Downtown Charleston Real Estate
Downtown Charleston is also called the Charleston Peninsula. Surrounded on three sides by the Charleston Harbor, Downtown Charleston is the heart of the city (and what most people recall when they think of Charleston).
Downtown Charleston Pros:
- Lots of shopping and restaurant options
- Considered the cultural hub of South Carolina
- One of the best selections of historic homes in the country
- Great rental income for investors
Downtown Charleston Cons:
- Has some of the highest non-beach real estate prices in the area
- High traffic and little parking (depending on area)
- Some homes need a lot of renovation (ranging from cosmetic to structural)
- Smaller than average lot sizes
Learn more about Downtown Charleston just below these MLS listings!
Downtown Charleston, SC Real Estate by Type
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Houses for Sale
Downtown Charleston, SC
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Townhouses for Sale
Downtown Charleston, SC
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Condos for Sale
Downtown Charleston, SC
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Waterfront Homes for Sale
Downtown Charleston, SC
Downtown Charleston Home Listings
The Sword Gate House Rests Behind One Of The Most Recognized Gates In All Of Charleston. This Very Fine Federal Style Home Is Grand With Adam...
Truly Unique And Truly Inspiring. 2 Concord Street Is Unquestionably The Premier Property Of Charleston. This Property Is Truly A Gem And Represents...
32 South Battery Dominates The Row Of Mansions Known World-wide Simply As The Battery. The Colonel John Ashe House, Built Around 1782 Has Been...
The Nathaniel Ingraham House At 2 Water Street Represents A Rare Opportunity To Own One Of The Few Remaining Single Family Homes On High Battery....
Listed For The First Time In 50 Years, The George Robertson House, Circa 1846, Is Prominently Located At The Corner Of South Battery, White Point...
The Julius M. Visanska House. Built By Notable Charleston Architect Albert Simons, This Fine "Double House" Offers Incredible Harbor...
The "Inglis Arch House" On Rainbow Row, Circa 1787. Charming Oasis In Downtown Charleston Completely Restored By Richard Marks. Interior...
Located On Lower King Street And In The Heart Of Charleston's Historic South Of Broad District, You Will Find This Magnificently Renovated Home...
68 Meeting Street Has A Delightful History And Was Built By John Cordes Prioleau. Remodeled In The 1890's It Later Became A School. The Renovation...
This 9500 Sq Ft 4 Floor Residence Has It All. Unobstructed Views Of Charleston Harbor, Ft Sumter, Sullivan's Island, And The Shipping Lanes....
A Rare Opportunity To Own A Fabulous Residence With Incredible Views, Parking, Guest Floor All Within A Newly Built Package, Steps From The Harbor...
Located On Lower Church Street, The Dr. Vincent Leseigneur House, Circa 1812, Has 6256 Square Feet. The Original Robust Patterned Friezes, Cornice...
Built By Well Known Civil War Photographer, George C. Cook, Between 1860-1862, 28 South Battery Is Located On One Of Charleston's Most Highly...
The John Lewis House Circa 1830. This Grand House Is Ready To Move Into Just Steps From White Point Gardens And The Battery. High Ceilings With...
71 King Street Will Please The Most Discrimating Buyer. Though This Home Was Newly Constructed It Encorporates Impecably With The Style And Flavor...
Built By William Harth, Also Home To Charleston's Civil War Mayor Charles Macbeth. Lower Legare Street, A Special Place To Be In Historic Charleston....
Downtown Charleston, SC Real Estate
Real estate in downtown Charleston, SC is some of the priciest in the state. The strong demand from home buyers has tripled and even quadrupled some real estate values in the past decade. You’ll find several high rise condo developments in downtown Charleston like Ashley House, Bee Street Lofts, Dockside, and also the building at 1 King Street. Bee Street Lofts are the newest condos on the peninsula. However, renovation projects like the Cigar Factory (a circa 1882 cigar factory turned into loft style condos) have peaked the interests of many home buyers because they have been renovated to the point that they feel brand new.
Most of the condos in downtown Charleston are old houses that have been converted into condominiums. Almost all of these are metered separately so that your water and electricity bills are already divided. In other words, the house runs like its own condo building – there is no need to divide the bills among the building’s residents.
Townhouses in downtown Charleston are slightly harder to come by compared to condos – especially in the under $500K price range. This is partly because, unlike condos, there are very few true townhouse communities. Instead, you’ll find townhouses sprinkled throughout the peninsula. Some of the most popular neighborhoods for townhouses are the French Quarter, Harleston Village, and South of Broad. These neighborhoods have mostly single family houses and old houses that have been converted into condos. However, you’ll usually find some townhouse options as well in these areas at any given time.
Single family detached houses are the most desirable real estate in downtown Charleston. The historic neighborhoods fetch the highest prices. Cannonborough, Ansonborough, Harleston Village, Radcliffeborough, the French Quarter, and South of Broad are very popular among home buyers. And, more specifically, South of Broad (which is pretty much everything south of Broad Street) is the most sought after and most exclusive neighborhood in Charleston. This section contains the famously colorful Rainbow Row as well as the Battery. These neighborhoods are all within walking distance to plenty of restaurants and shops.
If you’re willing to consider real estate above the Crosstown, you’ll get more home for the money. This is an up and coming section of downtown Charleston, and investors have gradually renovated these homes over the past few years. Above the Crosstown, the most popular neighborhoods are Wagener Terrace and Hampton Park Terrace (which is adjacent to the Citadel, the military college in South Carolina). These homes are not within walking distance to shops and restaurants. However, you can reach the familiar sections of the peninsula within a 5-10 minute drive.
Local Information for Downtown Charleston
Downtown Charleston is where most home buyers want to live because it's really the heart of the area. The city has tons of things to do, as evidenced by the estimated 5 million tourists who visit Charleston each year. Although you’ll find some chain restaurants like Moe’s Southwest Grill and Bruegger’s Bagels, most of the restaurants are locally owned. Foodies flock to Charleston because it’s a city that is known for its good food. Each spring the Food + Wine Festival brings food celebrities as well as food fans to downtown Charleston. However, you can enjoy good food throughout the year. From authentic French to Thai food, you’ll find a range of restaurants to suit your tastes. Downtown Charleston is especially known for its fine dining. Oak Steakhouse, Slightly North of Broad (also called SNOB), High Cotton, and Rue de Jean are some of our favorites.
Charleston’s rich history results in many things to do on the peninsula. When it comes to museums, you’ll find the oldest museum in the U.S. (The Charleston Museum, which dates to 1773) and also the Gibbes Museum of Art (which specializes in local artists). These are two of the most popular in the area. From downtown Charleston, you can also take a boat across the harbor to tour Fort Sumter, which is where the Civil War began in 1861. If you’re wanting to stay on the peninsula, you can visit the Powder Magazine, which is one of the oldest buildings from the early British colonies. Built in 1713, it was used to house Charleston’s gun powder supply to protect the city from pirates and Spanish naval ships. When you get tired of walking around downtown Charleston, you can take a horse-drawn carriage tour of the city. You’ll get to see and learn about some of the most historic homes in Charleston as well as public buildings and monuments. Some of the historic homes are also open to the public. This is a great way to see inside some of the city’s most impressive homes, and some have fantastic private collections of paintings and silver.
In addition to military and political history, Charleston also has a longstanding appreciation for the arts. In fact, the city is considered the cultural hub of South Carolina. Dock Street Theatre was the first true theatre building in the country. It was built in 1736. Though much newer, the Sottile Theatre is another popular venue in Charleston. When it was built in 1927, it was the largest theater in South Carolina. You’ll also find the Charleston Ballet Theatre downtown. Charleston has a symphony orchestra that performs at venues throughout the area and provides entertainment throughout the year. On the lower side of the peninsula, you’ll find art galleries galore showcasing some of the finest artists in the Southeast. Of all the festivals that Charleston hosts throughout the year, Spoleto is by far the most popular. This two week festival usually takes place in May and attracts artists from around the world in dance, music, theater, sculpture, and painting, among other mediums.
For more entertainment options, you can try the shops that line historic King Street. Or, watch a River Dogs game (Charleston’s minor league baseball team). The SC Aquarium is located on the east side of the peninsula and is very kid-friendly. You could also take a harbor cruise, which offers unbeatable views of downtown Charleston. After walking around the peninsula all day, the Charleston Harbor tours are a great way to get a completely different perspective of downtown from the water.
With the sheer range of entertainment options for downtown Charleston, you’re sure to find something for everyone!
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Broker ReciprocitySM Program of the Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Carolina One Real Estate are marked with the Broker ReciprocitySM logo or the Broker ReciprocitySM thumbnail logo (a little black house) and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.
The broker providing these data believes them to be correct, but advises interested parties to confirm them before relying on them in a purchase decision.
Copyright 2012 Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service, Inc. All rights reserved.
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