Small town living with affordable homes and great schools
Summerville is one of the most affordable areas in Charleston for buying real estate. Home buyers often look further inland for more upgrades and square footage, and Summerville tends to be the favorite suburb for its Dorchester District 2 schools and historic charm. Located 40 minutes from Downtown Charleston, Summerville is ideal for people who want to live near Charleston but don't want the high home prices that come with living in the metro area. Some of the most popular neighborhoods tend to be Nexton, Summers Corner, The Ponds, Carnes Crossroads, and the Historic District.
Homebuyers are drawn to the small town feel of Summerville. Since its location is further inland, Summerville has managed to preserve its identity well amidst the changing landscape surrounding the Charleston Peninsula. While some of the nearby suburbs like Goose Creek and North Charleston have morphed into commercial and industrial branches of the city, Summerville has focused more on residential preservation and growth.
Summerville's historic downtown is charming and looks much the same as it did fifty years ago. You'll find antique stores and locally owned shops and restaurants. Over the past 15 years, Summerville has seen incredible residential growth surrounding this older section. Numerous new construction neighborhoods have been developed to accommodate the growing demand from homebuyers who want to take advantage of the low home prices and the good public schools in Summerville.
Summerville's Best Neighborhoods
Nexton
Nexton is consistently a favorite among home buyers because this massive community (over 4,000 acres) combines new construction homes by popular builders in a mixed use setup. Most commercial development is focused around Nexton Square boasting excellent local restaurants such as Halls Chophouse, Vicious Biscuit, and Taco Boy.
Fantastic amenities include a pool, plentiful walking trails, and the Brown Family Park which has an outdoor amphitheater. There’s also a Del Webb 55+ subsection as well as Nexton Elementary School located within the community.
For commuters, it’s important to note this location just off the 199 Exit. Living so close to Interstate 26 helps to avoid some of the congestion concentrated along Dorchester Road, North Main Street, and Old Trolley Road. This location is also ideal for commuters going to the Volvo manufacturing campus in Ridgeville.
Summers Corner
Summers Corner is centered around the 95 acre Buffalo Lake complete with kayak launch and walking trails. You’ll also find a pool, outdoor pavilion, and numerous parks and green spaces throughout this community.
Summers Corner was one of the earliest mixed use communities planned in Summerville. Residents can enjoy walking to the farmer’s market, grabbing lunch at Corner House Café, or attending a performance at the 1,000 seat Summers Corner Performing Arts Center – all located within this community. Also conveniently located in Summers Corner you’ll find Sand Hill Elementary School and Rollings Middle School of the Arts (the latter school requires an audition for admission).
We find that home buyers really appreciate the range of floor plans and designs in this community. Especially when you compare pre-owned homes (which are still quite new and also move in ready) to the new construction by Lennar, Summers Corner doesn't feel as cookie cutter as other master planned communities based on the years of feedback we've gotten.
Carnes Crossroads
Carnes Crossroads encompasses 2,300 acres just off Nexton Parkway (Exit 197 on I-26). Commuters appreciate the ease of getting off the Interstate compared to the 199 Exit. Plus, another community entrance off South Main is also convenient.
In this mixed use development you’ll find 4 miles of commercial hubs along Windmill Station, miles of walking trails, a play ground, and the Green Barn open air pavilion with pool and kids’ splash section.
Although Carnes Crossroads is popular more for its single family houses (especially the Low Country styles with double front porches), the townhouses offer a more affordable option for buying into such an upscale community with full amenities.
The biggest drawback to living in Carnes Crossroads is the school zoning. Berkeley County School District has implemented capacity restrictions for Cane Bay Elementary and Middle Schools due to the level of residential growth this area has seen in the past 10 years.
Legend Oaks Plantation
Legend Oaks Plantation is located off Hwy 61, on the land of a former rice plantation. Hundred-year-old live oaks line the road leading up to the clubhouse, which is a popular place for weddings due to its Low Country appeal. Legend Oaks is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Summerville, and its 18-hole golf course was named a 2010 South Carolina Golf Course of the Year. In addition to its golf and clubhouse, Legend Oaks also has a swimming pool and tennis courts.
Legend Oaks has mostly single-family houses, although you'll find some condos in The Highlands subsection. Some of the most sought-after subsections for houses include Whispering Fields, Palmetto Forest, The Province, and The Club.
Because Legend Oaks has been developed over the course of about 20 years, you'll find a wide range of traditional home styles here. So, if you're looking for a home in a more established neighborhood, Legend Oaks may be a good neighborhood to consider.
Wescott Plantation
Wescott Plantation is 1 of only 3 golf communities in Summerville. Here you'll find a 27-hole public golf course, a clubhouse available for hosting special events, kids’ park, and some of the subsections have their own pool. One of the main drawbacks to living in Wescott is that there's not a central pool for all residents to use. So, let us know if you need pool access, and we can narrow your list to just those subsections!
Wescott offers some of the most affordable homes for sale in Summerville. As one of the larger communities in the area, there's always a good selection of starter to mid priced homes including both townhouses and single family.
With 3 entrances off Dorchester Road, Parlor Road, and Patriots Boulevard, Wescott is one of the closest Summerville neighborhoods to Downtown Charleston and the airport.
Summerville Historic District
The Historic District of Summerville fetches some of the highest real estate prices because it's one of the only true historic neighborhoods in the area. Although this downtown residential section is quite large, the selection of homes for sale at any given time is small. Many of these homes are passed down through families from one generation to the next, and you'll find that a lot of original owners still live in these houses.
Due to the range of prices and the limited availability, if you're looking for a historic home in Summerville, know that it might take time to find the home that meets your needs and is also within your price range.
Most homes in the Historic District were built between 1900 and 1950, but you'll find an occasional home come onto the market that dates back to the mid 1800s. And, as with any of the historic neighborhoods in Charleston, you'll also sometimes see a newer construction home in this district or a home that's been so heavily renovated that it can be termed as new in the MLS.
White Gables
White Gables appeals to buyers because these designs have great Charleston style - from the classic shotgun single to Victorian to traditional to bungalow. Also, most of these houses have cement plank exteriors rather than the vinyl siding you typically find in new construction homes of this price range.
White Gables is enormously popular because of its Charleston style and the overall feel of the community, but know that these lot sizes tend to run smaller than average (usually .10 to .15 acre). These smaller yards are ideal for home buyers wanting less yard maintenance and more time to spend at the pool or nearby shopping/entertainment. The amenities in White Gables include a swimming pool, tennis courts, clubhouse, boat/RV storage, and children's playground.
White Gables is one of the closest neighborhoods you'll find to downtown Summerville (about 10 minutes) with its location off Central Avenue. So, location here is a big selling point!
Schools in Summerville, SC
Dorchester County School District 2 has some of the best public schools in Charleston. The elementary schools in Dorchester District 2 include Alston-Bailey, Beech Hill, Dr. Eugene Sires, Eagle Nest, Flowertown, Fort Dorchester, Joseph R. Pye, Knightsville, Newington, Oakbrook, Sand Hill, Spann, Summerville, William M. Reeves, and Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary. You'll find 7 middle schools within Dorchester School District 2: Alston, DuBose, East Edisto, Gregg, Oakbrook, River Oaks, and Rollings Middle School of the Arts. Learn more about Summerville schools at the South Carolina Department of Education and GreatSchools.com.
The 3 high schools in the district are Summerville, Ashley Ridge, and Fort Dorchester. The Summerville High School Green Wave have won numerous state championships for football (12 total), wrestling (12 total), marching band (6 total), baseball (5), and cheerleading (2).
Ashley Ridge High School was opened in 2008, making it the newest of the high schools in the district. The Ashley Ridge Swamp Foxes are known for their women's soccer team which have been state champions for the past 3 years, and men's soccer won the 2023 state championship. Their baseball team won the 2012 state championship, and its marching band and swim teams are also excellent.
Living in Summerville, South Carolina
During the first weekend in April, the town comes alive with the Flowertown Festival at Azalea Park, in the heart of downtown Summerville. Residents and tourists alike can find arts, crafts, food vendors, and live music. Don't miss this three-day festival, voted one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. Azalea Park hosts other festivals and events as well, and its 12 acres of gardens, walkways, and ponds are popular year round. Downtown Summerville is sure to have something to please everyone, from its park to its bustling Main Street which offers a community theater, restaurants, and one-of-a-kind antique stores nestled on quiet back lanes.
In addition to its quaint downtown section, Summerville has newer shopping centers located near Interstate 26. The Azalea Square shopping center has big chains like Target, Kohl's, TJ Maxx, and World Market. In this commercialized area, you'll find a Regal Cinemas, Walmart, Lowe's, and restaurants range from Cracker Barrell to Starbucks and Moe's Southwest Grill.
Although the Charleston Air Force Base is located in North Charleston, many of the men and women relocating for duty choose Summerville because of the good public schools (which help with resale) and the close proximity to the base. You'll find a great selection of neighborhoods in Summerville within a 15-20 minute drive of the Charleston Air Force Base. If you know that you'll be stationed in Charleston, let us know so that we can help you find homes for sale that are within your budget and also within a short commute to the base!
For outdoor enthusiasts looking to enjoy our mild weather year round, the Francis Beidler Forest is one of the largest preserved forests in South Carolina. Located in the nearby town of Harleyville, this National Audubon center has more than 16,000 acres of old-growth swamp forest, including Bald cypress trees that are about a thousand years old. More outdoor activities can be found at Wannamaker County Park in North Charleston and the Caw Caw Nature and History Interpretive Center in Ravenel.
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Broker ReciprocitySM Program of the Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Carolina One Real Estate are marked with the Broker ReciprocitySM logo or the Broker ReciprocitySM thumbnail logo (a little black house) and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.
The broker providing these data believes them to be correct, but advises interested parties to confirm them before relying on them in a purchase decision.
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