To celebrate the official start of summer in the United States, online travel adviser Cheapflights (www.cheapflights.com) has searched coast to coast for the top beach destinations to check out the Memorial Day weekend.

1. Hilton Head, South Carolina

Renowned for its East Coast vibe, Hilton Head offers quintessential beach activities for couples and families alike. Spend your days biking the 100 miles of cycling trails throughout the Atlantic island -- breaking only to catch waves, soak up the sun and savour the area's fabulous restaurants. For cheap grub, head to the Sea Shack and roll up your sleeves for affordable shrimp, crab and blackened fresh fish. At night, check out The Salty Dog Café. A $5 admission is required to get in the restaurant, situated on a resort plantation, but the nightly live music and souvenir T-shirt you're bound to buy make it well worth it.

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New national recognition shows power of bicycling

Beaufort County's latest national honor is a true breath of fresh air.

Hilton Head Island has been certified as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. It is the only community in South Carolina and one of five in the Southeast to earn the league's silver level award, reflecting the degree to which the community accommodates bicyclists and encourages people to bike for transportation and recreation.

The designation follows decades of activism and hard work, primarily by volunteers doggedly pursuing a network of safe leisure pathways throughout the community. The town now boasts 50 miles of pathways, and at least that much in the private communities.

The designation should be a major promotional device for a community hungry to renew and enhance its reputation as a beautiful place to enjoy an active, outdoor, healthy lifestyle. Many people vacation and retire with that in mind. Bicycle tourism is big business nationally, and bicycling is an expected part of a vacation here.

Foreclosure halt expected to have little effect in Beaufort County, local experts say

South Carolina homeowners facing foreclosure are getting a brief reprieve.

Some people involved in the process, however, are unsure how much that will reduce the torrent of foreclosures in Beaufort County, which had the highest foreclosure rate in the state in the first quarter of 2011.

The S.C. Supreme Court last week ordered a temporary halt in foreclosures on owner-occupied homes.

The order, which took effect Monday and remains unless amended or rescinded by the state's chief justice, is aimed at helping borrowers work out loan-modification plans with lenders.

Under the order, attorneys for lenders who want to foreclose are required to certify that the borrower was notified of the right to seek a loan modification, had a fair opportunity to respond and that the lender received and examined all documents and records required from the borrower to evaluate eligibility for foreclosure intervention.

Or they could certify after 30 days that the borrower refused to participate, and only then could the foreclosure proceed.

The order could help some people stay in their homes, but its impact probably will be limited in coastal areas that have fewer owner-occupied homes and more second homes and investment properties, said Ryan Bassett, owner of hiltonheadforeclosures.com and a Realtor with Charter One Realty.

"Unfortunately, I don't know that it will solve the problem," Bassett said.

On Hilton Head Island, for example, less than half the homes and condos sold in May's foreclosure auction were listed in tax records as primary residences, he said.

You're likely aware of how important it is to request a home inspection when buying any type of Bluffton real estate.  Although you don't need to purchase a home inspection, the price you pay upfront may become a moot point in the long run when you end saving thousands of dollars thanks to the careful eye of an inspector.

Speaking of which, Bluffton real estate home inspectors are trained to spot problems but since no one is perfect even they might overlook a few things. For example, leaky roofs are the number one overlooked items during a home inspection.  The reasoning behind this is simple: inspectors don't generally climb onto the roof to check for leakage, all observations are done from the ground level using binoculars or by looking out from a window on a higher floor.  Because of this, you may wish to consider hiring a licensed roofing contractor to give you a thorough evaluation.

Other items that are commonly overlooked include faulty appliances and problems with heating, ventilation and air conditioning.  While you may never run into these problems during your Hilton Head real estate search, it's important to be aware of them considering how costly such repairs can be.