Livability

The Real (Estate) Deal
Affordable housing is a strong lure for families and others seeking the good life

Homes on the golf course at Florence Country Club

When Tom Carringer relocated to Florence from Nashville, Tenn., in May 2007, he was ready for a change in scenery and a change of pace.

“It’s such a great location. We’ve already been to the beach six times,” Carringer says. “As far as shopping and dining go, my wife and I hardly know the difference. Florence has everything we could possibly want in those departments.”

Surprised by the competitively priced local real estate market, Carringer found a home within two hours during his second visit to the area.

“We sold our house in Nashville on a Sunday and turned right around and bought a house here on Tuesday. We had financing within just a few days. The local real estate and banking communities were great to deal with,” says Carringer, who moved to the area to oversee client analytics for ACS Technologies.

Two other recent newcomers, Alabama natives Ashley and Michelle Coleman, were impressed by the affordability of real estate in Florence and vicinity.

“We got much more than we expected for the money,” says Michelle Coleman, a physical therapist assistant whose husband chose McLeod Regional Medical Center for his residency in family medicine.

Economic Development Fuels Growth

With its strong economy and strategic location, Florence County remains one of the fastest-growing areas in South Carolina for real estate sales.

According to Marcia Lyles, president of the Realtor Association of the Greater Pee Dee, homes are moving quickly, thanks to the area’s desirable quality of life, commercial growth and relatively modest property taxes.

“We didn’t experience the real estate bubble like some parts of the country, so our prices did not increase or decline drastically,” Lyles says. “We have had a healthy appreciation for the past 10 years, with a slight decrease in the last two years.”

At the Country Club of South Carolina, more young families are joining professionals and retirees as residents of the 900-acre golf community just minutes from downtown Florence.

“We’re seeing a growing number of young professional families move to the area, and what’s drawing them here are the great employment opportunities. The county has done a tremendous job in recruiting new business and industry to the area, and it is helping fuel the strong real estate market,” says Jonathan Burnett, vice president of operations at the Country Club of South Carolina.

Wide Range of Housing Choices

In addition to a good selection of golf course communities, which also includes The Traces and Florence Country Club, the local market abounds with a wide range of planned developments as well as choices in corporate apartments, condominiums and townhouses.

According to Frances Segars Jones, broker in charge at Prudential Segars Realty, the market continues to increase as growing numbers of newcomers choose to call Florence home.

“People are coming from metropolitan areas looking for a more family-oriented lifestyle,” Jones says. “It’s not just the older age bracket in search of a great place to retire, it’s also young families in search of a unique quality of life.”

Story by Valerie Pascoe
Photo by Ian Curcio

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