You want the Charleston lifestyle without the Charleston price tag. I get it. I have watched buyers get frustrated with Mount Pleasant prices for years. Then I take them to Berkeley County. Their eyes light up. They see the space. They see the new schools. They see the price per square foot.
Berkeley County is not just "north of Charleston" anymore. It is its own destination. The secret is out. But you can still get in before it becomes untouchable.
Let's be real about money. Your dollar stretches further here. In Charleston County, a budget of $400,000 gets you a condo or a fixer-upper. In Berkeley County, that same money buys a detached home with a garage. You often get a yard too.
Property taxes are a huge draw here. The rate is fair. Just remember one thing. You must apply for the 4% legal residence rate. If you don't file that paper, you pay 6%. Do not forget this step.
You have probably heard of Nexton. It is not just a neighborhood. It feels like a futuristic town. You have gigabit internet everywhere. You can drive your golf cart to Starbucks. You can walk to amazing restaurants like Hall's Chophouse. It is clean. It is organized. It is incredibly popular.
Cane Bay is another giant. It is massive. It has its own schools right inside the neighborhood. I see families move there and never leave the bubble on weekends. Everything they need is right there. It is convenient living at its finest.
People used to commute from Berkeley to downtown Charleston. Now, the jobs came to them. Volvo built a massive plant here. Google has a huge data center nearby. Boeing is just a short drive away.
This means your commute might be ten minutes. You aren't stuck on I-26 for an hour every morning. That gives you time back in your day. That is worth more than money.
If you like the outdoors, this is your spot. You have Lake Moultrie in your backyard. This isn't a small pond. It is a massive lake. You can boat all day and never see the same spot twice. The fishing is legendary. People travel from all over the country to catch catfish here.
You also have Cypress Gardens. You might recognize it from the movie The Notebook. You can paddle a small boat through the swamp. It is quiet and stunning. You also have the Francis Marion National Forest for hiking and hunting.
I will be honest with you. Growth brings traffic. Main Street in Summerville can be a parking lot at 5 PM. Exit 199 on I-26 gets backed up. The roads are playing catch-up with all the new houses.
But there are back roads. You learn them quickly. Locals know how to dodge the worst spots. And honestly, it is still better than downtown Charleston traffic.
Moncks Corner used to be a sleepy rural town. That is changing fast. It is becoming the next hot spot. You still get that small-town feel. You can still find land there. But now you have a Publix and new shops. It is the perfect mix of old and new.
This area works for everyone. Young professionals love the apartments in Nexton. Families love the pools in Cane Bay. Retirees love the quiet of the lake. It is diverse. It is welcoming.
Come see it for yourself. Drive up 17A. Stop for lunch in Nexton. You might find your new home.