Pros And Cons Of Living in Myrtle Beach

Greg Harrelson

In my 40+ years of living in the Myrtle Beach area, I have experienced the many pros and cons that exist.

Overall, owning Myrtle Beach real estate and either living here full-time or as a second home has many advantages…but, like anywhere else, there are disadvantages.

Let’s talk about the Cons first:

- Traffic: if you are coming from a big city, you may think our traffic is nothing. But, you will notice a huge increase in traffic during the summer months, especially near the tourism areas. Once you become a local, you will learn how to navigate around this.

- Waiting Lines at Restaurants: If you're hungry, you may need to get to your favorite restaurants early, get your name on the list, or get a reservation when they allow. The growth in the area is outpacing the new restaurants, making them busier and busier. Though this can be a con, it’s easy to simply call ahead most of the time.

- Flights: There are plenty of flights to anywhere in the world, yet there are not as many direct flights. This means you will have to fly through a connecting airport hub before you get to your final destination. Typically, flights will stop in Charlotte or Atlanta with a brief layover.

As you can see, most of the cons can be managed. I have lived in Myrtle Beach for almost my entire life. Like many, I had options to relocate but never chose to do so. There are enough benefits to Myrtle Beach that I choose to stay here.

Let’s talk about the Pros:

- Beach: The Grand Strand has one of the nicest beaches on the east coast. You can walk for hours on the uninterrupted coastline. The sand is soft, the sun is shiny and perfect for sun lovers, watching the sunrise, or those wanting to take a dip. 

- Affordability: Real estate prices in Myrtle Beach are much more affordable than in most cities. Property taxes are typically lower as well. In many cases, someone can sell their house up north and come down to Myrtle Beach and pay half the price and get double the size home and lot.

- Never a Dull Moment: You cannot get bored in Myrtle Beach or the surrounding areas. You can enjoy the beach, boating in the waterway and rivers, golf, go-carts, paintball, arts and crafts, music, parks, live shows, amusements…you name it, you can do it. Of course, you may just want to hang out at home but anytime you want to do something, you have plenty of options.

- Retirement: Many people have decided to make the area their home for retirement. There are plenty of facilities that cater to retirees. Because of its popularity, there are communities and activities everywhere for the retiree who wants to stay active.

When choosing a place to relocate, you always have to take the pros and cons into consideration. Overall, I think owning property in Myrtle Beach and making it your home has many advantages.

If you would like to learn more about the Myrtle Beach area, please reach out. Check out our "Homeowner Support Articles", too.

And if you're still undecided, make sure you check out the properties for sale in Myrtle Beach. Who knows, you may find that perfect home at the price you want.

A few of our favorite communities:

Homes in Carolina Forest 

Homes for Sale in North Myrtle Beach

Condos for Sale in Barefoot Resort

Homes for Sale by Del Webb Myrtle Beach (and North Myrtle Beach soon!)

Conway Homes for Sale

Let us know if we can help you relocate…

Written by Greg Harrelson
Century 21 The Harrelson Group