Own a Piece of the Grand Strand: Why Myrtle Beach Investors Keep Coming Back
💰 Investor Guide • Grand Strand 2026
Own a Piece of the Grand Strand:
Own a Piece of the Grand Strand:
Why Myrtle Beach Investors Keep Coming Back
18 million annual visitors. Low entry prices. Year-round demand. Here’s the full picture.
Most Investors Run the Numbers First. Myrtle Beach Investors Usually Start With a Weekend Trip.
There’s a pattern we see all the time. Someone visits Myrtle Beach for a golf trip, a family vacation, or a long weekend getaway. They fall in love with the weather, the pace, the 60 miles of coastline. On the drive home, the conversation shifts: “What if we owned something down there?”
That emotional pull is real — and it’s backed by surprisingly strong fundamentals. The Grand Strand isn’t just a great place to visit. For investors who know where to look, it’s one of the most accessible, cash-flow-friendly beach markets on the entire East Coast.
That emotional pull is real — and it’s backed by surprisingly strong fundamentals. The Grand Strand isn’t just a great place to visit. For investors who know where to look, it’s one of the most accessible, cash-flow-friendly beach markets on the entire East Coast.
The Lifestyle Draw
🏖 What Makes the Grand Strand So Hard to Leave?
The Grand Strand stretches 60 miles along South Carolina’s Atlantic coast — and it packs more into that stretch than most destinations pack into an entire state. Beaches, golf, dining, live entertainment, fishing, watersports, and one of the most laid-back coastal cultures you’ll find anywhere on the Eastern Seaboard.
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⛳ Golf Capital of the World
The Grand Strand has over 86 championship golf courses — more courses per square mile than almost anywhere on the planet. Golf tourism alone generated a $1.6 billion economic impact in 2024, supporting 13,340 jobs (Visit Myrtle Beach CVB, 2025).
☀ Year-Round Climate
Mild winters and warm summers mean the Grand Strand draws visitors in every season — not just July and August. Average temperatures stay above 50°F year-round, making shoulder and winter stays genuinely appealing.
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🍴 Dining & Entertainment
From Michelin-recognized restaurants to Broadway at the Beach, the Carolina Opry, Barefoot Landing, and hundreds of local spots, the Grand Strand offers a dining and entertainment scene that keeps visitors coming back year after year.
🌊 The Beach Itself
Wide, sandy, and accessible along 60 miles of coastline. The Atlantic Ocean is warm enough to swim from May through October, and the flat terrain makes it ideal for families, retirees, and everyone in between.
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This lifestyle combination is what drives repeat visitation — and repeat visitors are the foundation of a strong short-term rental market. Nearly two-thirds of Myrtle Beach’s 18.2 million annual visitors in 2024 were return trips.
The Tourism Engine
📊 What Do 18+ Million Annual Visitors Mean for Investors?
They mean consistent, proven demand. The Grand Strand welcomes over 18 million visitors annually, establishing it as a major tourism destination on the East Coast — and the infrastructure built to support that volume is part of what makes investment here so compelling.
By the Numbers — 2024 Tourism Data
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18.2M
Annual Visitors
Source: Visit MB CVB
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$13.2B
Visitor Spending
Up 5.3% vs. 2023
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$26B+
Total Economic Impact
Direct + indirect
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157K+
Accommodation Units
425 hotels, condos & rentals
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Source: Visit Myrtle Beach CVB Industry Research · 2024 data
One detail worth noting: the Grand Strand has more than 157,000 accommodation units spread across 425 hotels, condos, villas, and home rentals — on par with the room count in Las Vegas. That’s the scale of demand your rental property is competing in — and benefiting from.
⚠ A note on 2025–2026 trends: Tourism saw a slight dip in 2025, with hotel occupancy down 3.3% and the Chamber projecting another modest 3% decline in 2026, citing economic pressures, inflation, and gas prices affecting travel patterns. The Chamber’s strategy is shifting toward drive-market visitors and value-focused travelers — the core demographic that has always been the backbone of Grand Strand tourism. Well-positioned properties at the right price point are still performing.
The fundamentals — location, climate, infrastructure, and lifestyle — don’t change with a soft year or two. The Grand Strand has weathered economic cycles before and remained one of the most visited beach destinations in the country.
The Value Story
💵 What Does $300K Get You Here vs. Other Beach Markets?
More than it gets you almost anywhere else on the East Coast. That’s the honest answer — and it’s one of the biggest reasons out-of-state investors keep landing here.
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🌊 Grand Strand
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🌴 Florida Beach Markets
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⛵ Outer Banks, NC
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📊 The tax advantage is real: South Carolina’s effective property tax rate averages around 0.57% of property value, compared to over 1% in many parts of Florida, New Jersey, and North Carolina. On a $500,000 property, that difference amounts to thousands of dollars annually. Over the life of ownership, it compounds meaningfully.
The cost of entry is significantly lower than comparable beach markets in Florida, the Outer Banks, or the Northeast, which means stronger cash-on-cash returns for investors. That math is hard to ignore.
The Rental Income Story
📅 What Can You Actually Earn From a Grand Strand Rental?
It depends on property type, location, and how you manage it — but the data gives a clear picture of what’s realistic. And importantly, the Grand Strand has demand drivers that most beach markets don’t: peak summer, shoulder spring/fall, snowbird winter, and golf season all year.
Short-Term Rental Benchmarks — Myrtle Beach & North Myrtle Beach (2025–2026)
| MARKET | AVG ANNUAL REVENUE | AVG DAILY RATE | OCCUPANCY RATE |
| Myrtle Beach | $43K avg · top 25% earn $48K+/yr | $181/night | 66% · 241 nights/yr |
| North Myrtle Beach | $58K avg · top 10% earn $108K+/yr | $259/night | 61% · 223 nights/yr |
| 4-BR+ Properties | $67,640–$133,770/yr | Varies by size | Strong summer demand |
Source: Airbtics, Rabbu, AirROI · Nov 2024–Oct 2025 & 2026 datasets
Peak season (June–August) drives the bulk of revenue. But the Grand Strand’s year-round appeal means spring and fall shoulder seasons are genuinely productive — not dead zones. Myrtle Beach’s larger population base, year-round attractions, and golf tourism create more consistent demand throughout the calendar compared to markets like the Outer Banks, where seasonal swings are dramatic.
The Four Demand Seasons
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☀ Summer
June–Aug peak. Highest nightly rates. Families, groups, reunions.
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🌼 Spring / Fall
Mar–May & Sep–Nov. Golf season, Can-Am Week, shoulder travelers.
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❄ Snowbirds
Nov–Mar. Northeastern & Canadian retirees escaping cold. Longer stays, stable income.
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⛳ Golf Year-Round
86 courses. Golf travelers book year-round, often in groups, and stay 4–7 nights.
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⚠ Important context for 2026: STR supply in Myrtle Beach grew 120.7% over the past year, yet revenue and nightly rates both trended upward — a signal that traveler demand is outpacing new inventory rather than being diluted by it. That’s a healthy sign for new investors entering the market. That said, property selection, location, and management quality matter enormously. Not every property performs equally — which is where local expertise comes in.
Before purchasing any investment property, always verify short-term rental zoning and HOA rules for the specific property and community. Some areas require permits, enforce minimum stay requirements, or restrict STR activity entirely. We always confirm this before recommending a property to an investor client.
Local Expertise
🤝 We Know Which Streets, Which Communities, and Which Property Types Perform
The Grand Strand investor market is not one-size-fits-all. Two condos in the same zip code — one oceanfront, one two blocks back — can produce very different results. Two single-family homes in neighboring communities can have completely different STR zoning rules.
What Local Knowledge Gets You
| ✔ Which oceanfront buildings have stable HOAs vs. hidden special assessment risk |
| ✔ Which communities allow nightly rentals vs. 30-day minimums |
| ✔ Which streets and views command premium nightly rates |
| ✔ Which property types are performing best in the current market (2026) |
| ✔ Realistic STR revenue projections based on actual 2023–2025 performance — not peak-era numbers |
| ✔ Trusted local lenders who understand STR and investment property financing |
We’ve worked with investors from up and down the East Coast who started exactly where you are — intrigued by the market, not sure where to start. The questions are almost always the same: Where do I get the most for my money? What will it actually rent for? What are the risks I’m not thinking about? Those are exactly the conversations we’re here to have.
No matter where you are in the process — just curious or ready to make an offer — we’ll make sure you go in with clear eyes and a solid strategy.
No matter where you are in the process — just curious or ready to make an offer — we’ll make sure you go in with clear eyes and a solid strategy.
Ready to Find Your Grand Strand Investment?
Let’s talk about what you’re looking for — budget, goals, timeline — and we’ll show you what the market actually looks like right now.
No pressure. Just honest, local guidance.
Tourism and STR revenue data sourced from Visit Myrtle Beach CVB Industry Research, Airbtics, Rabbu, and AirROI (2024–2026 datasets). All rental income figures are averages and do not guarantee future performance. STR regulations, HOA rules, and zoning vary by property and community — always verify before purchasing. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or investment advice. Consult a licensed real estate professional, tax advisor, and lender for guidance specific to your situation.
Coastal Carolina Group • Myrtle Beach, SC
For informational purposes only. Not financial or real estate advice. Consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation.
For informational purposes only. Not financial or real estate advice. Consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation.
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