Golden Isles real estate questions

Choose an agent who lists homes in your specific part of the island, prices from recent local sales and can show you a written marketing and communication plan. Maria Jennings of DeLoach Sotheby’s International Realty has listed and sold Golden Isles homes since 2000 and focuses on sellers on St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island and in Brunswick.

Over the 12 months from October 2025 through September 2026, monthly median residential sale prices on St. Simons Island ranged from about $635,000 to $785,000, with a typical month near $719,875 (Golden Isles MLS).

Residential listings on St. Simons Island averaged about 105 days on market over the past year, and Brunswick averaged about 102 days. Well-priced, well-presented homes often sell faster.

Typical seller costs in Georgia include the listing brokerage commission, any mortgage payoff, the Georgia transfer tax of $1 per $1,000 of sale price, the seller’s closing attorney fees, payoff and recording fees, a termite letter, prorated property taxes and any negotiated concessions or repairs. Use the seller net sheet to estimate your proceeds.

In Georgia the seller customarily pays the real estate transfer tax, which is $1.00 for each $1,000 of the sale price.

Yes. Georgia real estate closings are conducted by a licensed Georgia attorney, who prepares the deed and handles the closing and the settlement statement.

Georgia property taxes are paid in arrears, so at closing the seller usually credits the buyer for the days the seller owned the home that year. If the seller already paid the year’s bill, the buyer reimburses the seller for the rest of the year.

A Georgia-licensed closing attorney handles the closing, title work, deed and settlement statement. Buyers can choose their closing attorney, often with input from their lender.

On the standard Georgia purchase contract, the due diligence period is a negotiated number of days during which the buyer can inspect the home, get insurance quotes and terminate the contract for any reason, usually after paying a negotiated option fee.

Apply with the Glynn County Property Appraisal Office after you close and move in. You must own and live in the home on January 1, and the application deadline is April 1. Exemptions are not automatic and the seller’s exemptions do not transfer to you.

Use the attendance zone map and address lookup on the Glynn County Schools website. The district has proposed new attendance zones for fall 2027 and has not taken a final vote, so check both the current and proposed maps.

With about 7.0 months of inventory in September 2026, St. Simons Island is close to a balanced market, leaning slightly toward buyers. Six months of supply is generally considered balanced.

About 774 residential properties sold in Brunswick from October 2025 through September 2026, according to Golden Isles MLS data.

Many buyers choose St. Simons Island for second homes because of its beaches, golf, dining and easy drive from Atlanta, Jacksonville and Savannah. Check flood insurance costs, HOA rental rules and the home’s elevation before you buy.

Over the past 12 months, monthly median residential sale prices on St. Simons Island ranged from about $635,000 to $785,000, with a typical month near $719,875. Prices range from condos well below that to estate homes in the millions.

Some parts of St. Simons Island are in FEMA flood zones and others are not. Flood risk depends on the specific lot and elevation, so check the FEMA flood map and the home’s elevation certificate for each property.

Most residents drive, but many neighborhoods near the Pier Village and East Beach are walkable or bike-friendly, and the island has an extensive network of bike paths.

Yes. Homes on Sea Island are privately owned and can be bought and sold through the MLS like other homes. Club membership and resort access are separate from owning a home, so review those terms with your agent.

About 38 residential properties sold on Sea Island from October 2025 through September 2026, according to Golden Isles MLS data.

The Sea Island resort, including The Cloister, has been owned by Anschutz Corp. since 2016.

You can own the house or condo, but not the land. All land on Jekyll Island belongs to the State of Georgia, and owners lease it from the Jekyll Island Authority, with current residential leases expiring between 2049 and 2088.

Annual lease rent is 0.4% of the fair market value of the leased land, as determined by the Glynn County Tax Assessor. It is paid in addition to property taxes and any mortgage.

Yes, with a rental license from the Jekyll Island Authority. Owners pay percentage rent of 3% of gross rental revenue.

Over the past 12 months, monthly median residential sale prices in Brunswick ranged from about $300,000 to $368,000, with a typical month near $332,998 (Golden Isles MLS).

Old Town Brunswick is the city’s original 1771 grid of streets and squares, similar to Savannah’s plan. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is known for its Victorian-era homes.

Yes, generally. Brunswick’s typical monthly median sale price was about $332,998 over the past year, compared with about $719,875 on St. Simons Island.