If you’re considering buying real estate on Kiawah Island Resort there are a lot of things to know. Primarily
as it pertains to dues, fees, HOA, regimes, and club dues. Resort ownership has its privileges of course, but as one can imagine owning such an exclusive stunning, and private gated resort like Kiawah Island comes with a cost. So as a Realtor in Charleston who sells on Kiawah, I have gone through the effort to help prospective buyers looking at the homes for sale on Kiawah Island know what to expect when considering buying. Some other things you may want to consider when deciding to purchase, beachfront houses on Kiawah Island will have much higher insurance expenses so a lot of owners will opt to self-insure because it can also be difficult to obtain flood and wind insurance.
*If you’re looking for a short visit HERE->
Let’s start with property HOA payments due at closing: depending on the property you want to buy be it; a villa, condo, or single family is required 1/2 of 1% of the purchase price fee upfront to the community HOA. Then depending on the building (if condo or villa), or one of the 31 “offshoot” communities/sections you own will ALSO have quarterly or monthly regime dues as most will be shown below.
General Assessment
Paid by all members, the general assessment goes into the Operating Budget. This covers the maintenance of common properties (e.g., association-owned/leased roads, landscaping, lakes, leisure trails, and more), security operations (e.g., gate access, patrols and commercial access), and administrative operations (e.g., insurance on common properties, legal and accounting services).
Reserve Assessment
Paid by all members, the Reserve Assessment strengthens KICA’s reserve fund, which is used to repair and replace infrastructure on the island.
Sandcastle Amenity Assessment
Paid by all residential members, the Sandcastle Amenity Assessment supports the operation and maintenance of The Sandcastle facility and pools.
Segment Assessment: Vanderhorst Gate
The segment assessment is paid by members owning property behind the Vanderhorst gate (V-gate) to support the operation and maintenance of that gate.
Segment Assessment: Ocean Park and Preserve
The segment assessment is paid by members owning property in Ocean Park and The Preserve to support the cost of additional landscaping and maintenance.
Flood Mitigation Special Assessment
The Flood Mitigation Special Assessment was approved by members in 2020 to fund improvements to infrastructure that were designed to mitigate known flooding issues. This special assessment is billed in June to all members and will be billed annually through 2024.
Joint Member Administrative Fee
This fee is charged on properties owned by multiple households or entities. The property will be charged $250 for each additional owner household to cover the administrative costs associated with multiple ownership.
DUES – REGIME FEES BY DEVELOPMENT & CONDO
There are yearly HOA dues required at $2876.00 which covers the landscaping, lighting, upkeep of the common areas, and so on throughout the Kiawah Island resort. So what does this cost get you? Each property owner gets to enjoy the “Sandcastle” community center consisting of dining, a large swimming pool, a boat landing (Rhett’s Bluff), an internet and reading lounge, banquet rooms, and Castle Grill.
2024 Owner Dues Details
CLUBS & MEMBERSHIP
If you want to own one of the two club memberships (Governor’s Club and Kiawah Island Club [read below]) there are two ways of going about it. One, buy or build a home in one of the new developments because the builders/developers have “built in” memberships that come with the home sites. Two, buy a home from a seller that already owns one Kiawah club membership. You are not required to buy the club membership, but you can if the home you are buying already comes with a membership. There is only one private club on the island – Kiawah Island Club, and “the club” has access to every golf course, including Cassique, all the dining rooms, lounges, kayaks, spas, squash, basketball, and tennis courts, and more. * As of now there are only two developments on Kiawah that have mandatory memberships and those are Cassique & The Settlement. There are three types of Club memberships you can purchase at closing:
- Golf Membership $135,000 (ONE TIME 80% refundable) – gives you access to all the 5 golf courses without paying greens fees and access to VIP tee times. Required is a $1180 MONTHLY due as well. Reduced greens fees (currently $77)
- Sports Membership $110,000 (ONE TIME 80% refundable) – gives you access to all 5 golf courses, tennis courts, squash courts, and basketball courts and has a monthly requirement of $849. Reduced greens fees (currently $77)
- Social Membership $50,000 (80% refundable) – gives access to the spas, events, dining, bars, and more.