North Myrtle Beach	Myrtle Beach	Surfside Beach	Garden City	Litchfield Beach
Pawleys Island	Isle of Palms	Sullivans Island	Folly Beach	Kiawah Island
	Seabrook Island	Fripp Island	Hilton Head Island

Do you imagine waking up to the sunrise and surf through your master bedroom windows? Stop dreaming and start exploring the beaches of South Carolina. Its oceanfront homes come with stunning landscapes in a state prized for its laidback vibes and affordable living.  

The mild, year-round, warm weather lets you enjoy oceanside activities throughout the seasons. Your South Carolina beach house will be close to the sandy beaches and the recreational amenities you want. If you’re looking to invest in an oceanfront house as a vacation rental, South Carolina has world-famous beaches and championship golf courses that draw tourists in each season. 

Look for an oceanfront house along these prized South Carolina beaches. Our list starts near the North Carolina border at Cherry Grove Beach and works southward to Hilton Head Island along the Georgia border.

North Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach provides a more affordable alternative to vacation destination Myrtle Beach. You still have the miles of white sand and urban amenities, but there are slightly fewer crowds drawn to the museums, waterparks, and amusements of the boardwalk down south.

Yet, you can still access the Myrtle Beach perks and its food scene. The waterfront homes are not only beside the stretches of sand, but the famous golf courses of the Grand Strand are a short drive away. 

Most residents own their homes. While there is tourism, the North Myrtle Beach area is less trafficked than its sister city. The area is a popular spot with retirees who enjoy all the restaurants, coffee shops, parks, and year-round festivities. Those seeking a quieter lifestyle or beach getaway are also drawn to its shores.

North Myrtle Beach formed from the merger of Crescent Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Cherry Grove. These areas retain their distinct small-town charm.

Beach spots

Crescent Beach is conveniently close to North Myrtle Beach Main Street. Buying a beach house here will provide fast access to the popular attractions in Myrtle Beach. Find high-rise hotels, resorts, and condominium complexes along its stretch of sands. Inland off Kings Highway is Beachwood Golf Club.

Atlantic Beach is rich in history, with a Gullah Geechee community formed from former enslaved persons who worked near the coastal areas. The nicknamed “Black Pearl” area is a close-knit community with numerous black-owned businesses and coastal properties. 

Cherry Grove is an angler’s paradise. Fishing access is at Cherry Grove Pier near the north end of North Myrtle Beach. Cherry Grove Beach has been named one of the best beaches in the US. It’s also the closest community to North Carolina and the grassy marshes around the Little River. When you look around, you’ll find charming beach cottages and a slower pace of life. 

North Myrtle Beach residential real estate sale prices for the year-to-date ending August 2024 stood at a median of $570,000, up 8.6%. Find everything from a studio beachfront condo to a single-family oceanfront home. Most residences will be across Ocean Drive, but there are multiple public beach access points.

Myrtle Beach

The center of the Grand Strand hums with world-class dining and vacation attractions. Part of the appeal of living in Myrtle Beach is the bevy of amenities. You’ll be close to famous beaches, championship golfing, upscale shopping, and much more. 

Part of the appeal are all the recreational activities that await in Myrtle Beach. It’s a family favorite because it has amusement parks, arcades, ice cream shops and dining on the boardwalk, and so much more. The accessible shoreline is walkable from the resorts and communities. 

Myrtle Beach housing costs tend to be 25% lower than the national average, while rental rates are higher. The upside to owning an oceanfront beach house in Myrtle Beach is you can convert it to a short-term rental when not in use. People have made the town for destination for a family-friendly beach experience, so there’s a strong market for rental properties.

A variety of housing options await your coastal getaway. Select from oceanfront single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums. Luxury oceanfront condominiums often come with additional amenities that make the HOA fees–and the resort lifestyle–worth it. If you’re looking for a more part-time living arrangement, Myrtle Beach has those, too, with shared-ownership units and studio condos ideal for weekends or seasonal living.

Myrtle Beach is a great place to own because it is an established and well-marketed vacation destination. If you want to own and live in oceanfront real estate part-time, a beachfront home increases your chances of bookings and commanding premium rental rates. 

List prices in October 2024 ranged from $3,000 for shared ownership in a 900-square-foot condo to $6.75M for a Myrtle Beach beachfront single-family home.  Find a wide range of properties in between these prices with ocean views or other water access.

Surfside Beach

Surfside Beach is the “family” beach on the Grand Strand. Kick back along the two miles of oceanfront and soak in those fresh Atlantic Breezes. The town cleans the sands daily to ensure pristine beaches. Surfside Beach’s town council also declared the town the first autism-friendly travel destination. That makes it among the top family-friendly beaches in South Carolina.

When not sunbathing or building sandcastles, enjoy tennis, bocce, and shuffleboard. Surfside Beach has a fishing pier, a children’s park, sports parks, and water sports rentals. Myrtle Beach is directly north for even more things to do.

Colorful stilt homes and condos face the oceanfront along Surfside Beach. Most are poised on the other side of Ocean Blvd, but it’s walkable to the shoreline. Many oceanfront homes in Surfside Beach are newer, although you can find traditional beach cottages. Homes and condominiums here can be rented out when not in use. October 2024 real estate listing prices ranged from $8,500 for a shared ownership beachfront studio condo to $4.5M for a beachfront single-family stilt home.

Garden City

Welcome to one of the Grand Strand’s more popular beach vacation destinations. Garden City’s easy-going vibes attract the set that aren’t drawn to Myrtle Beach’s ritzy amenities. Locals still enjoy the famous fresh seafood and plenty of family-oriented activities. The Garden City Pier is a go-to place for fishing, and its accessible shoreline has loads of water sports, including surging. The end-of-the-pier bar hosts live music through the summer.

Garden City is one of the few communities with some homes on the water instead of across the street from the beach. Its beautiful shoreline extends down to the mouth of Murrells Inlet, giving you calm waters of the Intracoastal on the back side.

The beachfront homes tend to be on the newer side with a traditional stilt beach construction, although you can find other single-family home styles. Oceanfront and water-view condos are available. Homes can be used as a vacation rental property. 

Waterfront home prices in October 2024 ranged from $159,000 for land on Murrells Inlet to $2.87M for a beachfront single-family with seven bedrooms.

Litchfield Beach

Are you looking for a quiet ocean-view home along the Atlantic? Try Litchfield Beach, one of the coveted oceanfront communities on the Hammock Coast. This community has been carefully zoned and managed to create a quieter and more exclusive beach lifestyle. There are boutique shops, fine-dining options, and two resorts like the Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort. Hit the links in the morning and the ocean in the afternoon. 

Litchfield Beach is halfway between historic Georgetown and bustling Myrtle Beach, making it an ideal retreat and jumping-off point to South Carolina beachfront attractions. On its northern border, the popular Huntington Beach State Park has a public beachfront and camping area. Tour the beautiful Brookgreen Gardens and historic Atalaya Castle. To the south lies the golfing destination of Pawleys Island. 

Beach stilt houses and single-family homes are mixed with oceanfront condominiums and resorts. The homes are well-manicured. Prices in October 2024 ranged from $50,000 for an shared ownership condo to $5.5M for a Litchfield Beach beachfront single-family home.

Pawleys Island

This picturesque island community has been a coastal retreat for decades. The homes have never lost their Lowcountry island charm, with concerted efforts to preserve historic buildings and a commitment against overdevelopment. Just 600 homes are found on the island proper. The theme along the Hammock Coast is peace and serenity.

That doesn’t mean Pawleys Islands residents are cut off. All the dining, shopping, and famous golf amenities lie just over the causeway to the mainland. Plus, the limited number of homes has led to a tight-knit community of neighbors who know they’ve landed on something special. This is a place to go barefoot, digging your toes in the warm sand, to crab in salt marshes, and spend evenings luxuriating in rope hammocks.

Pawleys Island oceanfront homes range from the historic beach retreat to the more contemporary luxurious stilt house. Median prices for a single-family home in this charming town stood at $625,000 for the year-to-date ending August 2024.

Isle of Palms

Vacasa ranked the Isle of Palms and its seven-mile strip of white-sand beach on its best places to buy a beach house list. Located just 18 miles from the bustling center of the state capital, Charleston, not only is the Atlantic oceanfront at hand, but the backside of the island has the Intracoastal waterway leading to remote barrier islands. So you get the soothing Atlantic warm water and the calm Intracoastal.

Isle of Palms residents can easily access amenities like championship golf and tennis. In fact, it has one of the state’s best championship golf courses. The combination of golf and spa resort with clean beaches makes the Isle of Palms a top destination for visitors.

You can’t always be at the beach, though. The marina is perfect for docking your boat and yacht when you’re not fishing or enjoying water sports activities. The Intracoastal marshes and island parks lure in migratory birds, making them ideal for wildlife sightings.

Isle of Palms may feel upscale, but it has a family-oriented atmosphere. The city runs recreational programs for local youth and has a skatepark and playgrounds. The locals here are friendly, with just under 5,000 people living full-time on the isle. Beach volleyball is a favorite pastime. Local restaurants, coffee shops, and bars are on the island, so you never have to cross the causeway for excellent dining–unless you want to.

For housing, the gated community of Wild Dunes Resort and its stunning golf course are on the island’s north end. With six miles, the beach community covers a lot of ground. Find single-family homes and condos with ocean views along the miles of sand. October 2024 prices range from $99,000 for an oceanfront condo to $11.8 M for a deepwater creek single-family home inside Wild Dunes Resort. Homes can be used as vacation rentals.  

Sullivan’s Island

If you seek a small beach town with charm, look no further than this small town at the entrance to Charleston Harbor. Living here essentially places you in an affluent suburb of the greater Charleston metro. An oceanfront home in this historic fishing village feels like a world away from downtown Charleston, yet you are about a 25-minute drive or less from everything the city offers.

Sullivan’s Island is a top beach destination for Charleston and Mount Pleasant residents. Find public beach access points along all three miles of oceanfront. As a local, you’ll never have to worry about finding public parking, though. Walk to your favorite beach spot whenever it suits your fancy. Set up your beach chair and watch the boats journey into the Charleston Harbor or out to sea. 

Don’t be surprised to see residents getting around on bicycles. This is a laid-back oceanfront town. Spend days paddle boarding or kayaking around the island. The backside touches the winding marshes of the Intracoastal. Kick back at night as you listen to live music at one of the beach bars. 

Residents come to Sullivan’s Island to stay, making inventory low. October 2024 had just nine oceanfront single-family listings, from $900,000 to $14.9M.

Folly Beach

One of the most popular beaches in the Charleston area is a family-favorite beach community. Folly Island is a barrier island near the southern mouth of Charleston Harbor. Known for its excellent surf, surfers from around the seaboard descend here to work their skills up and down the beachfront. The “Washout” on the north end of Folly Island has some of the biggest and best waves on the Carolina coast. Folly Beach County Park is a guarded beach with facilities and some rentals. The fishing pier sits about halfway on the island.

Onshore, Folly Beach has that classic beach town vibe with its tiki bars and colorful buildings. The strip is filled with restaurants and surf shops just feet from the ocean. The colorful and casual nightlife scene is busiest during the summer months.

When not enjoying life’s wonders on Folly Beach, relax on a wrap-around porch, a popular feature of Folly Beach homes. Find single-family homes, beach cottages, villas, and condominiums along the Folly Beach stretch of sand. October 2024 listings started at $99,000 for a vacant lot to $5.7M for an oceanfront home.

Kiawah Island

When you want all the Lowcountry charm paired with a calm lifestyle on the coast, you want Kiawah Island. Located 25 miles from downtown Charleston, this private island community has luxurious amenities for an upscale beach town lifestyle. The island has limited public beach access, leading to pristine beaches.

Enjoy world-class golf courses and tennis with beautiful scenery at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. When you’re done walking the unspoiled beaches, enjoy restaurants, fitness centers, a nature center, and a marina. All of that is accompanied by ten miles of pristine Atlantic Beach, 30 miles of paved trails, and easy access to the Intracoastal Waterway.

A mixture of single-family homes and luxury condominium developments make up the local real estate market. You can choose from resort-style living or a more classic beachfront home. August 2024 listings ranged from $1.17M for an undeveloped oceanfront lot in a private community to a $19M luxury single-family home on a 2-acre oceanfront lot.

Seabrook Island

Seabrook Island has protected natural landscapes and maritime forests. Gain wide-open ocean views or overlook photogenic oceanfront marshes. Situated near the Edisto River, residents here appreciate a gated, private island with upscale amenities. The coastal town focused on its residents. Enjoy two private beaches, Pelican Beach and North Beach, and the exclusive Sea Island Beach Club. North Beach also has an off-leash area for dogs that is open seasonally. Bask in the warm waters without searching the crowds for a spot to put down your chair.

Even though it is less developed than its Kiawah Island neighbor, it has exclusive resort facilities matching the character of an upscale beach town. Boaters have a deepwater marina, while on land are oceanfront swimming pools. An equestrian center has beachfront horseback riding. The island has 36 holes of golf and oceanfront terraces with fine dining. 

Seabrook Island mixes single-family homes and villas. October 2024 listings ranged from $349,000 for an undeveloped ocean view lot to $5.9M for a 4-bedroom single-family oceanfront home.

Fripp Island

Not only do you have the beautiful beaches on Fripp Island, but this barrier island has two championship golf courses. Part of the Lowcountry, Fripp is part of the Sea Islands near Beaufort and Hilton Head. Miles of grassy marshes separate it from the mainland. By living on this southern coast, you are a world away from crowded tourist areas yet still close when you want to indulge in those area’s amenities. It’s a true seaside getaway.  Residents are close to golf courses, a seaside water park, less crowded beaches, dining, and tennis courts. 

Fripp Island is known for its conservation efforts, which have led to a more authentic barrier island feel. Just under 1,000 people live here full-time, but the island can swell to over 5,000 in the summer. The island’s natural beauty and calm waters draw people. It has two waterfront golf courses to play. To its north is the quiet Hunting Island State Park and its stunning beach scenery. Boneyard Beach’s driftwood maze is a fascinating place to explore.

Find single-family homes with a view or invest in condominiums that vacationers can rent. In August 2021, ocean view listings started at lots for $185,000 up to $4.27M for a single-family oceanfront home.

Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head Island and its 12 miles of Atlantic beachfront are a popular vacation destination. Just an hour from Savannah, GA, over 2 million visitors vacation in Hilton Head each year. But why come for a week when you can stay longer and own a Hilton Head beachfront home?

The 11-mile island has abundant stunning beaches, complementing outdoor recreation areas and oceanfront access. Loads of water sports are available, from dolphin cruises to stand-up paddleboards to sailing charters.

Residents enjoy the famous public and private golf courses on the island. The PGA Tour stops at Hilton Head in April, bringing celebrities and athletes. The island town has miles of trails for hiking and walking. In fact, many residents and visitors opt to get around by bicycle. There’s even golf cart parking in spots. Besides outdoor activities, the island has world-class dining with over 250 restaurants. Other cultural amenities include the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, art museums, and live music venues. Festivals are scheduled throughout the year, like a marathon, Hilton Head Island Wine Festival, and these spring events. 

Here you’ll find a diverse selection of homes and access to communities with resort-style amenities. Oceanfront real estate ranges from beach cottages to manicured luxury estates to condominiums. Communities include Sea Pines, Folly Field, Port Royal, Forest Beach, and Leamington. In October 2024, listings started at $4,000 for a shared ownership townhome to a $16.5M oceanfront single-family in Sea Pines.

How to Afford Beachfront Property

As you can see, a beachfront home is affordable in South Carolina. However, not everyone wants to live an oceanfront lifestyle in a studio condominium. A jumbo loan financing option makes oceanfront living more accessible for everyone.

Most homeowners are familiar with conventional loan programs that follow the guidelines set by the FHFA. These loans have maximum financing limits that prevent many homeowners dreaming of a beach lifestyle from obtaining a home along the sands. 

A jumbo loan can finance homes with a large price tag that doesn’t conform to conventional limits. These loans ask the lender to assume more risk, so the lender will have stricter requirements. For instance, they may require a higher down payment or an exceptional credit history. 

Beachfront Living in South Carolina

Beach vacations in the Palmetto State are truly memorable. Even better is the lifestyle they promise. Imagine your new lifestyle of sunrise walks along the ocean, a round of golf by the sea, and relaxing in your rope hammock on the porch while enjoying the Atlantic Ocean sea breezes. Find this and more in a South Carolina oceanfront home. With a jumbo loan, you can deliver a competitive purchase-sale agreement for the South Carolina beach home of your dreams.