Folly Beach Real Estate

More affordable beach homes with a laid back style

Folly Beach is located just 15 minutes south of Downtown Charleston, on the Atlantic Ocean side of James Island. The atmosphere and home styles are reminiscent of Key West with a colorful and eclectic culture. Known for its laid back style and surfing, Folly Beach is a favorite among locals and tourists alike. If you’re looking to purchase a home that can be placed on a vacation rental program to offset your costs, talk with us! More local knowledge is needed on Folly compared to other Charleston beaches because Folly houses are so different (part of the area’s charm). Based on our experience, the investment properties that tend to perform well are first row (beachfront homes) or second row from the ocean. Condos and townhouses like Turtle Bay, Waters Edge, and Charleston Oceanfront Villas tend to also rent well, but keep in mind these regime fees can drag down your net income. Another good investment tip is to stay central on the island (the lower the address numbers, the closer to Center Street where restaurants and shops are concentrated).

Folly Beach Real Estate Statistics

Total Listings: 56
Average Price: $1,429,675
Highest Listing Price: $4,900,000
Average Days On Website: 120
Average Price/SqFt: $762

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Folly Beach Pros:

Folly Beach Cons:

  • Newer homes can be hard to find
  • Many of the houses need renovations

Folly Beach Homes for Sale:

Price, High to Low
56 Properties Found.
Page 1 of 7

113 E Arctic Avenue B

$4,900,000
MLS® #22013630

None
Folly Beach, SC
4 BR, 4½ BA, 3159 SQ FT
Built in 2009
Condo

Have you been dreaming of owning the ultimate in lavish, luxurious, and elegant Folly Beach oceanfront living? A…

2100 Fiddler Island Lane

$4,500,000
MLS® #24005803

None
Folly Beach, SC
6 BR, 5½ BA, 3982 SQ FT, 3.32 ACRES
Built in 1996
House

Nestled just off the historic Sol Legare Road and boasting unparalleled views from every angle, this meticulousl…

268 Little Oak Island Drive

$3,380,400
MLS® #22016385

Little Oak Island
Folly Beach, SC
4 BR, 4½ BA, 3164 SQ FT, 0.42 ACRES
Built in 2006
House

Looking for the ultimate in peaceful waterfront view living? There are over 1150 sq ft of wrap-around covered po…

342 Shadow Race Lane

$2,999,990
MLS® #24004037

Sunset Point
Folly Beach, SC
3 BR, 3½ BA, 2988 SQ FT, 0.34 ACRES
Built in 2001
House

The best of Folly Beach! This is an amazing and rare opportunity to be on a quiet, private cul-de-sac on The Fol…

2317 Sunfish Circle

$2,999,000
MLS® #24001124

Oak Island
Folly Beach, SC
4 BR, 5½ BA, 4428 SQ FT, 0.61 ACRES
Built in 1991
House

Welcome to your dream deep water home nestled on the serene Oak Island Creek, just 1.5 miles from the beautiful …

1420 E Ashley Avenue A

$2,800,000
MLS® #24001437

None
Folly Beach, SC
4 BR, 4½ BA, 3556 SQ FT, 0.24 ACRES
Built in 2005
House

Welcome to Viewpoints! Viewpoints has it all: mesmerizing views of the ocean (including sunrises) and stunning v…

513 E Arctic Avenue

$2,781,600
MLS® #24002351

Folly Beach
Folly Beach, SC
4 BR, 3 BA, 2318 SQ FT, 0.16 ACRES
Built in 1991
House

Welcome to 513 E. Arctic. This incredible beachfront home is located a convenient five blocks, a short walk, to …

1211 E Arctic Avenue

$2,700,000
MLS® #23007721

Folly Beach
Folly Beach, SC
2 BR, 2 BA, 1321 SQ FT, 0.24 ACRES
Built in 1976
House

Make us an offer on this Folly Beach Treasure! The moment you walk in the front door, you'll be captivated by th…

124 E Hudson Avenue

$2,700,000
MLS® #23026239

None
Folly Beach, SC
9 BR, 8 BA, 5208 SQ FT, 0.24 ACRES
Built in 2006
House

Two blocks off Center Street in the heart of Fun Folly Beach. Shopping, restaurants and more. Easy beach access …

Folly Beach, SC Real Estate and Homes for Sale

folly beach real estate

Location is prime at Folly Beach, and most folks want to live within walking distance to the ocean and Center Street (the main road coming onto the island). With this central location, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: playing on the beach during the day, and going out for dinner or drinks in the evening. This middle part of the island is also the deepest geographically which offers more of a buffer for storms.

Beachfront homes at Folly are, of course, the most sought after and therefore the priciest. However, if you don't see a home on the beachfront in your price range, the homes a few rows back are also great options. Public beach accesses are scattered throughout the ocean side of the island, making your short walk to the beach very convenient.

Since most of the commercial development is concentrated in the center of the island, some buyers seek the residential sections toward the north and south ends of the island for a quieter and less trafficked feel. (Golf carts have become popular in recent years for getting around more easily.) The residential community on Folly is a combination of vintage single-family homes and newer condominium developments. The renewed interest in this area and quirky zoning ordinances have allowed for a diverse mix of types, styles, and ages of homes that give Folly Beach its character. We've even seen a come back for these vintage homes that were built in a time when beach homes weren't considered luxury properties. So if you find inspiration in painted wood paneling, colorful window trims, and small kitchens with high end finishes, Folly Beach has plenty of options!

Townhouses and Condos at Folly Beach

Buyers looking for lower maintenance, especially for a second home, gravitate towards condos and townhouses for their turn key appeal. Many of these are marshfront and overlook Folly River which borders the back side of the island. Plus, several of these condo communities have amenities such as pools.

folly beach sc condos for salemarshfront condos on folly river

One of the best communities at Folly Beach is Charleston Oceanfront Villas because it boasts an elevator, 2 pools, and is gated. Located directly on the beach, these condos overlook the pier and are as close to Center Street as you’ll find.

Turtle Bay is adjacent to Waters Edge, and these 2 townhouse communities are very comparable. Both offer dock facilities on the Folly River and a pool. Home buyers love this marshfront lifestyle, the colorful cement plank exteriors, drive under garages, and walkability to Center Street.

You'll also find several condo communities just across the bridge on the mainland. Although these are not located on the island of Folly, they're just a short bike ride to the beach. For example, Mariners Cay is popular for its full lineup of amenities: boat ramp, marina, tennis courts, pool, club house, and gated entrance. However, Mariners Cay does not allow homeowners to rent out for under 30 days anymore which is good to know for gauging rental income. More Folly Beach communities to consider on the mainland include Turn of River, Palmetto Pointe, Marsh Winds, and Little Oak Island.

Things to Do at Folly Beach

center street folly beach entertainment

Beach shops and restaurants line Center Street, which is the commercial hub of the island. You can get seafood at Snapper Jack's, Tex-Mex at Taco Boy, southern fare at Rita's (which is owned by the same folks as Halls Chophouse), frozen yogurt at Dolce Banana, or the best brunch in Charleston (we're biased) at Lost Dog Cafe.

Charleston County Parks own 2 locations at Folly Beach. The larger Folly Beach County Park is located at the southwest end of the island. Here, you’ll find plenty of parking, outdoor showers, restrooms, a boardwalk, handicap accessible ramps, beach chair and umbrella rentals, and a snack bar. We recommend buying an annual Gold Pass because not only does this grant you parking at the Folly Beach County Park, but it also gets you into all of the wonderful county parks throughout the area (which pays for itself very quickly)! This park system also operates the Folly Beach pier which is currently in the process of getting replaced (so is not accessible). We can’t wait to walk on the new pier since this offers some of the best views on the island!

A public boat ramp is owned and operated by Charleston County Parks. This free boating access means that you can enjoy kayaking, paddleboarding, or launching your boat directly into the Folly River even if your home or community doesn't have its own boat ramp or dock facilities. You’ll find this boat landing on the right hand side as soon as you come onto the island using Folly Road/Center Street.

folly beach sc real estate

The Morris Island Lighthouse, visible from the northeast end of Folly Beach and some 300 yards offshore, is a popular historic attraction. The scenic beauty of this part of the island draws kayakers, fisherman, boaters, windsurfers, visitors, and homeowners alike. When it was built in 1876, it had black and white stripes painted on its brick exterior. It also originally had fifteen buildings surrounding it for the keeper and his family.

When the lighthouse was automated in 1938, most of the buildings were rendered unnecessary and were either torn down or relocated. Although the lighthouse has since been decommissioned, this structure is a reminder of Charleston's longstanding nautical heritage. It's also one of only two lighthouses in Charleston (the other is on Sullivan's Island). Few South Carolina lighthouses have such a following of preservationists and supporters who keep the structure sound.

Folly Beach is perhaps known best for surfing. Every month during the summer, Folly Beach hosts several surf competitions that draw large crowds to watch. On any given day, you'll find the area known as "the Washout" full of surfers and onlookers enjoying the beach. In fact, most of the College of Charleston students prefer to go to Folly Beach because it's the closest to Downtown. The north and south parts of Folly Beach have been left undeveloped, so you'll find fewer people on the beach.

If you're looking for entertainment off the island, the short five minute drive to James Island will grant you easy access to grocery stores, Walmart, and more shops and restaurants. Plus, Downtown Charleston is just a fifteen minute drive from Folly Beach. Of Charleston's six beaches, Folly is the most convenient for getting to peninsular Charleston. There, you'll find museums, the South Carolina Aquarium, renowned shopping and dining, and more historic sites than you can fit into a weekend of sightseeing!

More About Folly Beach, South Carolina

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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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