Choosing the right Charleston house type is a delightful journey that allows you to explore the city’s diverse architectural heritage. Downtown Charleston offers a range of dwellings to suit every taste and lifestyle. From historic mansions of the city’s past, to modern marvels of contemporary design, to serene waterfront retreats, there’s a Charleston house type to suit everyone. Be sure to take the time to explore each, visit our neighborhoods, and consult with real estate professionals who can guide you through the process.
Let’s delve into some of the considerations that will help you find your downtown Charleston dream home.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Do you value a property’s historical significance and wish to immerse yourself in Charleston’s past? Historic mansions and row houses, like those found South of Broad, should top your list. These properties allow you to experience the city’s heritage firsthand and become a part of preserving its rich culture.
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE
Charleston’s architectural landscape is diverse, ranging from Colonial and Victorian, to Greek Revival and contemporary designs. Determine your preferred architectural style and explore houses that align with your aesthetic tastes.
COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE
Are you drawn to a close-knit neighborhood feel? Single-family homes and row houses offer a strong sense of community, with neighbors living in proximity and opportunities for social interactions.
LIFESTYLE & AMENITIES
Consider your lifestyle preferences and the amenities that are important to you. Do you want easy access to restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions? Are you a nature enthusiast who desires proximity to parks and outdoor activities? Do you dream of waking up to panoramic water views and indulging in coastal living? Downtown Charleston’s different parts of town offer varying degrees of convenience and access to amenities, so choose accordingly.
FUTURE PLANS
Consider your long-term goals and be sure your house type aligns with them. Are you planning to expand your family and need a home with ample space? Do you enjoy outdoor living and gardening? Or do you want a low-maintenance property that accommodates your busy lifestyle? Factor in your future plans to ensure your new home will adapt to your evolving needs.
Once you have considered your current and future needs, determined your preferred architectural style, and found the right part of town for you, here are some of your options for a new Charleston home:
HISTORIC MANSIONS
Charleston’s historic mansions embody the city’s storied past with architectural elegance and timeless appeal. These homes often feature intricate details, expansive gardens, classic columns, and spacious piazzas. An updated historic home allows you to immerse yourself in the city’s past while indulging in luxurious modern living.
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES
Charleston’s single family homes, including the iconic Charleston single house, offer a sense of community. Many have traditional wraparound porches, colorful shutters, and vibrant gardens that capture the essence of classic Southern living. You’ll find various architectural styles, including Colonial, Victorian, and Greek Revival, each with its unique charm.
WATERFRONT RETREATS
Charleston’s proximity to the water offers an opportunity to experience coastal living at its finest. Whether it’s a luxurious harborview estate or a cottage on the marshes, these homes provide breathtaking views, access to water activities, and a serene atmosphere. Waterfront properties in Charleston offer a chance to embrace a relaxed lifestyle where the beauty of nature merges seamlessly with architecture.
ROW HOUSES
Charleston row houses, also known as townhouses, are a popular choice for those seeking a blend of historic charm and urban living. These attached homes line the downtown city streets. They showcase architectural details including ornate ironwork, colorful facades, and seasonal window boxes. Charleston row houses provide easy access to the city’s amenities, making them an excellent option for those who desire a cosmopolitan lifestyle.
CONTEMPORARY DESIGNS
Charleston’s architectural landscape has expanded to include modern abodes that incorporate innovative and forward-thinking designs. These contemporary homes boast sleek lines, large windows, and open-concept floor plans. They tend to emphasize natural light and seamless indoor/outdoor living. Sustainable materials and smart features cater to those with a penchant for modern aesthetics and eco-conscious living. These residences showcase the city’s evolving architectural identity.
MOVING TO CHARLESTON, SC?
If you are planning a move to Charleston, SC, be sure to work with a local real estate agent who will help you narrow down your choices and show you around the different parts of town. Once you have chosen your dream house style, hiring interstate movers is a wise decision to ensure a smooth and hassle-free transition. An experienced team can help facilitate your relocation, providing expertise in navigating the logistics, packing your belongings securely, and ensuring a seamless transport of your possessions. Entrusting your move to professionals allows you to focus on the excitement of starting a new chapter in Charleston!
Tickets are less expensive for weekday performances than for those on the weekends.
Emerging in the late 18th century, the 
Double houses were also built starting in the late 18th century, but never reached the widespread popularity of the Charleston single house. These large, two-story homes are two rooms deep by two rooms wide, symmetrically divided by a center stair hall. Unlike single houses, the long facade of the house fronts the street. Piazzas can be placed on the front or side, and often feature intricate wrought-iron railings.
With its pleasing symmetry and simple, yet opulent embellishments, Gregorian style was prevalent in Charleston throughout the 18th century. Its design harkens back to traditional structures from Greece and Rome. In order to convey flawless cohesion, it stresses equilibrium and mathematical dimensions. Georgian structures typically have a flat facade with symmetrical windows and doors. They are frequently decorated with granite pillars, limestone ornamentation, and ornate cornices. This classic style is seen not only in downtown residences and public buildings, but is also closely associated with antebellum plantation houses.
Another neoclassical variation that blossomed in Charleston is Federal, or Adams style architecture. While also based on the classical ideals of order and symmetry, its decorative details are more delicate than Georgian architecture. Look for a center-hall floor plan, an elliptical fanlight over the front door, also flanked by sidelights, and Palladian windows. The exteriors may include octagonal or oval projections with correspondingly-shaped interior rooms.
Victorian style originated in England during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and immediately became fashionable in the US as well. Victorian homes are marked by ornate and detailed design elements. Many feature asymmetrical shapes, steep roofs, large front porches, and intricate ornamentation such as stained glass windows, decorative ironwork, and ornamental shingles. The use of vibrant colors and bold patterns is another a hallmark of Victorian design. As this style persisted for so many decades, it spawned several subgenres.
Italianate architecture is a variation of the Victorian style that was all the rage in America in the latter part of the 19th century. It is characterized by rectangular structures with wide-hipped, low-pitched roofs. They are often topped with square cupolas. Windows are tall and usually rounded at the top, without shutters. Decorative corbels with ornate brackets and cornices support overhanging eaves. Italian motifs frequently find their way into masonry and stonework.
Another recognizable form in Charleston’s architectural history is Greek Revival. This style uses classical Greek components such as columns, pediments, and friezes, and first appeared in the early 19th century.
Gothic Revival style draws influence from the medieval era and makes a bold statement on Charleston’s architectural landscape. This style is distinguished by tall towers, rib vaults, elaborate parapets, and a profusion of pointed arched windows. It was commonly used amongst the Holy City’s churches. The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, the French Huguenot Church, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, the Unitarian Church, and Mother Emmanuel AME all make use of Gothic Revival architecture. It can even be found on much less grand scale, in the outbuildings that make up the urban plantation behind the Aiken-Rhett House.
Want to catch a glimpse of azaleas in full bloom? You’ll have plenty of opportunities to view these shade-tolerant blooms in Charleston, where they blossom for several weeks. Azalea Park in nearby Summerville is filled with hot pink azaleas, as well as other flowering plants like lavender, wisteria and white dogwoods. The annual 
The most important thing you can do for your lawn is continue to mow until it goes dormant. This will keep the grass at a manageable height, as well as remove any excess debris that has built up. Be sure not to scalp your lawn, however; removing too much of the blade can damage your grass and hinder new growth. Warm season grasses found in the Southeast (like Bermuda, Centipede, and Zoysia) should be mowed to around 1-2 inches tall, depending on type. And remember the rule not to cut more than a third of your grass’s height at one time. Your lawn will continue to grow throughout the winter, albeit at a much slower rate, until the temperature drops below 40 degrees.
Raking is no one’s favorite task, but it does create a healthier environment and prevents fungal disease. Always rake before rain is expected. If leaves are left to create a wet mat, they will invite insects that may travel into your home. Be sure your last rake of the year isn’t too early (before all leaves have fallen) or too late (when they’ve started to decompose).
Aerating is the process of punching holes in your lawn to allow nutrients, air, and water to reach the core of your soil. Doing this before applying fertilizer or weed killer helps those products absorb, rather than being washed away.
If you only fertilize your lawn once a year, the best time to do so is fall. This will give your lawn the right amount of nutrients, oxygen, and moisture to grow come spring. If you wait until spring, your lawn will miss out on the nutrients it needs to survive through winter. Be sure to allow enough time for nutrients to absorb into the ground, where grassroots need them most, before watering your lawn, which can wash them away.
These moderately tall shrubs boast colorful flowers that bloom in the winter. One of the most appealing attributes of the camellia family is that they are evergreen. In the Lowcountry climate, the leaf portion of stays green year-round.
The azalea has provided the most popular spring color display in South Carolina for centuries. Each spring, thousands of avid fans across the south flock to Summerville’s 
Another species of flowering landscape foliage prevalent in the Lowcountry is the dogwood tree. Many native species grow wild in surrounding wooded areas. The two most common colors of its flowers are pink and white. Old dogwood trees often have an under layer of azaleas augmenting their spring display. The dogwood’s flowering is a signal of spring.
Throughout the 1950s, famed Charleston Renaissance artist 
Residents of the building enjoy panoramic views of White Point Gardens, historic Battery mansions, city rooftops and steeples, the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, the Ravenel Bridge, Patriots Point and the Yorktown, and even Fort Sumter and the Atlantic Ocean. The South of Broad location at the corner of King Street and Murray Blvd. can’t be beat. Amenities include on-site security, parking lots, an exercise room, and private palmetto tree-lined pool along the Battery. If you would like to live in this piece of Charleston history, Disher, Hamrick & Myers is offering a corner-unit condo 508, with 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths for sale. Contact Real Estate Agent 
Today we hail the poinsettia as the official plant of the Christmas season. Did you know this is thanks to a South Carolina gentleman by the name of Joel Robert Poinsett? Poinsett was in the US House of Representatives and also served as the Minister to Mexico. While on a trip to Mexico in 1925, he discovered the festive red-colored flower. He brought it home to Charleston and introduced it as a holiday adornment. The rest is history. Today, throughout the South and the nation you will see these beautiful flowers displayed on the inside and outside of homes during the Yuletide season.
To this day, it’s a Southern holiday tradition for Santa to leave some citrus fruit in children’s stockings. No, it’s not a gimmick to take up space. Years ago, finding citrus in your stocking in the middle of winter was a luxury. Citrus fruits were only available during certain seasons of the year, so receiving an orange at Christmas was a special and expensive treat. Decorating wreaths, trees, and holiday decor with different citrus fruits is still a tradition today. In fact, take a tour around downtown Charleston or visit one of the museum houses to see citrus and evergreen decorations on the outsides as well as interiors of historic Charleston homes. To view some beautiful examples, try one of these 
What would a Southern meal be without any of these delicacies? Fresh oysters are popular during the holiday season because their harvest is best during the coldest time of year. (Remember the old adage that oysters are good during months that have an “R” in their names.) Deep frying as a preparation for turkey also originated in the South. And don’t forget the pecan pie for dessert. The documented history of this recipe dates back to the 1880s. Legend says the French in New Orleans made a version of it after Native Americans introduced them to the pecan tree. Today this gooey, delicious Southern treat has spread across the country and is a staple this time of year. Visit