Summerville is a town considered by many as a distant suburb of Charleston; and has thus experienced rapid population growth. Summerville is the largest town in Dorchester County, northwest of Charleston, South Carolina. The Town of Summerville is also fondly known as the "Flowertown in the Pines," so named because of its situation on a dry, sandy ridge, amidst pine trees that charge the air with fragrant derivatives of turpentine. Summerville was originally settled in the early 18th century as Charleston residents discovered that the higher land and pine forests provided respite from the oppressive heat and that came with summer. Most of today's beautiful old homes of Summerville had their origin as summer cottages for the first families of historic Charleston.
In 1899, a world congress of medical specialists in the field of respiratory disease gathered in Paris. The group named Summerville one of the two best areas in the world for the cure of lung and throat disorders. One inn after another sprang up as the town quickly became a favorite winter resort for Northern visitors who came to enjoy the mild climate and hunting season. The most famous, the Pine Forest Inn, in Summerville, sometimes served as the winter White House for Presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. Summerville is Dorchester County’s largest community with a population at approximately 28,000, is recognized as the home of all high schools in America’s most winning football coach, Summerville High School’s John McKissick. The Dorchester 2 school district has the distinction of district average composite SAT scores of 1022, which surpassed the national average (1021) and state average (985). The Summerville Dorchester 2 district average ranks tenth in the state of South Carolina. Summerville’s annual arts and crafts event, the YMCA Flowertown Festival, held each April, draws over 25,000 people each spring and is the largest open air show of its kind in the Southeast. Other popular Summerville events include Sculpture in the South and theatrical performances by the Flowertown Players. Woodlands Resort & Inn is one of only three lodging properties in America to be awarded the Mobil Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond awards for both lodging and dining. This luxury retreat located in the heart of Summerville, is only 30 minutes from Charleston’s historic district. Some residents may still come to Summerville for pulmonary relief, but most come for its mild climate, excellent Dorchester County schools, healthcare, a vibrant downtown, a variety of housing options, small-town friendliness and the proximity to historic Charleston and the beaches. Summerville Real Estate In 2007 the estimated population of Summerville, SC was 51,342 representing an 14% increase from 2000 census data. During the first nine months of 2009, 488 homes were sold representing a 15% increase from the same period in 2008. The Median Home Sales Price for homes in Summerville is $160,625. Days on market (DOM), measures the period of time from the date the property was listed on the MLS to the date when a contract is accepted. In the first three quarters of 2009 average DOM for homes sold in Summerville was 113 days, representing a 21% increase from the same period in 2008. As of November 15, 2009 there were 624 active listings or current inventory in Summerville. Current inventory reflects the number of active listings on the market. Months of inventory equals current inventory divided by monthly sales. Monthly inventory measures how many months it would take to sell out of inventory at the current month’s rate of sale. As of November 15, 2009 there were 15 months of inventory listed in Summerville, SC.
In Dorchester County, Sales jumped 42% in November 2009 with 199 properties sold. The median price of homes sold was $150,000 compared to $170,000 in November 2008.
For information about specific neighborhoods in Summerville, SC please email info@CharlestonFlatFeeRealEstate contact Kyle Cosper, Broker/Owner at (843) 708-3494
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