f 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 vacation 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.
HOA FEES, DUES & COSTS AT KIAWAH ISLAND RESORT SC
| NAME OF SECTION & MLS LISTINGS FOR SALE | Monthly Dues/Regime Fees | STYLE/TYPE | HOMESITES & VIEWS |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Timbers | $2300 – $4700 +/- month | Mid-rise condos (Fractional) | BEACHFRONT |
| The Windswept Villas | $3200 – $4176 Quarterly | Mid-rise condos | BEACHFRONT |
| Vanderhorst Plantation | —– | Detached Homes (Gated Private) | BEACH & Golf FRONT |
| Parkside Villas | $2000 +/- Quarterly | Mid-rise condos | Interior Lagoon |
| Seascape Villas | $3500 – $7000 Quarterly | Mid-rise condos | Interior |
| Duneside Villas | $1300 – $1800+/- Quarterly | Raised Townhouses | BEACHFRONT |
| Turtle Point Condos | $2400 – $5550+/- Quarterly | Low-Rise Condos | Golf Course & Tennis |
| Cassique | $1488 quarterly | Detached Homes | GOLF COURSE |
| Mariners Watch Condos | $840-$1800 +/- month | Mid-rise condos | Beachfront & Interior |
| Egret/Pintail | —— | Detached Homes | Interior & Golf |
| Night Heron Village | $340 Quarterly | Detached Raised Cottages | Interior/Marsh |
| Middlewood East | —— | Detached Homes | BEACHFRONT |
| Shipwatch Villas | $3280 – $7100+/- Quarterly | Mid-rise condos | BEACHFRONT |
| Sparrow Pond Cottages | $405 Quarterly | Detached Raised Cottages | Interior & Lagoon |
| Middlewoods West | —— | Detached Homes | INTERIOR |
| Inlet Cove Cottages | $220 month | Detached Raised Cottages | Interior & Marsh |
| Oceanwoods Cottages | $1290 Yearly | Detached Raised Cottages | Interior & Pond |
| West Beach Villas (Courtside Villas) | $1020 Quarterly | Low-rise condos | Interior |
| Fair Oaks Villas | $611 month | Low-rise Condos | Interior |
| Tennis Club Villas | $1890-$2210 Quarterly | Low-rise condos | Interior |
| Ocean Park | $4240 Yearly | Detached Houses | Beachfront & Golf |
| The Settlement | $3885 Yearly | Detached Houses | Deep Water & Golf |
| Beach Townhouses | $? | Raised Townhouses | BEACHFRONT |
| Marsh Island Woods | —– | Detached Homes | INTERIOR |
| Front Nine Lane (Ocean Park) | —- | Detached Homes | Golf Course |
| Oceanwood | Detached Homes | Interior | |
| Riverview | Detached Homes | Interior | |
There are yearly HOA dues required at $2369.00 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, large swimming pool, boat landing (Rhett’s Bluff), internet and reading lounge, banquet rooms, and Castle Grill.
2024 Owner Dues Details
CLUBS & MEMBERSHIP
If you want to own one 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 owns one Kiawah club memberships. 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” is all 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 – gives you access to all the 5 golf courses without paying greens fees and access to VIP tee times. Required MONTHLY dues as well. Reduced greens fees
- Sports Membership – gives you access to all the 5 golf courses, tennis courts, squash courts and basketball courts and has a monthly requirement so call to find out the latest changes. Reduced greens fees
- Social Membership – gives access to the spas, events, dining, bars, and more.
