Beaufort Realty Consultants and Sea Island Rentals

story by Chris Kincade
photos by John Wollwerth

Beaufort Realty Consultants and Sea Island Rentals, located in Historic Beaufort, are a full-service Real Estate and Property Management company for residential, vacation and commercial properties. Both companies are owned by Greg and Shelia Bennett and have been serving the Beaufort area for over 19 years.
Greg and Shelia moved to the Beaufort area 21 years ago after living in the Caribbean on Montserrat Island for many years and operating a scuba diving business. They were forced to relocate when an active volcano on the island erupted covering the greater majority of the island.
They were looking at various areas along the East Coast between Virginia and Florida and had listed Beaufort as an area to visit. “We drove to Beaufort, immediately fell in love, and stopped our search for our new home,” explained Greg.
When beginning their new lives in beautiful Beaufort, Greg answered an ad in the paper for a sales position. “I had no idea it involved real estate,” recalls Greg. Greg was hired and welcomed into his new profession. Ironically, it was one he had fought over the years. “My father was a thirty-year military veteran and spent nearly twenty-five years in the real estate business,” explains Greg. “He always tried to talk me into getting into Real estate, but it was never really an interest of mine.” After finally getting into the real estate business, Greg stated, “I realized almost immediately how much I thoroughly enjoyed the business!”
Greg worked as a real estate agent for three years before he and Shelia started their own brokerage firm. “Shelia was instrumental in getting this business started. From supporting me when I got into Real Estate, to stepping up to the plate during the crash of 2008 to handle the operations side of the business, and assisting me with running the business,” said Greg with great pride.
Beaufort Realty Consultants consists of a team of professionals that will help you through the home buying or selling transaction. They work with a team of closing attorneys, home inspectors, and contractors. “We will make the process as simple as possible for you,” explains Greg.
They have 13 well-trained agents that work under an experienced licensed broker, and all of their staff members are high caliber professionals with extensive experience and knowledge about the local real estate market. When asked what separates them from the competition, Greg explained, “our agents go through continuous training. From real estate sales to real estate law and negotiations. Real estate can be an easy business to get into, and far too often we see inexperienced realtors in the industry.” Beaufort Realty Consultants’ agents come from diverse backgrounds, and all are dedicated to providing the highest quality service to their clients.
In addition to their agents and brokers, Beaufort Realty Consultants also have full time administrative staff members that work tirelessly to accommodate any and all of their client’s and agents needs. They help coordinate meetings, set schedules, and ensure the timely processing and delivery of all their clients’ documents. Greg wanted to send a special “thank you” to Diana, Beaufort Realty Consultants’ administrator for over 6 years. “She takes great care of our agents and is always willing to help on any task or project,” explained Greg.
Greg believes that in addition to their agents and staff, that their strength is in the marketing of their properties. “The promise I have made to every one of my clients over the past 19 years is that I will personally out-market the competition. If we are able to market properties better than the competition, we see more activity and interest in the properties.”
“We aggregate our marketing on all of the top social media, including Google Plus, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and the list goes on,” says Greg. “I would advise, if a home seller is going to list their house for sale, they should work with an agent that specializes in listing and marketing homes.
In addition to real estate, Beaufort Realty Consultants also operates Sea Island Rentals, specializing in both short-term and long-term property management. “My wife, Shelia, handles all of the Operations side of the Vacation Rentals,” explains Greg. In addition to Shelia, they have four employees on the property management team, including two property managers. “We have two fantastic property managers that really look out for the interests of the property owners and rental customers.” explains Greg. “We go to great lengths to ensure our rental properties are inspected and maintained on a routine basis. We also look for high-quality tenants to rent the properties.”
Beaufort Realty Consultants believes in giving back to the community they love. They work closely with the Community Cold Weather Shelter in Beaufort County at Sea Island Presbyterian Church, which offers a safe and warm shelter on nights for those in need when the temperature drops below freezing.
They also work with Habitat for Humanity in Beaufort County. “We are one of their local supporters and sponsors. We believe quality housing in Beaufort County is important and that is a great thing that Habitat for Humanity provides,” explained Greg.
Greg and Shelia are proud to serve the residents, and future residents, of Beaufort County and the Lowcountry. “I love having the opportunity to work and conduct my profession in an area I absolutely love,” explained Greg. “Sometimes we become immune to the beauty of the areas in which we have the good fortune to live in, but I moved here after falling in love with Beaufort County and never take its beauty for granted. I believe my clients can sense that enthusiasm when looking to purchase or rent properties in this area.”
Visit Greg, Shelia, and the entire team at Beaufort Realty Consultants by going online to www.BeaufortRealtyConsultants.com or www.VisitSeaIslandRentals.com for their rental properties. Stop by their office located at 910 Charles Street, Beaufort, SC, or feel free to contact them directly via phone at 843-521-2022.