Chapter3 Investor Hub
Invest in Myrtle Beach
real estate.
Chapter3 Realty is a Myrtle Beach brokerage built for investment property: long-term and short-term rental analysis with live data, submarket research, and financing through our preferred lender BrickWood Mortgage, including DSCR, condotel, and non-warrantable condo loans.
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Why the Grand Strand
Why investors buy Myrtle Beach investment property
Myrtle Beach runs on tourism and retirement migration at the same time, which is unusual. One drives nightly rates, the other drives year-round leases and long-term price growth. That is why the same market supports both short-term and long-term rental strategies.
The trade-off is that coastal ownership costs more to carry than inland South Carolina. Insurance is higher, many condo buildings carry substantial HOA dues, and an investment property is taxed at a different rate than an owner-occupied home. Those three lines decide most deals here, and we cover each of them below.
Four ways to invest
Pick the strategy before you pick the property
Most people do this backwards. The property that works as a nightly rental is often a poor long-term hold, and the financing differs too. Start with the goal.
Long-term rental
For steady monthly income
One tenant, a twelve-month lease, and predictable numbers. Lower gross rent than a nightly rental but far lower turnover, management and furnishing costs. This is the most financeable strategy here.
Compare long-term against short-term →Short-term / Airbnb
For maximum gross revenue
Higher revenue in season, more work, and rules that change by city. Whether nightly rental is even legal depends on the specific address and, often, the HOA.
Check the rules by city →Oceanfront condos and condotels
For lower entry prices
The cheapest way into the market, and the most misunderstood. Financing is the constraint rather than price: many oceanfront buildings will not qualify for a conventional loan.
Are condos a good investment here? →Fix and flip
For active investors
Shorter horizon, higher risk, and it depends on buying well rather than on the market rising. Renovation costs on the coast run above inland comparables.
How flipping works here →Carrying costs
What it actually costs to own an investment property here
These are the lines that turn an apparently strong deal into a break-even one. Each links to the full detail.
Property tax at 6 percent
The one most buyers miss
South Carolina taxes an owner-occupied home at a 4 percent assessment ratio and an investment property at 6 percent. You do not inherit the seller's rate. The tax figure shown on a home for sale is frequently the seller's, not yours.
The 4% vs 6% rule →Coastal insurance
Wind, hail and flood
Coastal policies are priced separately from inland ones, and a flood zone designation changes the number materially. Get a quote before you are under contract, not after.
What coverage costs here →Closing costs
Roughly 2 to 3 percent
South Carolina requires an attorney to close, and the state deed stamp is paid by the seller at $1.85 per $500 of price. Budget for both sides of the ledger.
Estimate your closing costs →Run a real address before you make an offer
Our analyzer pulls the Horry County assessor record for the address, applies the 6 percent investment rate, and returns cap rate, cash flow and DSCR against your own financing terms. It is free and needs no signup.
Analyze a property →The process
How to buy an investment property in Myrtle Beach
Six steps. The order matters more than most people expect, because financing and rental legality both need checking before you are emotionally committed to a property.
Decide the strategy and the number that makes it worth doing
Monthly cash flow, long-term appreciation, or a short hold. Each points at a different property and a different loan. Write down the return that would make you say yes.
Get financing settled first
Investment loans are not the same as the mortgage on your own home. Down payments are larger and many oceanfront buildings are not conventionally financeable at all. Knowing what you qualify for narrows the search before you waste time on it.
Confirm the property can legally do what you want
Short-term rental rules vary by city and HOAs add their own restrictions. A building that permits nightly rentals is worth materially more to an investor than one that does not.
Use the real numbers, not the listing's numbers
Rebuild the tax line at the 6 percent investment rate, get a real insurance quote, and include vacancy, maintenance and management. A listing's expense figures reflect the current owner.
Offer with the inspection contingencies an investor needs
For condos that means the HOA financials, reserve levels and any special assessment history. For houses it means roof, HVAC and flood claim history.
Close with a South Carolina attorney and set up management
State law requires attorney-supervised closing. Have the management decision made before closing so the property is not sitting empty while you interview companies.
Match the goal
Investors come to us with one of these
Where each situation usually leads.
“I want monthly income I can count on.”
A long-term rental in a stable inland submarket usually beats an oceanfront condo on cash flow, because HOA dues on the coast eat the difference. Start with the strategy comparison, then run a specific address.
“I want the highest possible revenue and I do not mind the work.”
That is a short-term rental, and the first question is whether it is legal at that address. See the rules by city and what Airbnbs actually earn here.
“I have under $200,000 to work with.”
That is condo territory, where the constraint is financing rather than price. Our building-by-building guide covers fees and rental rules, and condotel financing explains why some buildings need a specialist loan.
“I am selling a rental and want to defer the tax.”
A 1031 exchange has strict deadlines that start at closing, so the planning has to happen before you list. See how 1031 works in South Carolina or the hands-off DST alternative.
“I want to build a portfolio, not buy one property.”
Look at the BRRRR method for recycling capital, or small multifamily for more doors per closing.
“I live out of state and cannot tour properties.”
Most of our investor clients do. We run the numbers, walk the property on video, and check the things that do not show up in listing photos. See the tools we use.
The directory
Every Myrtle Beach investment tool and guide, in one place.
We analyze every property like an investment: the rent coming in, the costs going out, the HOA documents, and what is left for you. Our lender, BrickWood Mortgage, sits in-house. Below is the directory of all things investment on the Grand Strand. Browse every guide and tool in one place.
Financing
Investment property financing in Myrtle Beach.
Our preferred lender, BrickWood Mortgage, finances nearly every investor strategy on this site. Having the lender in-house means the property search and the loan move together, which matters most when there is a deadline: 1031 exchanges, flips, and construction draws.
The in-house loan menu
DSCR loans. The rent qualifies, not your tax returns.Read →Fix-and-flip and bridge loans.Read →Small multifamily and commercial.Read →Ground-up construction for investors.Read →1031 exchange purchases on the clock.Read →After the close
Closing isn't the end of the relationship. You get our newsletter. We alert you when someone files a building permit near your property. You always know what is changing around your investment.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Myrtle Beach good for investment property?
Yes, for two reasons that do not depend on each other: roughly 19 million visitors a year power short-term rentals, and fast year-round population growth powers long-term rentals. The honest costs are the 6 percent investor tax ratio, coastal insurance, and zoning that limits short-term rentals in most City of Myrtle Beach residential zones. Priced correctly, both strategies work here.
What part of Myrtle Beach is best for rental property?
It depends on the strategy. For nightly vacation rentals, the oceanfront zones of Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach have the deepest demand. For monthly rentals, Conway, Carolina Forest, and Socastee offer the lowest entry prices and steady year-round tenants. Each area has its own guide on this site.
How much is property tax on an investment property in Myrtle Beach?
South Carolina assesses investment property at a 6 percent ratio, compared with 4 percent for a primary residence, so the bill often runs close to double an owner-occupant's. The exact amount depends on the county millage for the address. We run the real number on every property we analyze.
Can you run the numbers on a property I already found?
Yes. Type the address into our free investment analyzer for an instant report, or send it to us and we will run the full check list, including the HOA documents and rental history.
Ready to buy your next Grand Strand rental?
Send us the address. We will run the rent, the expenses and the association documents before you write an offer, at no cost.
Call 854.333.2135We answer evenings. Prefer to write? Send us a property.
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