For buyers
Buying in the Lowcountry
Roughly seven in ten buyers here are relocating from somewhere else. I was one of them in 2022 — which is why my advice starts with the documents rather than the granite.
Before you fall in love with a house
Three checks that decide whether you’ll be happy there
These are the things I learned the hard way, and the ones no listing portal will surface for you.
- 01
Read the POA's finances before you read the listing
Know the Property Owners Association rules and finances inside and out before you buy. Moss Creek and Colleton River have completely different boards, reserve funds, debt levels, insurance coverage and planned capital projects — two gated communities fifteen minutes apart, structured nothing alike. Ask your agent to get you the annual meeting minutes and the latest budget. If they can't, that tells you something too.
- 02
The master deed decides how you get to live there
Get a copy of the master deed and understand the rules and restrictions before you're committed. Are short-term rentals allowed? What are the pet rules? Motorcycles, RVs, boats? What does the landscaping requirement actually oblige you to do? Can you put a fence in your own backyard? These are the details that decide whether a community fits your life, and they vary enormously from gate to gate.
- 03
If you plan to change the house, learn the review process first
Adding a garage, a pool, a second story, an outdoor Carolina room — all of it runs through architectural review. How many people sit on that board? How often do they meet? How quickly can you realistically get from idea to permit to finished work? Buyers who plan a renovation and discover the review timeline afterwards are the ones who end up frustrated.
“Ask your agent for the annual meeting minutes and the latest budget. If they can't get them, that tells you something too.”
Melissa Redd, REALTOR®
Relocating
Buying from out of state
Most of my buyers arrive from somewhere else, and I made the same move myself in 2022 — from a business running between Lake Tahoe and Tulum to a house inside the gates at Moss Creek. I know what the process feels like from the other side of it.
My buyers come from these markets, in rough order of volume:
- 1.Georgia — Atlanta, Augusta, Evans, Columbia, Dublin, St. Simons Island & Brunswick
- 2.New York
- 3.New Jersey
- 4.Pennsylvania
- 5.Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia & Maryland
- 6.Ohio
- 7.Illinois — Chicago
A note on Georgia: it’s my largest source of buyers, but I’m licensed in South Carolina only and plan to add Georgia in 2027. For a Georgia-side sale I’ll refer you rather than overreach.
Still deciding
The questions other buyers ask first
Condo versus villa, regime versus HOA, whether you need flood insurance, what the taxes actually come to. I keep a running list of what my clients ask.
See the questionsTell me what you're looking for.
Even a rough sketch is enough to start narrowing the map.