Buyers Are Eyeing Real Estate in Myrtle Beach

Pristine stretches of sunny sands, a thriving culinary scene, excellent entertainment, and glorious weather throughout the year—it’s hardly surprising that South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach attracts not just 20-million-plus beach bums from around the world each year (and has been doing so for decades now), but a steadily growing community of folks calling it home.

With its lovely blend of vacationers and long-term residents, the Great Strand’s way of life is a dream, one that many new homebuyers, especially those in the United Kingdom, are pursuing—and it helps that even scouting for a home in this gem can feel like a vacation!

Here’s what you need to know about life in Myrtle Beach and why it’s quickly becoming one of the most favored spots to reside in, in the country.

About Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is the Grand Strand’s hub, sitting right at the heart of the 60-mile-long beach stretch in northeastern South Carolina.

The coastal city is popular for its amusement parks and excellent golfing, in addition to its beaches and year-round subtropical climate (which means 215 sunny days in a year!). This makes it one of the most frequented vacation spots in the United States.

The city’s metropolitan area is among the country’s fastest-growing metropolitan regions and has attracted over 100,000 long-term residents in the last eight years.

Quick Facts

• Location: Located in South Carolina, along the eastern United States mid-Atlantic region
  
  
• Population: 35,682 (as of 2020)
  
  
• Temperature: Sub-tropical; the year-round average is 73℉, with an average low of 41℉ (December and February) and an average high of 88℉ (July and August)
  
  
• Humidity: Around 70% relative humidity

Reasons to Live in Myrtle Beach

Here’s why many homeowners are moving to Myrtle Beach.

Cost and Standard of Living

Time and again, Myrtle Beach has made it to several publications’ lists of the country’s most affordable cities and is one of those rare spots that are both affordable and extremely desirable. It scores 87.4 in this area.

This means that living in Myrtle Beach is cheaper than the national average.

The cost of living here is 8% lower than the national average, whereas housing costs a significant 25% lesser than the national average. Though home costs vary based on the neighborhood, a house can cost you as little as $149,800, compared to the $231,200 that it costs in most other parts of the country.

The property tax rates are also low here. You can check Myrtle Beach SC homes for sale to get an idea of the avg. cost of buying a home.

A Strong Economy

Though tourism is the city’s mainstay, it’s a booming industry that creates around 75,000 job possibilities. There are also several opportunities in supporting sectors, such as the hospitality and entertainment industries.

The healthcare industry is also filled with job opportunities, with several renowned medical institutions that provide jobs. The influx of tourists also makes it possible to open up new businesses that support the tourism sector.

Excellent Year-Round Climate

Myrtle Beach enjoys the typical subtropical humidity that the Gulf and South Atlantic states experience. In a year, Myrtle Beach enjoys around 215 sunny days, which means about 5,000 hours of sunshine.

Summers are hot, long, and humid, with temperatures peaking at 91℉ and lowering to 70℉. The ocean can reach an average temperature of 80℉ during the season. Summer thunderstorms are common, especially between June and September, and are brief despite being severe.

Myrtle Beach also experiences the occasional tropical cyclone, but tropical storms and lows are not common.

Winters are mild and brief, with temperatures peaking between 57℉ and 61℉ and lowering to anywhere between 36℉ and 38℉.

Such a climate makes it possible to explore the outdoors regardless of the season and take advantage of the excellent golfing opportunities here.

A Fast-Growing Metropolitan Area

As mentioned earlier, Myrtle Beach is the second-fastest-growing metropolis in the country, with a 3.8% population growth between 2017 and 2018 alone and an almost 30% growth in population between 2010 and 2018.

This includes both permanent residents as well as those buying second homes.

Varied Neighborhoods

Myrtle Beach has several thriving neighborhoods, each with its own distinct flavor and personality. Each neighborhood is well-planned and large, with amenities such as pools, golf courses, tennis courts, and parks.

Some popular neighborhoods include Dunes Club, Market Common, Grand Dunes, and Carolina Forest. Housing suited to a range of budgets can be found in these areas, ranging from Charleston-style homes to townhomes to condos and executive homes.

A Thriving Tourist Town

A thriving tourist town means several things—well-developed tourism infrastructure, a diverse range of things to enjoy, and plenty of new people to meet.

Myrtle Beach’s biggest attractions are its 80-plus golf courses, beaches, amusement parks, malls, and nearly 2,000 restaurants (more restaurants per capita than both Paris and New York City, by the way).

Because of the influx of tourists and the many permanent residents, both long and short-term healthcare are easily available and of the highest quality.

Good Educational Opportunities

Myrtle Beach’s Horry County Schools public school district is South Carolina’s third-largest school district. The city also has several charter and private schools, as well as prestigious higher education institutions such as Webster University and the Golf Academy of America.

Well-Connected

Internally, Myrtle Beach is easily explored on a bicycle or by foot. Though you will require a car beyond the city center, the Coast RTA system is efficient within the central business district.

Spots such as Charleston are a short drive away and the Myrtle Beach International Airport has multiple nonstop flights to a range of destinations near and far.

To Conclude—Should You Move to Myrtle Beach?

If you love sunny, subtropical spots that are simultaneously affordable and fancy (an excellent break from all that rain), Myrtle Beach is an excellent city to shift base to. The only issue with the city is that the crime rate is on the higher side, compared to the rest of the country.