Charleston SC Waterfront Homes Under $500000 | James Schiller
Single family DETACHED houses in Charleston SC actually ON deep water (and/or with a dock with them) under $500,000 do not exist (or at 
least very often), and if you find one by chance you need to call me immediately to make an offer without waiting. As you’ll see below there are usually some small condos, but unfortunately it is the truth. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s a fact that disheartens a lot of dreamers that look for the Charleston SC lifestyle. Having sold many a home, and spoken with many buyer prospects over the years and analyzing my website searches most people wish for riverfront or deep water real estate. The unfortunate reality is that most buyers’ price range puts their dream out of reach.
There are two types of “waterfront” homes in Charleston SC: true deep water; meaning a house that is on a riverfront or intra-coastal (aka intercoastal) waterway where even at low tide there is still at least a minimum of 8 feet for a decent sized boat to regularly be able to navigate. Obviously, these properties are the most sought after homes in the entire area. We don’t have real lakefront homes here either, because the largest true lake front is in Santee which is about an hours drive north from Charleston.
Below is EVERY property listing in the Charleston MLS on waterfront including homes, condos, townhouses on deep water for sale in the Charleston SC area. From LOWEST up to five hundred thousand ($500,000).
MLS Listings Data
The second type of “waterfront” property are those on what’s called a tidal creek where there is a shallow creek that is only accessible by a small boat (usually 20 ft or less) at high tide.
Another consideration to be aware of, is most of the properties below aren’t going to be “nice”, and most buyers when spending $300k-$500k for a lifestyle in Charleston want a pretty, clean, and updated home.
Most detached houses on true deep waterfront are going to be minimum $800,000+, and very very occasionally a property might hit the market just around $500,000 but rest assured if there is a house on the lot it won’t be a nice house. The average real estate buyer will not be interested in putting a lot of money into a home they just bought unless they are investors or someone with a lot of experience renovating homes. Even condos usually start at $300,000 if they are on true deep water. If you’re looking for a house under $500,000 in Charleston on the water than it’s safe to assume most can’t afford to spend more to renovate it.
