South State Bank new name for local institution
The Savannah Bank officially changed identities Monday when corporate parent SCBT unveiled new signs and began operating as South State Bank, bringing four of its five bank brands under one unified name.
The parent firm had been doing business as The Savannah Bank in Savannah, SCBT in South Carolina, NCBT in North Carolina and Community Bank & Trust in North Georgia. The bank’s fifth brand, First Federal, located in coastal South Carolina and Wilmington, N.C., will be branded as South State Bank on July 21.
“Our customers will have significantly expanded convenience while retaining the relationship banking culture that our company has been known for since 1934,” said Robert R. Hill, Jr., South State Bank CEO.
Customers will now have access to 135 banking locations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
The bank also has launched its new website, SouthStateBank.com.
Home prices in Savannah increase
In Savannah, home prices, including distressed sales, increased by 8.5 percent in May 2014 compared to May 2013, according to CoreLogic, a property information reporting firm.
On a month-over-month basis, home prices, including distressed sales, increased by 2.6 percent in May 2014 compared to April 2014, CoreLogic reports.
Excluding distressed sales, year-over-year prices increased by 8.6 percent in May 2014 compared to May 2013. On a month-over-month basis, excluding distressed sales, the CoreLogic data indicate home prices increased by 3.3 percent in May 2014 compared to April 2014.
Home prices nationwide, including distressed sales, increased 8.8 percent in May 2014 compared to May 2013. This change represents 27 months of consecutive year-over-year increases in home prices nationally.
First Hilton Head ‘Scout Guide’ released
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — The Scout Guide, a publication that focuses on small businesses, local artisans and their surrounding communities, released its inaugural edition Tuesday for Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and Beaufort, S.C.
“Our editorial team spent the past nine months scouring Hilton Head, Beaufort and Bluffton to find the local artisans, craftsmen, and connoisseurs that help define the unique culture of our region,” said Local Scout Guide editor Cindy Owens.
Founded in Charlottesville, Va., The Scout Guide has expanded to more than 60 cities, including Aspen, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, San Francisco, Denver, Naples, Charlotte and Nashville.
Some of the artists and businesses featured in this year’s Scout Guide are Forsythe Jewelers, Hogs Head Kitchen and Wine Bar and Allison Ramsey Architects.
