Edward Dukes
Broker in Charge at Lowcountry Real Estate
Selling Quality of Life
story by LINDSEY LENOIR photos by KRISTI SMITH
Albeit the Sea Islands of South Carolina look vastly different from the uninhabited and undeveloped waterways and coastlines that mesmerized Spanish explorers way back in 1514, the integrity and beauty of Beaufort County have remained virtually unencumbered. An effort that Edward Dukes, broker-in-charge at Lowcountry Real Estate, and his group of well-versed and highly trained agents stand behind. According to Edward, “We are selling quality of life here.”
From its inception, Lowcountry Real Estate strove to set a standard in the industry—a knowledgeable, professional firm centered on their clients’ best interests while maintaining the “highest standards of professional ethics and integrity.”
Edward Dukes grew up in Beaufort. He went off to school, but came back in 1994 and started a company that ended up merging with Lowcountry Real Estate in 1997. “Since that time, we have been fortunate to maintain an incredible team of agents and staff that have stayed true to the Lowcountry Real Estate brand, one that has been top-flight since the beginning.” A continuation of the original vision, Edward touts, “Through the years, we have had a really fantastic team of agents and the privilege of working with great clients and being ambassadors for the Lowcountry.”
“Selling Quality of Life”
The course of history has been dramatically altered in recent months. Naturally, as Edward points out, “There’s a shift in attitudes, and people are reevaluating what is important. We are seeing the beginning of a flight from urban areas to quieter, more rural, smaller towns and cities. The technology is available, and now people understand they can work remotely. It makes relocating sooner than they might have planned to a place, like the Lowcountry, much more realistic and desirable. We offer a very high quality of life.” He goes on: “While our area may not be as well-known as our neighboring cities, our lower density and natural resources make us the clear choice for anyone who values nature and a small-town feel. When potential buyers investigate Beaufort, it becomes an educational experience. We have so much to offer in terms of amenities: Hunting Island and the Spanish Moss Trail, the Waterfront Park, and the fact that the Intercoastal Waterway runs right through the middle of town. Also, there is the convenience with our proximity to Savannah and Charleston if you need an airport. We have the best of all worlds.” With so many things out there that are great about Beaufort, Edward and the agents at Lowcountry Real Estate are humbled to be “the fortunate ones to basically be ambassadors for everything about the Lowcountry.”
Currently, the firm has 27 full-time agents, along with a referral company and additional agents that service and belong to both the Beaufort and Hilton Head MLS. They cover the gamut from undeveloped land and starter homes, to luxury waterfront, historic, and beach homes, along with commercial properties. “Our area offers an incredibly wide variety of real estate choices from cottages in downtown, to waterfront properties and beach houses. That is the first task when working with buyers, helping them understand all the great choices they have.”
Traversing the landscape of the seemingly frozen state of our current global crisis has been challenging, but not overwhelming for Edward Dukes and his team. Since day one, they have met this crisis with an attitude of perseverance and accountability: “From the beginning, our firm began virtual meetings, and it proved to be very effective for us. It allowed us to keep current on each other’s listings and to stay current throughout. During the shutdown, we were still working together as a team.”
Edward was happy to share some market advice and foresight: “The second half of the first quarter was quiet in terms of buyers, but now the market is coming on strong. People see that nationally it’s been busy—naturally, there is pent up demand. Some segments of the market are busier than others, but, overall, it has become more of a seller’s market. Inventory could, at some point, become a problem with people being reluctant to put their house on the market during Covid.”
When asked about what precautions Lowcountry Real Estate has taken to ensure the safety of agents and clients, Edward states, “We are taking all of the precautions that we can. Always wearing masks and asking clients not to touch things when they are in the homes. Masks are required in the office. We also offer digital signing options and have been using more video to help buyers get a feel for properties before making a trip to the area.”
Maintaining a successful business in the Lowcountry takes heart. As any local will tell you, the commitment to preserving its history and natural landscape—what this ancient land has to offer—is crucial.
Edward Dukes and the Lowcountry Real Estate team are passionate about the preservation and the community, and continue to serve in numerous capacities. Edward, himself, has served on the Chamber of Commerce, the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail, and the Beaufort County Open Land Trust. He has served as the president of the Board of Realtors, twice, along with the Beaufort Historic Review Board. “We encourage our agents to get involved in the community and give back,” he states. Lowcountry Real Estate also sponsors Habitat for Humanity: “We have sponsored a few houses and have an agent who is on the Habitat Board right now. We also support missions and groups, like the Port Royal Sound Foundation and the Open Land Trust. Although it seems counterintuitive, being in the real estate business to get behind that, I feel it’s critical. Once it’s gone, you won’t get it back. And that is back to what we are all about—quality of life. Once you plow down a big field of oak trees or develop a scenic vista, you can’t go back. Thoughtful development is key. It’s critical that we keep what we’ve got, appreciate it, and be ambassadors and good stewards of it.”
In the office, there is a mix of agents that are Lowcountry natives, along with others who may have moved here in the past few years: “It affords us a unique perspective on how buyers see the area. Once you are fortunate enough to live here, you never want to leave. You can travel all you want, but when you return, crossing that first bridge back into the Lowcountry, you are reminded what an extraordinary place it is.”
If you would like more information about “all that is” Beaufort real estate, go to www.lowcountryrealestate.com and speak via email or by phone to any one of the highly qualified and capable agents at Lowcountry Real Estate. Let them guide you through the home search process and then settle into life here in the Lowcountry.
There are a lot of exciting things going on, and Edward Dukes and his team would love for you to be a part of them: “It’s been great to watch the Beaufort and Lowcountry area grow and evolve. Seeing more neighborhoods that are walkable, where you can walk to tennis courts, and a dock or marina, to lunch, dinner, or to a library … these are things you can’t do in a lot of places, and it’s pretty incredible. I’m also looking forward to seeing more bike path connectivity with the Spanish Moss Trail. It is incredible and there’s more to come. It’s our job to get people looking at the area to understand that there are so many unique things here now and a lot of great things on the way. It’s great to see people that come here appreciate what we have and how we want to make it better.” Allow any one of Lowcountry Real Estate’s full-time agents to be your guide in buying or selling property. They know the area and neighborhoods, along with all of the wonderful amenities that Beaufort has to offer. Lowcountry Real Estate is ready and willing to assist, and looks forward to hearing from you. Their office is located at 820 Bay Street in downtown Beaufort, and the phone number is 843-521-4200.
