Best Places to Buy Real Estate in Charleston, SC for $300-500K

The $300-500K price range is ideal for the Charleston, SC real estate market.  Whether you are looking for a charming 1950s brick home that is fully renovated or a new construction home that you can customize with a top Charleston builder, this price range offers a wide range of options.

Most buyers in this range want to live in Charleston County because they want the closest proximity possible to historic downtown Charleston and the beaches.  Mt. Pleasant is the suburb most buyers want to live because it has an upscale feel, plenty of neighborhoods with full amenities, and some of the best public schools in Charleston.  Mt. Pleasant has tons of shopping centers and restaurants.  The most popular tends to be Towne Centre, which offers over 54 outdoor shops plus a Regal Cinema movie theater with 16 stadium theaters.  Since Mt. Pleasant is a newer suburb of Charleston, you’ll find mostly newer construction homes for sale.  If you are looking to build a brand new home (and be able to pick out floor plans and features), be sure to check out Dunes West and Hamlin Plantation.  Both of these neighborhoods offer homes by John Wieland, one of the best residential builders in Charleston.  If you prefer a move-in ready home that is newer, neighborhoods like Rivertowne, Park West, Brickyard Plantation, Darrell Creek, and Belle Hall tend to be very popular (Dunes West and Hamlin Plantation also offer pre-owned homes as well as new construction).  Mt. Pleasant is about 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Charleston and 10 minutes to the closest beaches, Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island.

James Island is also one of the most popular areas in the $300-500K price range, largely because it has such a great proximity to downtown Charleston and Folly Beach (just 5-15 minutes).  This suburb sees less traffic around commute time compared to Mt. Pleasant, but you will not be able to get as much home for the money.  James Island is known for its laid back style and the independent feel of its shops and restaurants.  You’ll find a mix of newer and older homes for sale on James Island.  Some of the most popular newer neighborhoods in this range include Ocean Neighbors, Woodward Pointe, Cloudbreak Court, Bayview Farms, Lakeside Village, and Carolina Oaks.  The older homes on James Island generally have larger lot sizes, more mature landscaping (often with the giant old live oaks), and brick exteriors.  Buyers looking for older homes tend to really like the neighborhoods Clearview, Eastwood, Stiles Point Plantation, Fort Johnson Estates, and Riverland Terrace.

West Ashley also offers a good selection of newer and older homes, but this area is more divided in terms of the age of the homes.  As one of the oldest suburbs of Charleston, West Ashley has a large selection of older homes just over the bridge from downtown Charleston.  Neighborhoods like South Windermere and Moreland are highly sought after for their charming brick homes and massive live oak trees.  And many of these homes have been fully renovated.  This older section of West Ashley is 5-10 minutes from downtown Charleston and 15-20 minutes from Folly Beach.  If you prefer a newer home, the best selection in West Ashley will be another 10-15 minutes away, in the newer section of West Ashley past Hwy 526.  Carolina Bay, Hunt Club, Schieveling Plantation, McLaura Bluff, and MacLaura Hall offer homes built in the past 10 years.  Because these newer homes are located further out, you’ll get more home for money in West Ashley compared to James Island.