70 Helmsman Way #1418 · Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

$285,000

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 645 sqft · Condo · 45 Days on market

Built 2002 Good condition $442/sqft · 12% below area Est $324k · 12% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the D grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• ARV discount +12.9/15.0
• Appreciation +6.6/10.0
• Cash flow +6.0/30.0
• Schools +4.1/10.0
• Condition / age +4.0/5.0
• 1% rule +3.3/10.0
• Rent growth +3.3/5.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• DSCR +0.3/10.0

Listing remarks

Discovеr low‐cοuntrу living at іtѕ finest in this beautifully mаіntained 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom villa located in the desirable Brighton Bay Community. Situated on the south end of Hilton Head Island, this unit offers the perfect blend of convenience and coastal charm. Boasting an open concept with a bright and airy floor plan, the kitchen, dining, and living areas seamlessly flow. The unit features many updates, including granite countertops and updated LVP flooring with modern finishes throughout. The spacious bedroom offers ample natural light and a generous walk-in closet. Enjoy your morning coffee or evening breeze overlooking Palmetto Bay Marina shops and restaurants from the pr

Key facts

• Private balcony
• Palmetto bay marina
• Parking

Tags

• PRIVATE BALCONY
• COMMUNITY SWIMMING POOL
• FULLY-EQUIPPED FITNESS CENTER
• SCENIC OBSERVATION DECK
• PALMETTO BAY MARINA

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Pets allowed with restrictions (dogs ok, breed restrictions, limit on number)
• HOA & community: Community clubhouse; Fitness center; Pool; Barbecue area; Car wash/vehicle wash area; Association covers grounds and structure maintenance, pest control, sewer, trash and water

Exterior

• Parking: Assigned parking
• Security: Fire alarm; Fire sprinkler system; Smoke detectors
• Utilities: Water available; Community/public water
• Home design: 2 stories; Stucco construction; Asphalt roof; Faces southwest
• Construction: Built with stucco; Asphalt roof; 2-story building
• Exterior features: Balcony; Patio; Free-form community pool; Fire alarm; Fire sprinkler system; Smoke detectors

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Disposal; Microwave; Oven; Stove
• Flooring: Luxury vinyl; Luxury vinyl plank
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Central heating; Central air (electric)
• Interior features: Ceiling fan(s); Unfurnished
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $285k. Condition is rated good.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-615 ($-7k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $259k (9.0% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $235k (17.4% below list).
• Recommended offer: $235k (17.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 4.0% vs local median 3.0% in Hilton Head Island — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 64/100 on livability (#157 in SC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: employment A+, crime A-; Watch: amenities F, commute F, cost of living F.
• Beaufort 01 (town): math 42% / reading 51% proficiency, ranked #17 of 80 in SC (top 21%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.2%/yr); 838 active listings in the ZIP; solid renter incomes; 1,824 units permitted in Beaufort County in 2024 (618 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $11k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $9k appreciation (3.2% local appreciation)).
• Beaufort County population projected at +30% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• By year 4, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$38k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 45 days — a 3% lower offer ($276k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $235,394 (17.4% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. It's been on market 45 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 17% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
3. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
4. What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
5. Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
6. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
7. Schools are B-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
8. The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
9. What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
10. What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.
11. How much new apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.83% ✗
• Cap rate: 3.98%
• Cash-on-cash: -8.26%
• DSCR: 0.63
• GRM: 10.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $323,946
• List price: $285,000
• Delta: -12.02%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Projected returns pro-forma

3.21% appreciation · 3.23% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -0.2%
• Equity multiple: 0.99×
• Total profit: $-831
• Equity at exit: $131,490

10-year hold

• IRR: 3.9%
• Equity multiple: 1.62×
• Total profit: $49,415
• Equity at exit: $205,278

Cash invested: $79,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State South Carolina: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 29928

• Home prices YoY: 1.3%
• Rents YoY: 3.2%
• Active inventory: 838
• Price-to-rent: 10.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,354 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,495
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$356 /mo · $4,275/yr
• Insurance: −$119
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$66 /mo · $798/yr
• HOA est. from 1 same-building comp: −$439
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$494
• Net cashflow: $-615

Break-even live

Break-even rent $3,133

Max offer price $195,948

Occupancy floor —

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $71,250
• Closing costs: $8,550
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

HOA detail condo

• Monthly dues: $0 · $0/yr
• Assessments: None detected in remarks — confirm with the listing agent.

Listing history 17 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $285,000 Active 45 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $285,000 Active 44 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $285,000 Active 43 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $285,000 Active 42 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   days on market $285,000 Active 40 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $285,000 Active 39 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $285,000 Active 37 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $285,000 Active 36 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $285,000 Active 35 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $285,000 Active 34 DOM
11. 2026-06-05
    days on market $285,000 Active 31 DOM
12. 2026-06-03
    days on market $285,000 Active 30 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $285,000 Active 29 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $285,000 Active 28 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $285,000 Active 27 DOM
16. 2026-05-30
    days on market $285,000 Active 26 DOM
17. 2026-05-04
    listed $285,000 Active 1308-char remark

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 8/10 Severe FEMA zone X (shaded) · 96% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 10/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥107°F today · 20 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 9/10 Extreme 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $28,247
• − Mortgage interest: −$15,964
• − Property taxes: −$4,275
• − Insurance: −$2,222
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,260
• − Management: −$2,260
• − HOA: −$5,268
• − Depreciation: −$8,291
• Taxable loss: −$12,293
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$2,950
• After-tax cash flow: $-4,435/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Condition & rehab AI · 12 photos

Good 80/100 Cosmetic rehab

This beautifully maintained 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom villa in the Brighton Bay Community offers an open concept floor plan with granite countertops and updated LVP flooring. The property is in good condition and ready for new owners to move in.

Value-add opportunities

• Both painting or updating the kitchen backsplash — enhances the kitchen's appearance and can attract more buyers
• Both upgrading the flooring in the living area — improves the overall aesthetic and can increase both resale and rental value

Renovation cost estimate screening

Value-add ROI direction

• Both painting or updating the kitchen backsplash — enhances the kitchen's appearance and can attract more buyers ↑
• Both upgrading the flooring in the living area — improves the overall aesthetic and can increase both resale and rental value ↑

ⓘ Cost ranges are severity-bucket heuristics (US national rule-of-thumb). Get contractor quotes + a written scope before underwriting a rehab budget.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Beaufort 01
• NCES district ID: 4501110
• Math proficiency: 42% ▼ -8.00%
• Reading proficiency: 51% ▲ 2.00%
• Median HH income: $57,430
• Composite: 40.56/100
• National rank: #3699
• State rank: #17 of 80 in SC

Livability — Hilton Head Island

• Score: 64/100
• State rank: #157
• US rank: #14648

Category grades

Amenities F Commute F Cost of living F Crime A- Employment A+ Housing B- Health & safety F User ratings A+

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Hilton Head Island, SC
• County: Beaufort County · 163,770 people
• City population: 40,243
• Metro: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
• Population (ZIP): 15,785
• Household income: $97,576
• Rent vs Own: 16.7% rent · 83.3% own
• Severe rent burden: 216.0

Population outlook (Beaufort County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 211,915 people
• By 2030: 227,272 · +7.2%
• By 2040: 253,861 · +19.8%
• By 2050: 275,126 · +29.8%
• By 2075: 311,022 · +46.8%
• By 2100: 321,286 · +51.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (87%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 87% Hispanic / Latino 6% Two or more races 2% Black 2% Asian 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 3%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 4% Slovak 4% Romanian 4%
• Foreign-born: 9% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 91% English-only · Spanish 5% French/Haitian/Cajun 1% Chinese 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Beaufort

• 2024 margin: R (+14.5) · D 42.1% · R 56.6% · Other 1.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -3.7pp toward R · 2008: -10.8pp · 2024: -14.5pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+14.5 2020: R+10.0 2016: R+14.3 2012: R+17.5 2008: R+10.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 3.21%
• Current HPI: 243.4136
• Rent YoY: ▲ 3.23%
• Metro: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 4.51%
• F500 in state: 2

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in SC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Packaging	1	$7B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-05-04 Listed $285,000 RSMLS