Add a Community Tour to Your Charleston Home Search

Charleston real estate is some of the most sought-after in the country, and for good reason. Our area offers a thriving economy (backed by high-performing industries in tourism, hospitality, health services, and manufacturing), a wide variety of housing price points, and neighborhoods located close to beautiful beaches and year-round recreational activities.

Good schools, a nationally recognized culinary scene, and a climate made for outdoor living (if the beaches don’t get you outside, the magnificent sunsets will!)—these are among the reasons we often hear from homebuyers looking for Charleston-area real estate in our region.

Homebuyers in Charleston include current residents and new arrivals. We work with clients looking for historic properties, downsized homes, larger homes, luxury homes, and investment properties. Our well-versed agents provide a full range of real estate services that include our experience and market insights.

One of the insights we share is to add a community tour to your Charleston home search. Whether you already live in the area or are relocating here, a community tour can add to your knowledge of the city, town, or neighborhood where you’re considering buying a home.

If you are a remote homebuyer, there are many ways to tour a community online. Let’s get started! These strategies will be helpful whether you’re looking remotely or in the area.

Explore Community Services and Amenities

Either online or on a driving tour, locate key community services such as the town hall, police station, fire stations, public library, post office, and public schools. Along the way, notice the condition of roads and highways, where sidewalks are, and what traffic patterns are like. Your online research or driving tour can also be used to explore community amenities.

Look for community centers, parks, sports facilities, playgrounds, and beaches. Mount Pleasant, for example, is home to several outstanding golf courses, including Charleston National Golf Club and Patriots Point Links. Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island offer miles-long beaches with endless views of ocean and sky.

Walk Through the Community

You may be looking for a waterfront luxury home or a historic property on the Charleston peninsula. No matter what type of real estate you’re searching for, take time out for a walk. Every community, large and small, has a center. All of Charleston is eminently walkable.

Isle of Palms features a center defined by the shop and restaurants along Front Street. A walk through a community lets you explore up close and personal. You may discover public art, a local farmer’s market, or a Charleston cultural landmark. Remote homebuyers can take a virtual walk through a community by using Google Streetview.

Explore Outdoor Spaces

Charleston is blessed with spectacular beaches and expansive parks. Locate the green space or sandy coastline closet to area where you’re looking for a home. It might be Charleston’s scenic Battery or Palmetto Islands County Park in Mount Pleasant. Allow about two hours for a leisurely visit that will really give you time to enjoy what local residents have within close proximity all year round.

Charleston’s climate means that residents can enjoy flowers nearly all year. If you’re looking for homes in downtown Charleston, stroll through Charleston’s Garden District, Joe Riley Waterfront Park with its famous Pineapple Fountain, or Hampton Park for some of the prettiest gardens and floral displays in the area.

Visit a Cafe or Restaurant

If you’re looking at homes in person, build in time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at a local restaurant. Coleman Boulevard in Mount Pleasant is that community’s “restaurant row.” King Street in Charleston is lined with cafes and restaurants.

You’ll find great food, locals to talk to, and Lowcountry hospitality. Discover a restaurant on your own or search the restaurant listings on the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau’s website.