Historic Charleston, SC Real Estate

Posted by on Friday, October 3rd, 2008 at 10:20am.

Historic Charleston, SC is a top tourist destination in the country. And, it’s one of the few areas in the low country with a style of houses all its own – the Charleston style single. As the oldest port city in the country, Charleston has a rich history that is reflected in its architecture. Few cities in the United States have so many homes dating back as far as Charleston has – some of Charleston’s oldest homes were built in the early 1700s.
 
Downtown Charleston (also called the Charleston Peninsula) is usually the first area in that people consider for historic homes in Charleston. Many of the homes are on the National Register of Historic Places. Some of the oldest (and most historic) of Charleston’s homes are located in neighborhoods like South of Broad and the French Quarter. Rainbow Row and The Battery (two of the most photographed areas in all of Charleston) are both considered South of Broad. The French Quarter is home to the Historic Dock Street Theatre, which was the first building in the country used solely for theatre. Harleston Village is another historic Charleston neighborhood, and it is close to MUSC (the Medical University of South Carolina). Ansonborough is another popular historic neighborhood, and it was considered the first suburb of Charleston. 
 
In addition to these four historic Charleston communities, home buyers also generally look in Radcliffborough, Elliottborough, Cannonborough, Wagner Terrace, Hampton Park Terrace, and Mazyck-Wraggsborough. These neighborhoods are also considered historic and are also located in downtown Charleston. However, they’re not as highly sought after as some of the other big historic names, like South of Broad. In response, these homes are generally less expensive, since much of the real estate price reflects historical relevance.
 
Two other areas to consider when buying historic real estate in Charleston are Sullivan’s Island and the Old Village community in Mt. Pleasant. Many of the homes on Sullivan’s Island were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Wealthy Charlestonians spent their summers here to be near the beach. Also, Edgar Allen Poe spent some time on Sullivan’s Island – one of the bars in the small downtown section of Sullivan’s is named Poe’s after him. These homes usually have much larger lots than the homes in downtown Charleston.
 
Old Village is located in Mt. Pleasant, just southeast of Patriots Point. It has a great location – just a five minute drive to downtown Charleston and about a ten minute drive from Sullivan’s Island. The oldest and most historic homes in Old Village are usually found near the water, where the homes overlook the Charleston Harbor and downtown Charleston.
 

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