Beaufort Real Estate Overview

Beaufort Real Estate Owners Enjoy Life in a Historic and Natural Wonderland

It doesn't matter what Beaufort real estate you choose to buy: the view becomes part of your home. Living on the marsh or waterfront in Beaufort, S.C. can extend the boundaries of your living room as far as the horizon and lift your spirits every time you look outdoors. But a view needn’t be a vista. A towering oak tree, the sun glittering off a palmetto frond, the reflection of the sunset on clouds overhead or watching a bottlenose dolphin swimming during your morning commute can have the same effect.

If you can imagine it, you can find it in Beaufort. Amenities seekers among Beaufort real estate buyers can choose between Fripp Island, Battery Point, Picket Fences, Old Shell Point, Dataw Island, Habersham or nearby Callawassie Island, to name a few. If prospective Beaufort real estate buyers prefer the expanse of a few acres, they may find that perfect spot of land available.

Golf view? There are an abundance of choices beginning in the Beaufort real estate market in the low $300’s. Oceanfront Beaufort real estate? Deep water lots are available in a variety of locations throughout the Beaufort seaside community. How about a horse farm on Coosaw Island, complete with gated entry, guesthouse and a dock leading to the open water? This estate entered the market at just over $2.9 million. Watch the listings. Unique properties are always abundant in the crown jewel of Lowcountry and South Carolina real estate.

The most expensive homes and properties in the Beaufort real estate market are the historical mansions along the water on Bay Street and on the Old Point. One after another, the coveted Beaufort homes for sale have been purchased and restored under the watchful eye of the Board of Architectural Review until there are almost none left in desperate need of repair. Waterfront historical properties in the Beaufort real estate market date back to the mid 1700s through the mid 1800s. They range from $1 million to $1.5 million and up.

Beaufort real estate listings on the Atlantic Ocean are available only on Fripp and Harbor Islands, starting at $1 million. Near the oceanfront, Beaufort homes for sale begin at $500,000.

“Deep water” is defined locally as five feet at mean low tide with access to the Intracoastal Waterway and/or the ocean. Beaufort realtors sometimes call three feet or less of water “deep.” If minimum depth is important, check it out yourself. Deep water homes in the Beaufort real estate market start at about $600,000, lots from $300,000. All figures are approximate and vary depending on location.

“Tidal creek” indicates anything from one hour of navigable water at high tide to 10 hours of navigable water all day, except for mean low tide. “Marsh front” suggests water at every high tide, but sometimes refers to sandy marsh that is only wet during the extra high spring tides. Beaufort homes for sale begin at $275,000. “Marsh view” and “water view” are terms that may mean water frontage or only a peek at the water.

Not all historic homes in the Beaufort real estate market are mansions. Charming cottages in downtown Beaufort SC are being restored as homes for businesses or offices as well as private residences. Cottages and larger homes in the Historic District of Beaufort can be found in price ranges of about $65,000 to $400,000, depending on their size and condition. Beaufort real estate developers know the charm of the seaside cottage and have created new communities that reflect the traditional neighborhoods of the past.

Beaufort and Port Royal are walk-friendly communities. In the Southern tradition, houses are built close to the sidewalk. Front porches with swings and rocking chairs are well used and new and old neighbors get to know one another, no matter if their houses are big or small.

Beaufort real estate in residential neighborhoods, on golf courses, on large or small lots, run the gamut from $60,000 to $450,000 depending upon size, age, history and location. Moderately-priced ($80,000 to $125,000) homes in newer neighborhoods surround Beaufort and Port Royal and extend into the outlying areas. Rental properties are also on the rise in the Beaufort real estate market, from executive waterfront homes to renovated cottages, to apartment complexes.

Beaufort real estate in residential neighborhoods, on golf courses, on large or small lots, run from $60,000 to $450,000 depending upon size, age, history and location. Low priced ($80,000 to $125,000) Beaufort homes for sale in newer neighborhoods surround Beaufort and Port Royal and extend into the outlying areas. Rental properties are on the increase, from executive waterfront homes to renovated cottages, to apartment complexes.

If an in-town coastal address sounds appealing, look no further than the downtown Beaufort area. Depending on current listings, buyers of Beaufort real estate can find quaint two-story cottages loaded with southern charm. Step back to the year 1885 when Beaufort was almost recovered from the war and you’ll find craftsmen constructing several homes, including one that recently listed for $475,000. With 11-foot ceilings, three fireplaces and a five-minute walk downtown, this historic home represents the ultimate in moderate pricing.

Some of downtown Beaufort’s most picturesque properties and real estate lie along the Intracoastal Waterway. Representative of the antebellum architecture is the Robert Smalls House. Perhaps one of the most significant historical properties in South Carolina, Smalls was a slave during the Civil War and once freed, purchased the home he had originally worked in. Smalls went on to serve in several prestigious political offices for the state of South Carolina. The circa-1834 home is listed as a National Landmark and recently listed for $1,289,000.

For estate properties, Beaufort real estate choices are second to none. For example, in 2007, a 4,655 square foot home on Lady’s Island was among several listings in the $1.4 million range. Another featured home was a waterfront manse on Old Point that sold for nearly $1.7 million. One of the most exclusive properties on the market was the impressive and restored Lewis Reeve Sams home. Sams was a successful cotton planter and built the home as his summer residence. The 7,146 square foot mansion sold in 2007 for nearly $1.9 million.

Whether investment, second home or primary residence, Beaufort is a beautiful and quaint seaside town that has many treasures just waiting to be discovered. //