of a
certain nature to want to live like this."
People possessing that "certain
nature" continue to buy on Dewees, which is nearly sold out
a decade after developer John Knott Jr. broke ground on this
environmentally sensitive community.
Only about 30 of 150 homesites remain.
There are 41 homes completed on the island and five more under
construction. Most are second homes or rental properties. Eight
families live here full-time, none with school-age children,
although two families with young children have lived here in
recent years.
"The real estate community didn't
think we'd make it," Knott said. "This place is a real
testament to the fact that you can set standards that are
different from the rest that work economically, socially and
environmentally. You can't help but be proud."
When sales started in 1992, oceanfront
lots topped out at about $265,000. Today, interior lots start at
$425,000 and oceanfront lots are priced up to $1.6 million.
Buyers have the option of building their
own house or choosing an existing house. Currently, there are a
handful of available homes, ranging in price from $1.4 million to
$3.6 million - including the lot. Some homes are available on a
partial-ownership basis, with quarter-interest prices starting at
$225,000.
Home construction prices typically range
from $185 to $225 per square foot, which means a
2,000-square-foot house will run anywhere from $370,000 to
$450,000. This price doesn't include the lot.
"Our prices are very affordable
when you compare them to prices on the other barrier islands,
such as Kiawah," Knott said. "In fact, it's a heck of a
deal when you look at our lot sizes."
Home plans must be approved by an
architectural review board. There is no minimum size requirement,
however homes can't be larger than 5,000 square feet.
Placement on a lot is strictly regulated
so that no large trees are destroyed, and the majority of the lot
must be left natural. Homes typically are angled so that porches
catch optimal prevailing breezes.
Because the island is in a flood zone,
all homes are built high on posts. Most have two main living
floors and lots of deck space. Required safety features include
an interior sprinkler system and hurricane shutters.
All residents tap into the island's
well-supplied water system, which is treated with reverse
osmosis. For sewage, each house has three septic tanks that are
pumped routinely to a linked central field.
Electricity is the main source of power.
Phones are normal. While cable television isn't available, most
residents have satellite systems.
In case of an emergency, a
"first-responder" medically trained person is on call
24 hours a day, said Jessen, who is one of two such persons on
the island. She said a speed boat can take a person to the Isle
of Palms in five minutes if need be.
Dewees amenities include a welcome
center/environmental education facility. Jessen is the
coordinator there and is available as a resource for property
owners and guests.
Located toward the middle of the island
is the Hyler House, a facility that includes a clubhouse, pool
and two tennis courts. Guests of the island can also stay at the
Hyler House, which has a number of nicely furnished rooms as well
as a restaurant.
All property owners at Dewees are
required to pay an annual regime fee of $4,200, which covers
among other things the use of the ferry.
The ferry, based at the Dewees Marina at
41st Avenue on the Isle of Palms, runs to Dewees at the top of
the hour and back to the Isle of Palms at the bottom of the hour.
Operation hours are Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.;
Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; and Sunday, 7 a.m. to
11:30 p.m.
The offices of Dewees Island Real Estate
are located on 41st Avenue.
Bob Lang covers automotive and real
estate news. Contact him at 937-5594 or at blang@postandcourier.com.
COMMUNITY
Dewees Island
DEVELOPER
John L. Knott Jr.
BUILDER
Multiple builders are on the island
MARKETING AGENCY
Dewees Island Real Estate
MORE INFO
Phone: 886-8783.
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5
p.m.; and by appointment.
Web site: www.deweesisland.com
TOTAL HOMESITES
150
PRICE RANGE
Available homesites: $425,000 to $1.6
million
Available homes: $1.4 million to $3.6
million
ALLOWABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE
Up to about 5,000
TYPICAL HOME FEATURES
Elevated construction
Minimum 9-foot ceilings
Interior sprinkler system
Large porches, decks
Hurricane shutters
Open floor plan
PROPERTY TAXES
About $10,000 on a $2 million
owner-occupied home
AREA ATTRACTIONS
Wild Dunes golf courses, Isle of Palms
business district, Isle of Palms County Park, Fort Moultrie,
Mount Pleasant's Towne Centre, Boone Hall Plantation, Palmetto
Islands County Park.
DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON
20-minute ferry ride plus 15-mile drive
SCHOOLS
SULLIVAN'S ISLAND ELEMENTARY
Grades K-5; 883-3118; enrollment, 396;
certified staff, 25; PACT results, 60.5 percent of fifth graders
scored above basic on the English/language arts portion, 60.3
percent scored above basic on the math portion.
LAING MIDDLE
Grades 6-8; 849-2809; enrollment, 555;
certified staff, 34; PACT results, 41.3 percent of eighth graders
scored above basic on the English/language arts portion, 39.4
percent scored above basic on the math portion.
WANDO HIGH
Grades 9-12; 849-2830; enrollment,
2,079; certified staff, 121; SAT results, 508 verbal, 495 math.
The 1003 combined score is higher than the state average (974)
but lower than the national average (1,020).
HOUSING TRENDS IN DEWEES ISLAND/WILD
DUNES
Number of sales in second quarter of
2001: 41 (up from 37 in the second quarter of 2000).
Average sales price in second quarter of
2001: $598,500 (down from $626,400 in second quarter of 2000).
Median sales price in second quarter of
2001: $485,000 (down from $537,000 in the second quarter of
2000).