Last year at this time, when I wrote an article about James Island, part of the story was how much James Island was growing. Those who choose to live on this idyllic sea island do so for various reasons—lifestyle, diverse homes, convenience—with a very family-friendly and laid-back vibe.

Pinckey Park landscape

James Island is a sea island with a myriad of creeks and waterways. This lush forested area is preserved land and beyond it is Parrott's Creek. Photo/JA Surette.

I recently visited the area and it is thriving, yet there is an easy-going mood within the hurry scurry of day-to-day life. What struck me was the friendliness of James Island residents, the area's architectural mixture and the spectacular park system. Nearby Folly Beach no doubt gives James Islanders a relaxed respite if a beach break is needed.

The latest Census Bureau data has the population of James Island at 12,153 residents, reaching its highest level in 2021. In March 2020, when the World Health Organization officially declared there was a pandemic, real estate sales here, like everywhere, took a backseat. In March 2020, James Island had 76 listings compared to the same time in 2019 when there were 96 new listings. The inventory sat at 186 in March 2019, a drop of -4.1 percent from the previous year. In March 2020, inventory was at 140, a -30.7 percent drop. By March 2021, new listings were at 64, and inventory had plunged to -82.1 percent.

Chris Cunniffe

Cunniffe

“We’ve never seen the current confluence of market conditions before,” said Chris Cunniffe of Engel & Volkers Charleston. Cunniffe and his team were once part of a local boutique agency that focused primarily on buyer representation. Their decision to join a global company allowed them to enhance their client services and employ best-in-class technology, he said. The luxury brand company represents a network of 800 locations spread over five continents and 30 countries. Cunniffe said that what’s happening now in the industry is a “perfect storm.”

“Have we seen a spike in demand from real estate buyers before? Yes. And, we have seen real estate industry supply chain disruptions before and inflationary public policy from Congress and the Federal Reserve. But, we’ve never before had all three of these things going on at the same time on such a grand scale. This has created a perfect storm of rising prices and extremely low inventory, especially in markets like James Island where the inventory of homes available for purchase was already tight prior to the pandemic,” he said.

Jay Costa

Costa

Low inventory isn’t a surprise and even last year, many saw it coming. In September, 2020 Jay Costa of Carolina One stated, “Inventory is low and a number of sellers have received letters from agents with buyers or from buyers with a desire to purchase in a specific neighborhood where inventory is low or there is no inventory.”

Nathan Naylor

Naylor

At that time, Seaside Plantation had new construction going on. Now, there is just one home for sale in the neighborhood. On Monday, September 13, a home at at 1137 Hills Plantation Drive, in Seaside Plantation was listed by Carolina One Real Estate agent Nathan Naylor. By Wednesday, September 15, the home was listed as active contingent.

1137 Hills Plantation Drive

A home in Seaside Plantation. Homes in this James Island neighborhood are extremely popular. Photo/Carolina One Real Estate.

What’s new

James Island has creeks, marshes and undeveloped land that is pristine, which limits what can be built. Though it has added new communities over the years, it still maintains its rural, relaxed feel, despite it being minutes from downtown Charleston. Bennett’s Bluff is the only new construction happening on James Island right now, and there are still homes being built within its borders.

Bridge Gill

Gill

“Bennett’s Bluff is just five miles from downtown Charleston and seven miles from Folly Beach,” said Bridge Gill of Toll Brothers. “Amenities include a dock, playground, covered pavilion and green spaces.” The waterfront community will also have a kayak launch on Clark Sound.

Toll Brothers builds luxury homes in the Lowcountry including Johnston Pointe on Johns Island, Laurel Oaks off of Old Bees Ferry Road in West Ashley, Pointe Hope in Berkeley County on Clements Ferry Road, Forest Edge in Huger and under development, Hawthorne Landing, in Goose Creek.

Bennett’s Bluff offers eight different floor plans and prices start at $800,000 plus, according to Gill. “There are 84 homes total in Bennett’s Bluff,” he said. “Nine are currently for sale and there are 16 remaining homes yet to be built.”

Firethorn-Model-for-Sign

A modern coastal home in the Bennett's Bluff neighborhood on Johns Island. The community is located within a mile of several James Island restaurants, recreation, parks, shopping and schools. Photo/Bennett's Bluff.

According to Toll Brothers’ website, there are two “quick move-in homes” available, one is a two-story beginning at $795,725 and the other, with a first-floor primary bedroom suite priced at $851,435. The neighborhood is off Fort Johnson Road, on 1503 Charming Nancy Road.

SC_Bennetts-Bluff_Amenities_Dock_3_1800

The walkway, dock and beautiful landscape are some of the amenities that residents of Bennett's Bluff can enjoy. Photo/Bennett's Bluff.

“We are literally just a few yards behind the James Island Youth Soccer field,” said Gill. “There’s not any other available land available on James Island at the present time, so we are in the position of having the only new construction homes right now.”

Commercial development scarce

There are just a “handful of opportunities” for developers in areas that haven’t seen development in the past and for larger parcels of land for commercial development, according to Cunniffe. Land scarcity and conservation efforts have limited that, but James Island residents see that as a positive.

“The largest commercial investments that we’ve seen recently on James Island have been in the multi-family sector,” said Cunniffe. “Earlier this year, The Standard apartment complex on Maybank Highway sold for $69 million. A few years ago, the Spyglass Seaside apartment complex on Folly Road sold for $66 million. There is plenty of appetite among real estate investors for large James Island investments, but we are seeing fewer and fewer opportunities to infuse large blocks of capital.”

Sisters of Charity

The 23-acre site of The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy off of Fort Johnson Road.The property sold for $23.25 million. File/Brad Nettles/Staff

Cunniffe referenced the 23-acre site of The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy off of Fort Johnson Road. The Post and Courier reported in June 2021 that state lawmakers wanted to buy the pristine plot. Next to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), it has 750 feet of coastline. In September 2021, the property sold for a reported $23.25 million. It will be owned by the DNR and preserved as a park, with plans to convert the convent on the property to 24 rooms to rent out to future visitors. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism will manage the property.

“Going forward, most development activity on James Island will involve the reconfiguration of parcels with some amount of excess land or the tear down and redevelopment of existing homes and commercial buildings,” said Cunniffe.

Less cookie-cutter, more character

If you ask Liz Butler of AgentOwned Realty what made her fall in love with James Island, she’d tell you it was the people on the island and her business when she moved to the area over 25 years ago. Butler moved from Aiken, lived on both Folly Beach and James Island, and owned a restaurant prior to her real estate career.

Liz_Butler

Butler

“It’s where I learned the most about the community, how special it is and how special the people are here,” she recounted. “It [her restaurant] was like Cheers and everyone knew one another. If you ask any of the staff at any bar on James Island, they’ll tell you the same. But, the island has grown exponentially since those days and there’s more traffic than ‘the good ole days.’”

There is, however, some of that “good ole’ days” lifestyle left Butler said with the “salt air and salt water” always nearby. “The James Island County Park still has their yearly Christmas light show. There’s just so much to love here.”

1435 Fort Johnson back

The back yard of the home at 1435 Fort Johnson is spacious with plenty of room for entertaining. Photo/AgentOwned Realty.

Butler’s listing at 1435 Fort Johnson is the place for anyone who has “lots of big toys.” With a three-bay garage with one bay converted into an apartment and the other two cooled and heated, it lists for $585,000. The home itself is a little over 2,300 square feet in the Greencrest neighborhood, and it doesn’t have an HOA. Properties here go quickly though because of its proximity to shopping, parks and restaurants. Currently, there are only two homes for sale in this neighborhood. Butler said that the listing includes all furniture, appliances and a hot tub off the primary bedroom. There’s been updates as well—a tankless hot water heater and two gas fireplaces.

“This home is within walking distance to the new Public shopping center, Gold’s Gum and about four restaurants,” she added. “James Island is a hotspot with homes being sold over list price and multiple offers. We have all learned to adjust our business with COVID and that’s no different with real estate. We have virtual tours instead of in person ones.”

Realtor Leigh Brandenburg of AgentOwned Realty is experiencing the same when it comes to quick sales and showings. Her listing at 1445 Burningtree Road is rare, not only for its prime location, but it is the only available home for sale right now in the Country Club II neighborhood. Listed at $1.445 million, the three-bedroom, 2,879 square foot home is a classic ranch style home.

“This home is on the golf course, which is very rare,” she said. “There aren’t many golf course lots and the backyard of this one-story ranch home faces the golf course and beyond that is the harbor. You have harbor breezes and views.”

1445 Burningtree Road Front

A classic ranch style home within the Country Club II neighborhood on James Island. List price: $1.445 million. 

Most of the homes are interior lots within the neighborhood, according to Brandenburg. This one has undergone renovations over the last eight years, but its design is timeless. Recent renovations include a new roof and a renovated primary bathroom.

1445 Burning Tree view from backyard

The home at 1445 Burningtree Road within the Country Club II neighborhood is a rare find -- on the golf course and beyond, harbor views. Photo/AgentOwned Realty. 

“This home is in great shape,” said Brandenburg. “The kitchen was renovated over the years and so was the sunroom, which overlooks the course. It is a nice, livable floor plan. It’s a very timeless design—almost like buying a home downtown where you have updates that are in line with the home’s character and architecture. It’s not ‘trendy,’ you walk in and you feel that it’s classic and traditional.”

1445 Burningtree Sunroom

The sunroom at the 1445 Burningtree Road home has gorgeous golf course views and is light filled. Photo/AgentOwned Realty. 

Brandenburg mentioned that the public school system was good and her listing is near Harborview School. She said one can cut through to get onto both Harborview and Fort Johnson Roads, and the island’s road system doesn’t allow for that many traffic snags.

“Relatively speaking James Island is still affordable,” Brandenburg commented. “Yes, home prices have gone up throughout the region, but in South Mount Pleasant, the median home price has gone up 35 percent. James Island has had appreciation, but not at that level. People who want to buy and if they have a strict budget, then tend to buy on James Island because other areas, such as Mount Pleasant, have become so expensive.”

Patrick Hill E&V

Hill

One of Cunniffe’s team members, Realtor Patrick Hill, recently sold a 4,891 square-foot home at 744 Gin House Court in the popular Stiles Point Plantation neighborhood for over $1 million.

This neighborhood has over 200 homes and is representative of the diversity of architectural style that James Island offers. Driving through it, you notice sidewalks, large trees and roomy lots. Residents have access to a large recreation area with playgrounds, ball fields and tennis courts. Some homes have marsh and harbor views. Prices start in the high $600,000s when there are any for sale. Currently, there are no homes for sale in Stiles Point Plantation.

744 Gin House - Front

A home at 744 Gin House in Stiles Point Plantation sold for over $1 million. Photo/ENGEL & VÖLKERS Charleston

“The sale of this recent listing is significant in that it demonstrates that buyers are willing to pay over $1 million for a quality home on James Island, even if the home is situated on an interior lot,” Cunniffe said, “This home is located in a very desirable neighborhood and it’s a short commute to downtown.”

Cunniffe said that Riverland Terrace is another example of a neighborhood that buyers “fall in love with.” The craftsmanship of the homes, mature oaks and convenient access to both quirky and upscale retail shops along Maybank Highway are a big draw for buyers. As of September 15, 2021, there were six homes for sale in Riverland Terrace, with prices ranging from $538,000 to $4.75 million.

Convenience, perks and parks

The diversity of James Island—from modest cottage style homes that aren’t in established subdivisions to ones that are to others that are multimillion-dollar ones, James Island has options. With the convenience factor of it being close to everything that Lowcountry residents love—downtown, the beach and a myriad of parks and outdoor activities with a short drive, walk or bike ride, it’s unconventional, yet its charming and distinctive personality has stayed true throughout the decades.

Demetre prk 2-2

Any given day on James Island, one can enjoy the outdoors with plenty of sunshine, water and nice people. Photo/JA Surette. 

James Island County Park, Sunrise Park, Pickney Park and nearby Folly Beach County Park provide endless opportunities for fun, sun and family time.

Leigh Brandenburg said, “I have doctor and medical clients—especially residents who want to live on James Island and buy here. They can afford it, it’s close to the hospitals, downtown and the beach plus you can get to West Ashley’s South Windermere shopping—all of this, quickly.”

Chris Cunniffe agreed, noting the same, and added, “There is another factor that is less tangible and is often not initially on a client’s checklist. Many buyers simply fall in love with the charm and quirkiness of James Island. If an out-of-town buyer drives through James Island and its neighborhoods, they sometimes lose interest in more expensive neighborhoods in other parts of the metro area that they perceive as being cookie-cutter by comparison.”

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According to the latest market stats (August 2021) from the Charleston Trident Realtors Association (CTAR), the median single-family home price on James Island is $450,000. The average sales price is $567,155. Days on the market are 14 and inventory is a -63 percent.

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Parks and places:

• James Island County Park, 871 Riverland Drive $2/person or “Gold Pass” for $70 annually – Charleston residents; $85 for non-residents; $55 for 60 and over – includes entrance to other Charleston County Parks.

• Pinckney Park, 461 Fort Johnson Road, free to public, 7.37 acres, playgrounds and trails.

• Melton Peter Demetre Park (Sunrise Park), 640 Wampler Drive, waterfront with views of Charleston, Ravenel Bridge, Sullivan’s Island and Fort Johnson. Pavillions, fishing, trails, water activities and picnic tables.

• National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 219 Fort Johnson Road, includes DNR, Hollings Marine Lab, MUSC Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences, the Marshland House and views and grounds to explore. Gates closed on the weekend, but walking trail open.

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Contact Brigitte Surette at bsurette@postandcourier.com.

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