Myrtle Beach Real Estate Market Update: What's Happening Right Now [2026]

Real estate is always local. The national headlines about interest rates, housing inventory, and price corrections do not apply to Myrtle Beach the same way they apply to Phoenix or Austin or the broader US market. The Grand Strand has structural demand drivers that most markets do not have — and understanding what is actually happening here in 2026 is what this post is about.

Here is a clear, honest breakdown of the Myrtle Beach real estate market right now — what is moving, what is sitting, where the opportunities are, and what buyers and sellers should actually be doing.

Two Markets Are Running Simultaneously on the Grand Strand

The most important thing to understand about the Grand Strand market in 2026 is that it is not one market — it is two, and they are behaving very differently.

Single-Family Homes — A Balanced Market

The single-family home market across Horry and Georgetown Counties is balanced. Prices have held stable — no meaningful crash, no meaningful appreciation. Demand is consistent because inbound migration continues. The buyers coming from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina have not stopped arriving — they have adjusted their timelines and their financing strategies, but they are still here and still buying.

Average days on market for single-family homes is running approximately 90 to 103 days across all price ranges. Well-priced homes in desirable communities are moving in 30 to 45 days. Overpriced homes are sitting — sometimes for months — before sellers adjust to where the market actually is.

Neither buyers nor sellers have full control in this segment. Sellers who price correctly from day one are achieving strong outcomes. Buyers who are prepared and pre-approved are finding more room to negotiate than existed at any point in 2021 or 2022.

Myrtle Beach listings. Conway value plays. Longs new construction.

Condos and Townhomes — A Buyer's Market

The condo market tells a different story. Inventory is elevated — meaningfully above single-family levels — and prices have softened from the 2021–2022 peak in many resort corridor buildings. Buyers have genuine leverage right now in this segment: price reductions, seller credits, closing cost contributions, and rate buydown requests are all viable negotiating positions in a way they were not two years ago.

This is particularly true in oceanfront and near-oceanfront resort buildings where investor sellers who bought at peak pricing are now motivated to exit. For buyers who have been waiting for the condo market to create opportunity — this is it.

Important caveat: condo due diligence on the Grand Strand requires a warrantability check from your lender on any specific building before you go under contract. Some resort buildings do not qualify for conventional Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac financing — which means higher rates or portfolio lending requirements for buyers. This is standard practice and our team flags it routinely. Know it before you fall in love with a specific unit.

North Myrtle Beach condo inventory. Murrells Inlet options.

What the Numbers Show

The following metrics reflect current Grand Strand market conditions as of April 2026:

Median single-family home price: approximately $300,000–$360,000 across the Grand Strand. Entry-level new construction in Conway and Longs starts in the mid-$200,000s. Luxury and waterfront properties push well above $500,000.

Condo median: varies significantly by location and building — $150,000 for inland residential condos to $500,000+ for oceanfront resort units. The widest range of any property category on the Grand Strand.

Days on market: approximately 90–103 days across all categories combined. Single-family homes in well-priced communities moving faster. Condo inventory sitting longer in some buildings.

List price to sold price ratio: homes are typically closing 2–2.5% below list price across most segments. Well-priced homes in active communities are closing closer to list. Overpriced properties are seeing larger gaps.

Inventory: approaching 5 months of supply across all residential categories. A 6-month supply is the threshold for a buyer's market — the Grand Strand is not there yet in single-family but the condo segment in certain building types has crossed that line.

Online search activity: trending upward — historically a leading indicator of buyer demand 60 to 90 days ahead. This is an encouraging signal for the second half of 2026.

What Is Driving Continued Demand

The Grand Strand is not experiencing sustained demand because of speculation — it is experiencing sustained demand because of migration. This distinction matters.

The buyers coming to Myrtle Beach are making permanent life decisions. They are selling high-tax, high-cost properties in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the Carolinas and bringing significant equity with them. They are retiring, relocating for lifestyle, or enabling remote work. These are not investors betting on price appreciation — they are buyers choosing a place to live.

The financial case for making that move remains compelling even at current mortgage rates. A buyer relocating from New Jersey pays approximately $8,500 per year in property taxes on a $350,000 home. The same buyer purchasing a $350,000 primary residence in Horry County pays approximately $800–$1,400 per year under South Carolina's 4% legal residence rate. That $7,000+ annual savings does not disappear because mortgage rates are higher than 2021. It compounds for as long as the buyer lives here.

South Carolina also does not tax Social Security income and provides a $15,000 deduction on other retirement income. For the retiree buyer who makes up a significant portion of Grand Strand demand these tax advantages are a permanent structural reason to buy here — independent of what mortgage rates are doing in any given month.

This migration tailwind is why Grand Strand home prices have not crashed despite higher rates and why the single-family market continues to find buyers for correctly priced properties. See the full cost of living breakdown.

What Sellers Need to Know Right Now

Correctly priced homes are still selling on the Grand Strand in 2026. The sellers who are struggling are the ones who priced based on what their neighbor sold for in 2022 — not what comparable homes are selling for today.

The pattern for overpriced listings is consistent and predictable: the listing sits, days on market accumulate, buyers who might have been interested move on to better-priced alternatives, and the seller eventually reduces the price — often to below where they would have landed with realistic pricing on day one. Extended days on market also creates buyer skepticism — questions about what is wrong with the property — that a clean new listing at the right price does not generate.

The sellers doing well in 2026 are doing four things: pricing from current comparable sales not historical peaks, investing in professional photography to reach the out-of-state buyer who evaluates online first, ensuring their marketing is targeted to the northeastern and midwestern buyers who drive Grand Strand demand, and working with an agent who actively maintains a buyer database rather than simply entering the listing in the MLS.

If you are thinking about selling, start with an accurate Comparative Market Analysis based on what has actually sold in the past 60 to 90 days. Get a free CMA.

What Buyers Need to Know Right Now

Buyers have more options, more time, and more negotiating room in the current Grand Strand market than at any point since 2019. That is genuinely good news — but it requires being prepared to move when the right property appears.

Get pre-approved before you search. The market has slowed but well-priced properties in desirable communities still receive multiple offers quickly. A buyer who finds the right home without a pre-approval letter loses it to the buyer who has one. Get pre-approved here.

Understand the flood zone before you make an offer. This is the most important piece of due diligence specific to coastal South Carolina that buyers from inland states consistently underestimate. A property in FEMA Flood Zone AE can carry $800–$3,000+ per year in mandatory flood insurance costs. A property in Zone X has no mandatory flood insurance requirement. Get the flood zone check done before your offer — not during due diligence when you are emotionally invested in the property.

Use the full due diligence period. South Carolina's 10-to-14-day due diligence period exists to protect buyers. Use every day of it — home inspection, flood insurance quote, HOA document review, insurance quotes. The ability to exit for any reason during this window is one of the strongest buyer protections in any state's real estate contract. Do not shorten it unnecessarily. See the complete offer guide.

Consider new construction. Builder incentives — interest rate buydowns and closing cost credits — are actively available in 2026 in the Longs and Conway corridors. These incentives can translate to meaningful monthly payment reductions that resale sellers are not positioned to offer.

Where the Best Opportunities Are Right Now

New construction in Longs — national builders delivering new homes in the mid-$200,000s with active incentives. Best value per dollar on the Grand Strand for buyers who want new construction with a warranty. See Longs listings.

Conway resale and new construction — established single-family inventory in the low-to-mid $200,000s plus active new construction. USDA zero-down loan eligibility common. Genuine small-town character 15–20 minutes from the beach. See Conway listings.

Condo market for investment buyers — elevated inventory and genuine buyer leverage. Best negotiating position in the resort condo segment since before the pandemic. Use caution on non-warrantable buildings and review HOA financials carefully.

Motivated resale sellers — properties sitting 90-plus days, estate sales, and landlords exiting the short-term rental market all represent situations where buyers have meaningful leverage. These opportunities require an active local agent who monitors the market daily.

Surfside Beach and Murrells Inlet — southern Grand Strand communities that offer coastal lifestyle with less tourist intensity than the main Myrtle Beach corridor. Strong year-round buyer demand and limited inventory relative to North Myrtle Beach. Surfside Beach and Murrells Inlet.

Our 2026 Grand Strand Market Forecast

Measured stability is the most accurate description of where the Grand Strand market is headed through the rest of 2026. Not a crash. Not a boom. The structural demand drivers — migration, retirement relocation, SC tax advantages — provide a floor that prevents significant price decline in the single-family segment. The condo market may see continued softening in over-supplied building types before stabilizing.

Mortgage rates remain the primary variable. If rates move meaningfully lower in the second half of 2026 buyer demand could accelerate quickly — particularly from the significant pool of qualified buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines. If rates hold steady the current balanced market conditions will likely persist.

The buyers and sellers who do well in this environment are the ones who make decisions based on their own financial situation and timeline rather than waiting for perfect market conditions that may never arrive.

FAQ

Are home prices dropping in Myrtle Beach in 2026?

Single-family home prices have held stable — no meaningful decline from 2024 levels. The condo market has seen price softening in certain resort-corridor building types with elevated inventory. A significant crash is not supported by the migration and demand data.

Is it a buyer or seller market in Myrtle Beach right now?

Single-family homes — balanced market. Condos and townhomes — leaning toward a buyer's market in many segments. The answer depends on the specific property type, price range, and community.

Is now a good time to buy a home in Myrtle Beach?

Yes for buyers who are financially ready and planning a 3-plus year horizon. More inventory, more negotiating room, and active builder incentives make 2026 a better buying environment than 2021 or 2022 for prepared buyers. See the full analysis.

What is the average home price in Myrtle Beach right now?

Median single-family home price runs approximately $300,000–$360,000 across the Grand Strand. Entry-level starts in the mid-$200,000s in Conway and Longs. Luxury and waterfront properties start at $500,000 and extend well past $1,000,000.

How long does it take to sell a home in Myrtle Beach in 2026?

Average days on market across all categories is approximately 90–103 days. Well-priced homes in desirable communities are moving in 30–45 days. Overpriced homes are sitting significantly longer before selling or being withdrawn.

Is the Myrtle Beach condo market good for buyers?

Yes — elevated inventory and genuine price softening in the resort corridor make this the best condo buying environment since before the pandemic. Use caution on non-warrantable buildings and always review HOA financial health before committing.