Housing Options

Virtually every type of home type is available in Historic Charleston. Single Family detached is the most common and there are hundreds of townhomes and condominiums as well. The most prolific style is the “Charleston Single.” These homes are one-room wide at the street and flow deep into the lot. Most have double side piazzas and a suitor’s door on the lower front level. Charleston has experienced some difficult times including an earthquake and a major fire in 1886. As a result, some sections of the city were rebuilt using the popular styles of that era. Greek Revival, Victorian and Federal-style homes are intermingled in most neighborhoods.

Some of the larger of these homes have been converted into condominiums. In keeping with preservation guidelines, there is an 85 foot height restriction in place, so except for very few pre-existing buildings, there are no high rise condominium towers in the skyline.

Single-family housing in Historic Charleston begins in the $500’s in some of the boroughs to more than $15 million along The Battery and White Point Gardens. Condos and townhomes from the $400’s to $12 million are common in various spots around the city.  

Neighborhoods

South of Broad

As the name implies this neighborhood begins at Broad Street and goes to the tip of The Battery. This area has some of the largest and most beautiful homes in the Historic District and indeed the United States. Waterfront antebellum mansions along East Bay Street look out over Charleston Harbor and from their upper levels, Fort Sumter and the Atlantic Ocean are clearly visible. Along South Battery, homes have White Point Gardens directly across the street.

Horse drawn carriages are a common sight along these streets although only a limited number are permitted to visit each day. The Battery wall runs the entire water perimeter from Broad Street to Tradd Street. Interior streets are quiet and lined with Live Oak and Magnolia trees. More modest Charleston homes are found here but there are a few very large homes are along Meeting and King Streets. Lush mature landscaping covers wrought iron and brick garden enclosures. There is no better place in America for a leisurely stroll with Jasmine and Honeysuckle scents in the air.

The French Quarter

North of Broad and bordered by East Bay Street the City Market and Meeting Streets, the French Quarter offer a wonderful mix of homes, galleries, shops and theaters. Not as many homes here as in other areas, but a lively area just the same. Catch a performance at the Dock Street Theater or join the Art Walk on Friday evenings during the summer months. Short walks get you to more restaurants than you could visit in a whole year. Enjoy evening cocktails on the roof of Market Pavillion Hotel and dinner at Magnolia’s or Slightly North of Broad ("SNOB"). The charm and convenience of the Charleston City Market are at your doorstep.

Ansonborough

Beginning at the Northern edge of the City Market and ending at Gaillard Center this very upscale part of the city has a mix of stately brick Federal Style homes and Charleston Single homes. Part of what was once the walled part of Charleston this area was severely damaged in 1886 and so most homes are from the 1890’s and 1900’s .

The Gaillard Performing Arts Center is Charleston’s world class entertainment venue styled in the fashion of famous European opera houses. A full schedule of theater and music is presented throughout the year and especially during the Spoleto Festival in May and June. The Spoleto USA offices are located in Annsonborough as is Fig Restaurant, one of the most popular dining establishments on the peninsula.

Mazyck-Wraggsborough

This neighborhood begins at Calhoun Street and represents some of the last chances to find a renovation opportunity in the Historic District, The area’s Northern edge is home to The Aiken-Rhett house which is open for visitor tours. Lots of Charleston Single homes line the streets with a few neighborhood churches standing watch. The recently opened Dewberry Hotel and Marion Square Park are nearby. Visit the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings and easily walk to the restaurants and nightlife on Upper King Street.

Radcliffeborough

From the corner of King and Calhoun stretching to the Medical University of South Carolina campus and hospital complex, this mostly residential area serves the housing needs of the students and medical staff and other young professionals. The homes tend to be a bit more modest and they are well maintained. A very hot resale commodity, the short walks to Upper King, neighborhood parks and all the downtown hospitals are a great part of the appeal. Upper King is home to great places to eat like Hall’s Chop House, O-KU and The MacIntosh.

Cannonborough-Elliotborough

This area was the most recent to be included into the Historic District. It covers the most Northwestern corner of the peninsula above the MUSC complex up to where Route 17 bisects the city and back to King Street. This area has undergone quite a bit of gentrification and work is ongoing today. Smaller homes are prevalent here and a few entrepreneurs are speculating with chic dining establishments like Trattatoria Luca, Elliotborough Mini Bar, and Xiao Bao Biscuit.

Harleston Village

Probably the largest neighborhood in the historic District it covers the area from the MUSC complex South to Broad Street and the area surrounding The College of Charleston. Nearer the hospital, some professional offices are sprinkled in among the homes and there are several corner grocery stores. Residents and students can often be seen walking or rollerblading around Colonial Lake or tossing a ball around Cannon Park. The homes in this area come in all sizes and styles including a block of row houses. This neighborhood is closest to the City Marina and the city tennis courts in Moultrie Park.

Historic King Street

While not technically a neighborhood this street is probably the one place every visitor to Charleston has been. The street runs from the industrial area North of the City to the tip of The Battery. Along the way, it passes through the emerging NoMo area with chic restaurants like Edmunds Oast and bohemian hangouts like The Tattooed Moose and The Royal American. Upper King is next along the route and is exploding with the growth of dozens of great eateries and nightspots.

King Street then soon becomes the main fashion venue with the familiar chains and some of Charleston’s finest clothiers like Copper Penny, Berlin’s, Dumas and Sons and Bob Ellis Shoes. From Broad Street South King Street is strictly residential.

Eastside, Westside and Wagener Terrace

While not included in the Historic District boundaries these 3 downtown neighborhoods share the peninsula. The Crosstown is a 6 lane boulevard that separates these neighborhoods from those in Historic Charleston. It is unlikely that expansion will incorporate these areas in the future but their popularity is certainly not affected by that. Young families are grabbing up these homes and cottages as quickly as they come on the market. Their relatively small sizes make them affordable to remodel and thus a great way to live affordably in the city. Hampton Park provides excellent recreational amenities for residents in these areas and restaurants like Moe’s Tavern and the Rutledge Cab Company are excellent.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call us at 843-259-9913 or email us below. We are happy to help.