Eliza Theiss Although struggling with low inventory levels, South Carolina came off a banner 2017, setting an all-time record for home sales, according to the South Carolina Association of Realtors. Currently established as a seller’s market, South Carolina is continuing the previous year’s performances, with year-over-year median home sales prices up 7.1% in the Charleston MSA, 6.52 % in the Columbia MSA and 12.07% in the Greenville MSA, per the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Charleston ranks as the #1 city in the U.S. for the fifth year in a row, according to Travel and Leisure, and with Greenville third and Hilton Head being named the top island in the country, South Carolina is home to a bevy of luxurious homes. The Palmetto State’s rich past means that there are plenty of stately historic homes among the state’s priciest. In fact, among South Carolina’s top 10 most expensive homes for sale right now, two are 200+ year-old estates, while the state’s priciest condo is a venerable 107 years old.
Ranging between $8,995,000 and $19,999,999, the most expensive homes for sale in South Carolina right now are located in exclusive gated communities or Charleston’s storied historic core. Golfing amenities, oceanfront locations, swimming pools, and gourmet kitchens are must haves for these pricey estates, with lush grounds, extensive outdoor living spaces and fireplaces also important. As for the #1 most expensive home for sale in South Carolina right now, that 9-bedroom property is located in one of Charleston’s most exclusive gated communities and enjoys no less than 200 feet of Atlantic Ocean frontage.
10
13 Brigantine, Hilton Head Island
Asking price: $8,995,000
Situated on some prime oceanfront real estate–complete with sandy beach–in the Palmetto Dunes golf community, this 4-bed home offers up 7,365 square feet of luxurious living space. Cathedral and coffered ceilings, exposed beams, and large open spaces emphasize the home’s beachside feel, augmented by oversized windows that frame unimpeded ocean views. Even the study looks out onto the water, while the elevator provides seamless access throughout the home.
Several fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen with butler’s pantry, a formal dining room, a screened-in patio, and balconies and terraces offer plenty of entertaining space, and then there’s the outdoor living room with its fireplace and al fresco dining area. The ocean is just a quick stroll down a private walkway, but owners can also enjoy a dip in the pool or spa, both of which look out onto the waters of the Atlantic. Mature trees and landscaping provide ample privacy, and the community itself is gated.
9
Asking price: $9,000,000
Located in the gated Colleton River Club golf community, this 10-acre residence enjoys direct access to the Colleton River, with far-ranging water views and a private deep-water dock. Featuring 20,100 square feet of living space, the chateau-like main home boasts 6 bedrooms, a chef’s kitchen complete with wine cooler and indoor grill, a 21-seat formal dining room, and a wet bar. Walk-in closets, multiple fireplaces, and a security system also join the long list of amenities, with the living room bedecked with Paris-imported antique paneling from the 1830s.
Balconies, patios, courtyards, formal gardens and landscaped grounds offer ample space for outdoor entertaining. The outdoor living room features a fireplace and overlooks the heated pool and spa, while the guest cottage is located at a discreet distance for ample privacy. Owners enjoy access to the 36-hole golf club’s many amenities, like tennis courts, community clubs, a fitness center, and an aquatics club. Boating, fishing, kayaking, shrimping, birdwatching and walking the community’s many trails are all popular pastimes at Colleton River Club.
8
130 Ocean Palms Court, Kiawah Island
Asking price: $9,998,500
Located in the gated golf community of Ocean Palms, this oceanfront residence sits on 1.87 acres of lush grounds, with an abundance of mature trees ensuring complete privacy. The Mediterranean architecture provides unencumbered Atlantic Ocean vistas, and the 5-bed home enjoys direct access to Kiawah’s 10-mile beach, exclusive to Ocean Palms residents. The 3-story home comes with more than 5,000 square feet of outdoor living space that includes an expansive pool terrace complete with ocean views and a spa, multiple balconies and oversized terraces, a lanai with outdoor fireplace and al fresco dining, as well as a fenced-in dog run.
The chef’s kitchen and outdoor grilling deck ensure catering is always a breeze, and guests can choose between the formal or informal dining rooms. Made for entertaining, the home features a 600-bottle climate-controlled wine cellar, an in-home theater with a 130-inch screen, snack bar and fridge, and a billiards lounge with wet bar. The master suite comes with dual walk-in closets and a panoramic balcony. There is also a library with office space, a four-level elevator and a smart home system.
7
Asking price: $10,990,000
Initially listed for $12,950,000, this historic plantation house from 1800 is now offered for auction sale. Known as the Gaillard-Bennett House, the property underwent a two-and-a-half year restoration and proudly showcases detailed carvings, crown moldings, iron railings, ceiling medallions and many more intricate details along with formal gardens, designed to match period descriptions and plans. There’s a newly-built pool house that overlooks the saltwater infinity pool.
Expansive balconies, terraces, fountains and gardens offer ample outdoor entertaining space right in the heart of Charleston, without sacrificing privacy. The 6-bed main house features 12 fireplaces, a study and a gourmet kitchen. Guests can take advantage of the 4-bedroom converted kitchen house or the 2-bedroom carriage house. All in all, the 1.25-acre former urban plantation offers more than 13,000 square feet of indoor living space.
6
129/132 Flyway Drive, Kiawah Island
Asking price: $11,100,000
Nestled on nearly 2.5 acres in the upscale neighborhood of Osprey Beach, this Hamptons-style home sits in the exclusive gated community of Vanderhorst Plantation and comes with a Kiawah Island Club golf membership. Offering 6,000 square feet of indoor living space, the 6-bedroom home boasts two master suites. The second-floor master features a covered balcony, walk-in closet and fireplace, while the first-floor master suite comes with dual walk-in closets, a spa-like bathroom, and walls of windows on three sides.
Amenities include a gourmet kitchen with wine fridge and butler’s pantry, an in-home study, an elevator, a summer room with bar, and guest suites with balconies or walk-in closets. Expansive ocean views are visible throughout the home, but the 47-foot wide porch offers particularly show-stopping vistas. For outdoor enjoyment, there’s a regulation tennis court complete with pavilion, a putting green, a pool with sundeck, an outdoor grill area, a Charleston-style garden and a private landscaped boardwalk to the beach.
5
Oceanfront In Sea Pines, Hilton Head Island
Asking price: $13,000,000
Nestled on a half-acre lot by the ocean, this 4-bed home comes with dual master suites complete with lavish baths, fireplaces and even a private gym, as well as two home offices. Entertaining is a breeze thanks to the chef’s kitchen, a billiards lounge complete with show-stopping bar, and the two-story great room.
An oversized terrace, a sundeck, an outdoor kitchen with grill, and the outdoor living room complete with fireplace ensure ample outdoor entertaining space. There’s an outdoor pool and spa, while the pristine beach and Atlantic waters await you at the end of a boardwalk. The 7,212-square-foot home also boasts a gunroom, landscaping and water features.
4
82 Brams Point Road, Hilton Head Island
Asking price: $14,500,000
Located on a private peninsula by Calibogue Sound, this 1.77-acre private compound enjoys 360-degree water vistas, as well as views of Harbortown, Defauskie Island and uninhabited wetlands. Completely self-sufficient, the 4-bedroom property boasts its own well, a 100KW generator and a gas pumping station. Among its most attractive features are the two deep-water docks, one which has two boat lifts and can accommodate yachts of 100 feet or more.
Indoors, the gourmet kitchen is ready to cater parties big or small, and the wine room can store several hundred bottles. The master suite features a fireplace, a private sitting room, a spa-like bathroom, unencumbered water views and a covered balcony lounge complete with firepit. The 7,242-square-foot home also boasts a study, and—typically for this area—multi-story terrace and balcony spaces. Additionally, the compound includes an outdoor kitchen with grill, and an outdoor heated pool complete with spa and pool house.
3
Asking price: $15,990,000
Located in Charleston’s historic core, 32 Legare Street enjoys an enviable location in Downtown’s most affluent and exclusive neighborhood: South of Broad. Less than half a mile from the waterfront, the 9-bed residence is Legare Street’s oldest, built in 1803, and was once owned by Abraham Lincoln’s granddaughter. Known as Sword Gate, the stately residence offers 17,142 square feet of recently restored living space with 8 fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen with pantry, a home office and a study.
Envisioned as a grand entertaining home, Sword Gate showcases a grand ballroom, game lounge, wet bar, wraparound porch, al fresco dining and a croquet lawn. The stately residence also features a conservatory, reflective pool, dipping pool, as well as a restored carriage house complete with staff quarters.
2
18 Broad Street Unit 801, Charleston
Asking price: $16,500,000
Located in Charleston’s historic French Quarter, the #1 most expensive condo for sale in South Carolina right now occupies the top two floors in Charleston’s oldest skyscraper, the 107-year-old People’s Building. The 8,363-square-foot condo basks in 360-degree views of the historic district, the Atlantic Ocean, Charleston Harbor, and beyond. One of its most attractive features is the over 3,000-square-foot private rooftop terrace, complete with al fresco dining, sundeck, outdoor shower, and landscaped garden.
Grand, open spaces flow throughout the 3-bed unit, with the master suite occupying 1,500 square feet. The large salon, living room, chef’s kitchen and secondary kitchen, billiard lounge and formal dining room provide indoor entertaining space for parties both large and small. The lavish condo also boasts a spacious walk-in closet and private elevator access, as well as an internal elevator, fireplaces, a library and a den. Included in the price are three secure off-street parking spaces.
1
133 Flyway Drive, Kiawah Island
Asking price: $19,999,999
Currently the #1 most expensive home for sale in South Carolina, this 2-acre oceanfront residence enjoys an enviable location in the Vanderhorst Plantation gated community, in one of Charleston’s most upscale neighborhoods, Osprey Beach. A landscaped boardwalk leads to Kiawah Island’s exclusive 10-mile beach, with the 9-bed residence enjoying 200 feet of this pristine ocean frontage. Tiered patios and a bounty of piazzas and balconies provide space to unwind, along with a Zen garden.
The 800-square-foot saltwater pool with its cabana–complete with outdoor showers, bar, full bath and dressing room–and the outdoor kitchen with gas grill are perfect for lounging or entertaining. Indoors, the gourmet kitchen with butler’s pantry, two-and-a-half-story great room and formal dining room are ready to welcome guests anytime. The master suite occupies an entire floor in the home’s east wing and includes a walk-in closet, a sitting room and a private covered porch with far-reaching ocean views.
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Methodology
In order to determine which were the most expensive homes for sale in South Carolina, we looked at all residential properties listed for sale, taking into account condo, co-op, and single- and two-family homes. All package deals were excluded.
