About the Area
Year after year visitors return to the Myrtle Beach area, also known as the Grand Strand, to not only enjoy our 60 miles of beautiful coastline, but to also experience the splendid multitude and diversity of our attractions. Days chock full of shopping, dining, golfing, and live entertainment may be right up your alley; on the other hand, you may prefer to dig your feet into the sand and enjoy the warm Carolina sunshine.
With more than 200 sunny days and a temperate year-round climate, the Myrtle Beach area is a paradise for beach goers, offering endless hours of swimming, surfing, sailing, and other sun and sand favorites. Sports enthusiasts will fall in love with our 108 championship golf courses including the four, must-play, courses at Barefoot Resort. Fishing opportunities abound, whether you prefer to stay on land and cast off from one of the seven piers that line our coastline, or take the deep sea challenge through one of the Grand Strand's many fishing charters.
After a long hard day on the beach or challenging the links, delight in an almost unlimited amount of dining choices. The Grand Strand conveniently boasts nearly 1,800 eateries serving up all sorts of delectable cuisine, including some of the world's finest seafood.
After dinner take advantage of the area's nightlife offering everything from popular nightclubs to quiet walks along moonlit ocean piers. Make sure to take in a show at one of our many live-entertainment theaters hosting big-name performers, country music concerts, and Broadway revues.
Pack your most comfortable shoes - you'll need them for the shopping spree that could take you through literally hundreds of outlet shops, specialty stores, trendy boutiques, and magnificent malls such as the popular Barefoot Landing.
Living Along the Grand Strand
| Average Apartment Rent | $606 (two bedrooms, two baths, approx. 950 sq. ft., excluding utilities except water and sewer) |
| Average New Home Cost | $219,470 (2,400 sq. ft. living area, conventionally built on site, three bedrooms, two baths, two-car garage) |
| Average Electric Bill | $122.41 (based on 1,800 sq. ft. living area) |
| Average Phone Charges | $24.50 (private residence, not including long distance service) |
| Average Gasoline Price | Lower than the national average (regular unleaded gasoline) |
| Average Price of a Movie Ticket | $7.63 (recent release, indoor theater, evening rates) |
Have you ever considered owning a home at the beach? Heck, who hasn't! There was a time when owning a home at the beach was just a dream, but today more and more people are seeing their dream come true. Low interest rates, modern telecommunications, and changing lifestyles are just a few factors that make owning a home at the beach a reality. And with a bustling year-round economy in the Myrtle Beach area, there seems to be an ever-increasing desire to live here.
The development of new seasonal and permanent residences along the Grand Strand is at an all time high. In fact, the Myrtle Beach area is ranked among the top ten fastest growing areas in the United States, according to researchers at U.S. Housing Markets. "The market had been pretty stable up until about six years ago, and then it took off like an atom bomb," said Charlie Brindel, executive vice president of the Coastal Carolina Association of REALTORS®. "With the beach and all the golf courses and entertainment attractions we have, people just want to be here." Brindel foresees a red hot real estate market for decades to come. The region's mild climate allows residents to enjoy their favorite outdoor activities practically year round. And, on the occasional rainy days, there are plenty of other wonderful diversions including shopping, theaters, museums and restaurants. The beaches along the Grand Strand are among the most beautiful and accessible on the East Coast. The communities along the Grand Strand, from Southport, NC to Georgetown, SC, also provide numerous opportunities to get involved through various civic and social organizations, volunteer groups and local advisory boards. In sum, whether your interest is in a vacation home or permanent residence, the Grand Strand offers the widest range of options to fit practically every budget. If your interest is in a seasonal home, Myrtle Beach has it all - from oceanfront condos to fairways villas.
The area's permanent population has more than doubled over the past decade, and is projected to increase twofold again by the year 2010. New neighborhoods and developments are popping up everywhere, enough to handle a population that is projected to increase even more over the next 20 years.
In fact, nearly 30,000 people have moved to the Grand Strand during the past five years, with slightly more than half the number moving to the Myrtle Beach area from within the Carolinas. The wide variety of real estate options surely has something to do with the area's popularity.
So, when you're down here on your golf vacation, take some time to drive around and see firsthand all the real estate opportunities that the area has to offer. Or, you can search area properties with CENTURY 21 Barefoot Realty's MLS Search. Who knows? You may find yourself the proud owner of Myrtle Beach real estate.