Charleston Real Estate - Charleston's Real Estate Buyer's Guide Charleston South Carolina Homes for Sale
Welcome to our buyer’s guide to Charleston real estate, brought to you by The Keadle Group and Carolina One, Charleston’s #1 real estate company!
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Charleston Metro Area
Location is the biggest factor in Charleston’s real estate market since most home buyers want to live as close as possible to historic Charleston and the beaches. The Metro Area is made up of Downtown Charleston and its closest suburbs. These are the most popular areas to live because they offer the best proximity you’ll find.
Mount Pleasant
Mt. Pleasant is 10 minutes north of downtown Charleston and 5-10 min. from two of Charleston's premier beaches. Mount Pleasant has a great selection of newer homes for sale as well as some of the best public schools in all of Charleston. More about Mt. Pleasant...
James Island
James Island is located 5-10 min. south of the Charleston Peninsula and is known for its laid back style and independent shops and restaurants. It has the closest proximity you'll find to Historic Charleston, and Folly Beach is less than a 10 min. drive. James Island...
Downtown Charleston
Real estate in downtown Charleston is some of the most expensive in SC because of the historic value and the high demand for these homes that are within walking distance of the restaurants, shopping, and attractions that Charleston is famous for. Downtown Charleston...
Johns Island
Johns Island is located about 20 min. south of downtown Charleston. Most of Johns Island is rural, so if you're looking for an estate sized lot or a country setting, Johns Island will be one of the best places to start your home search. More on Johns Island...
West Ashley
Charleston's oldest suburb is located just 10 min. west of downtown. The large supply of homes for sale makes West Ashley one of the most affordable areas for buying real estate in Charleston County. West Ashley is also popular because of its central location. West Ashley...
Daniel Island
Daniel Island is a master planned community known for its exclusive amenities, its Low Country style homes, and its charming small town appeal. The newest (and priciest) of Charleston's suburbs, Daniel Island is 25 min. from Charleston and 10 min. from Mt. Pleasant. Daniel Island...
Charleston, SC Beaches
Charleston is known for having some of the best beaches in South Carolina. There are six beaches to choose from, and each has a style all its own. Three of these are private beach resorts (Wild Dunes, Kiawah, and Seabrook).
Folly Beach
Folly Beach is one of Charleston's most popular beaches because it has plenty of public accesses and is just 15 minutes south of Charleston. Folly is also the most affordable for buying beach real estate in Charleston. More about Folly Beach...
Isle of Palms
Isle of Palms is the most popular among the 3 beaches north of Charleston, yet it has remained almost as affordable as Folly Beach. Isle of Palms is 20 min. from downtown and 10 min. from Mt. Pleasant. The north tip of the island is gated off for Wild Dunes Resort. Isle of Palms...
Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island is the most historic beach in Charleston. Well before families began vacationing there in the late 1800s, Fort Moultrie defended Charleston's Harbor during the Revolutionary War. Real estate is mostly houses with very few condos or townhomes. Sullivan's Island...
Wild Dunes Resort
Wild Dunes is the closest beach resort to Charleston (just 20 min. away) and has some of the area's nicest beach front homes. Wild Dunes is known for its luxurious amenities, which include 2 golf courses designed by Tom Fazio and nationally ranked tennis facilities. Wild Dunes...
Kiawah Island
A 45 minute drive from historic Charleston, Kiawah Island is a gated beach resort famous for its amenities and million dollar estates. This private island is ideal for buyers wanting top notch amenities and seclusion from the city. Kiawah Island...
Seabrook Island
Located just south of Kiawah Island, Seabrook is one of Charleston's few equestrian communities. Seabrook also boasts 2 golf courses in addition to resort style amenities. Its gated access and seclusion make it popular among buyers wanting a tranquil beach retreat. Seabrook...
Charleston, SC Suburbs Further Inland
The most affordable real estate in Charleston lies further inland where land is more readily available. The towns of Summerville, Goose Creek, and North Charleston are ideal for buyers wanting a single family house in the under $200K price range. Most of these homes are a 30-40 minute drive from historic Downtown Charleston and about an hour from the closest beach.
Summerville
Summerville is a small town located about 40 minutes west of downtown Charleston, just off Interstate 26. Buyers often choose Summerville because of the great public schools and the affordability of homes for sale (most homes are priced under $200K). Summerville...
North Charleston
North Charleston has most of the area's commercial and industrial parks, but you'll also find residential sections sprinkled throughout. North Charleston is home to Park Circle, an up and coming neighborhood that is gradually being revitalized. North Charleston...
Goose Creek
Goose Creek is located about 30 min. west of the Charleston Peninsula. The most desirable homes in Goose Creek can be found in Crowfield Plantation, one of the few golf course communities located outside of Metro Charleston. Goose Creek homes for sale...
Rural Charleston Real Estate
The small towns of Hollywood, Meggett, Youngs Island, and Ravenel make up what most people refer to as Rural Charleston or Rural West Ashley. These towns are 30-45 minutes from downtown Charleston and offer homes with more acreage. Rural Charleston real estate...
Charleston Homes for Sale by Type
Charleston Town Homes for Sale
Townhouses are great options for buyers wanting a low maintenance home, but they offer more privacy than condos. End unit townhouses fetch the highest real estate prices (and tend to have better resale down the road) because these only share one common wall with a neighbor. Most of the town homes in Charleston have small fenced yards, which make them ideal for pet owners. Other advantages of town homes include amenities (many townhouse communities have pools and walking trails), lower monthly regime fees compared to condos, and affordability. You'll usually find a nicer town home for the money compared with houses in the same price range.
Charleston Condos for Sale
Most of the condo developments in Charleston are located in downtown, Mt. Pleasant, James Island, West Ashley, and the beaches. Condominiums are ideal for buyers wanting little to no maintenance. As a result, you'll find that many buyers looking for second homes choose condos. Monthly regime fees generally include maintenance of the exterior of the building and the common areas, access to amenities such as a pool or tennis courts, and insurance (this usually doesn't cover the owner's possessions - just the building itself). Condos are a great way to get the lowest purchase price possible and still have a close proximity to downtown Charleston and the beach.
Charleston New Construction Homes for Sale
Although new construction homes can be found throughout Charleston, most of the new homes right now are being built in new construction neighborhoods developed by local builders. Many of these homes are available for sale as pre-construction so that buyers can customize their new home to fit their needs and choose among the many options for flooring, fixtures, and cabinetry. Now is a great time to buy new construction homes in Charleston because of the larger than average builder inventories and the great prices and incentives that the builders are currently offering in these new home communities.
Charleston Styled Homes
Few cities have a style of home all their own. Charleston styled homes are known for their long side porches (often on the first and second floors of the house) and their rectangular shape that gives the owner as much space as possible on the narrow lots that were charted when the city was originally developed in the early 1700s. If you’re looking for a Charleston style home, you’ll find lots of options to choose from – whether you want an authentic Charleston shotgun single in downtown, or a newer home with the classic Charleston look but all the modern features of a 21st century home.
Charleston, SC Real Estate
Charleston is consistently ranked as one of the top places to visit and to live in the country. Last year readers at Conde Nast Traveler voted Charleston the #1 travel destination on the east coast. Charleston always bodes well with Southern Living, which has named Charleston Best Southern City and Most Mannerly City, among others.
AARP has rated Charleston as one of the top places to retire. And most recently, Forbes ranked Charleston in its Ten Smartest Cities, which compared cities around the world in factors such as livability, economy, and infrastructure. This past year, other top ten lists have ranked Charleston in categories such as America’s Friendliest Cities, Best Shopping Districts, Most Livable Cities, and Top Cities for Technology Jobs.
Charleston is a large enough city to support a varied job market, numerous parks and recreation complexes (like Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, pictured left), a great healthcare system, and some of the best public and private schools in South Carolina. You’ll find lots of festivals and annual events every month of the year, from the Cooper River Bridge Run to the Family Circle Cup to the Charleston Food + Wine Festival.
For sports fans, Charleston has a minor league baseball team (the Riverdogs), a professional soccer team (the Battery), and a professional hockey team (the Stingrays) – not to mention the college sports teams at College of Charleston and the Citadel. Golfers will enjoy playing the 22 golf courses scattered throughout Charleston, many of which have hosted big golfing events like the LPGA Tour. Although Charleston is big enough to support a wide range of interests, it’s also small enough to make it an affordable city to live. The average family can afford to buy a home and also enjoy living the Charleston lifestyle. In fact, its livability is often a factor in ranking Charleston as a top place to live by magazines and other groups.
Many people choose to relocate to Charleston because it has a strong economy with good job availability. With an estimated 5 million tourists who visit Charleston each year, tourism is one of the main industries in the area. When you scan Charleston’s job listings, you’ll always come across a range of healthcare positions since the Medical University of South Carolina and the Roper St. Francis Hospitals are 2 of the 5 biggest employers in Charleston. Another major employer, the Port of Charleston, contributes almost $3.5 billion each year to the local economy, interchanging with about 150 countries worldwide. Charleston is the fourth largest container port in the U.S. and one of the top ports on the southeast coast. Also, large corporations like Bosch, Amoco, and (the newest addition) Boeing account for a growing sector of the Charleston economy. Charleston has more than 27,000 military jobs, most of which come from the US Navy and the Charleston Air Force Base. And, the Charleston and Berkeley County School Districts together account for about 8,500 jobs.
A city that has a longstanding appreciation for the arts, Charleston is recognized as one of the cultural hubs of the South. Historic Dock Street Theatre was the first building in the United States dedicated solely to theatrical performances. Today Dock Street is home to the largest professional theater company in SC, the Charleston Stage Company, which premieres new plays and musicals as well as older, classic productions.
The most popular cultural event in Charleston is Spoleto. This 17-day arts festival features both local and international artists in all of the performing arts, including jazz, chamber music, opera, and modern dance. Spoleto also features harbor cruises that combine live music with unbeatable views of downtown and the Charleston Harbor. Throughout the year you’ll find additional concerts and other performances by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the Charleston Ballet Theatre. Or, if you prefer the visual arts rather than the performing arts, you’ll find plenty to see in the Gibbes Museum of Art (pictured left) and the roughly 30 art galleries concentrated in the French Quarter of downtown Charleston.
South Carolina beaches are a major factor driving the state’s tourism, and Charleston is known for having 6 of the best beaches in South Carolina. There’s the eclectic Folly Beach, which is popular for its surfing competitions and laid back style. Historic Sullivan’s Island has attracted vacationers since the late 1800s, when wealthy Charleston families summered there to enjoy the constant ocean breezes. It’s also home to Fort Moultrie, which has a naval defense history spanning from the Revolutionary War up until World War II. Isle of Palms, one of the most popular of the 6 Charleston beaches, has managed to balance affordability with a newer selection of real estate options. The ritzy Wild Dunes is the closest beach resort you’ll find to downtown Charleston. And then, far removed from the hustle and bustle of Charleston, Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island offer resort style amenities in a natural beach reserve setting.
Real estate in Charleston ranges from new construction condos to historic mansions dating back to the early 1700s. The beaches and downtown Charleston are the most sought after areas for buying real estate (and therefore the most expensive). In order to get more house for the money, most buyers also consider Mt. Pleasant and James Island because they have the closest proximity to downtown and the beaches, a good selection of homes and neighborhoods, and the best schools in Charleston County. West Ashley and Johns Island are also good areas to consider for buyers wanting more affordable home options within Charleston County. You’ll find the most affordable real estate in areas further inland, such as Summerville, North Charleston, Goose Creek, and Hanahan. Most homes in these areas are about 40 minutes from downtown Charleston and an hour’s drive from the closest beaches.
