Buying in Point Hope Charleston SC: What to Know
What should you know before buying a home in Point Hope in Charleston, SC?
Point Hope is not a neighborhood. It is a master planned town on Clements Ferry Road, just past Daniel Island, approved for up to 18,000 homes and still being built. If you buy here today, you are buying into a place that is roughly halfway through a 15 to 20 year build, with new homes, new amenities, and active construction all around you. The 2026 owner assessment is $1,400 per year, homes listed in the MLS run from the mid $500,000s to about $1.3 million, and the biggest tradeoffs are construction, traffic on Clements Ferry, and resale competition from new homes.
By Brett Kelley | November 2, 2026
Most people hear about Point Hope and picture a neighborhood. That's the wrong picture. It's a town that is still being built, and whether that sounds exciting or exhausting is the first thing to figure out about yourself as a buyer.
I spent several days out there and put the straight version in a video: the good, and the not so good. This post puts the same facts in writing so you can compare at your own pace. Watch the Point Hope video on YouTube.
Where Point Hope is and how big it gets
Point Hope sits right off Clements Ferry Road, just past Daniel Island. It's inside the city of Charleston, but it's in Berkeley County, so you'll want to confirm county services and school assignments for any specific address with Berkeley County directly.
- Size: about 9,000 acres, and the developer says about 60 percent is permanently protected marsh, wetlands, parks, and trails.
- Homes: approved for up to 18,000, with the developer expecting 11,000 to 12,000 over the next 15 to 20 years.
- Preserved land: 650 acres set aside as a nature sanctuary under a conservation easement, and the developer says more than 4,500 acres of wetlands stay preserved. Those are the developer's numbers, so read their fact sheet for yourself.
The build order is unusual. The land belonged to the Guggenheim family for decades and was annexed into the city of Charleston in 1995. Philip Simmons Elementary came first, the middle school opened in 2016, the high school followed in 2017, and the first neighborhood of homes didn't open until 2021. Schools before homes, not the other way around.
The neighborhoods and builders today
First Light is the original neighborhood, with homes since 2021, tree lined streets, a park with an open field and playground, and walkable access to the shops. Next door is Hopewell, home to the restored 19th century Sanders House, a community garden with leasable raised beds, and Peggy's Park, the dog park.
Three builders sell single family homes here: Pulte, David Weekley, and Toll Brothers. David Weekley has four collections on 50 to 60 foot lots, some with garages off a rear alley. Pulte plans run from around 2,500 to about 3,300 square feet. Toll Brothers leans bigger and more custom, from a little over 2,100 to nearly 4,000 square feet. Builder starting prices change, so check each builder's current pricing instead of trusting a number in a blog post, including mine.
There's also Del Webb, the 55 and over community, planned for about 750 homes with its own 25,000 square foot clubhouse, indoor and outdoor pools, pickleball, bocce, and a dog park. And more is coming: TBC Development bought 92 acres for Restore 2, planned as 778 homes, townhomes, 55+ apartments and cottages, assisted living, and some income restricted homes for workforce buyers.
What homes cost, and what it costs beyond the house
Here's the market, using MLS data as of late October 2026. Homes listed under Point Hope run from the mid $500,000s to about $1.3 million. That's a wide spread: smaller, newer homes at the entry end, larger homes at the top. About 147 homes closed over the last 12 months, and the median sale in September was about $905,000.
One catch matters. That only counts homes listed under Point Hope in the MLS. A builder's inventory that isn't listed yet won't show up for you or for me, and prices move. To see what's available today, here's a live list of homes for sale in Point Hope.
The fees most buyers don't ask about
- Annual POA assessment: $1,400 per home for 2026, prorated at closing. Local reporting from the Daniel Island News shows that's up from $710 in 2025, so ask how it has changed and what the association expects next.
- Capital contribution: $350 at closing.
- Paperwork fee: $315 at closing.
- Community enhancement fee: one half of one percent, on resales only. It doesn't apply when you buy from a builder.
- Property taxes: Berkeley County. Your primary home is assessed at 4 percent if you apply for the legal residence rate, and a second home or rental at 6 percent. The county has an online tax estimator.
Don't ask, "Is there an HOA?" Ask what the fee covers, what it costs this year, how it has changed, and what's planned. Then read the documents before you're committed. If you're comparing new construction here with other options, our guide to buying new construction in Charleston lists the questions to bring to a builder.
What's already built
Doolittle Park opened this past summer with two pools (a junior Olympic lap pool and a resort style pool), six pickleball courts, two tennis courts, two basketball half courts, and a covered pavilion. About $15 million went into it. There are about five miles of trails today. At the Village Green and Point Hope Commons you'll find a Publix, live music and markets, and roughly 35 to 40 businesses depending on who's counting. MUSC also opened an 80,000 square foot health pavilion right off Clements Ferry Road. A five mile loop called the Waterline is planned around the ponds off Clements Ferry over the next several years.
The honest cons, five things to weigh
- It's a construction zone, and will be for 15 to 20 years. Trucks, noise, and empty lots next door are part of the deal.
- Clements Ferry Road. It has been widened to four lanes with a median and path, and it's much better. But homes are coming and traffic follows development. I've driven it at 7:30 in the morning, 5:30 in the afternoon, and at night. On a weekday it isn't great. Weekends are a different story, and one accident can back up roads across the whole Charleston area.
- Resale competition. New homes keep going up next to existing ones, so if you sell here later you'll compete directly with new construction. That's a challenge I help sellers navigate regularly.
- The legal fight. Environmental groups challenged the federal wetlands permit. In the video I described the case as on appeal. The latest reporting, from Live 5 News on October 27, 2026, says the Fourth Circuit upheld the Army Corps permit, and the developer says the legal process is closing. The groups say they're weighing next steps, and a state coastal consistency review for part of the project was still underway. I'm not telling you to worry. I'm telling you it's real, and I'd rather you hear it from me now than find out in three years.
- Flood zones. The developer says more than 80 percent of buildable land is outside the floodplain. That's their number, and every lot is different. Check the flood zone and the insurance you'd need before you fall in love with a specific lot, here or anywhere. Our homeowners insurance guide for Charleston buyers covers the questions to ask.
Who Point Hope tends to fit
It tends to fit buyers who want new construction with a builder warranty, who like having a park, trails, and groceries close by, and who can live with construction around them for a long time. It also suits 55+ buyers who like the Del Webb setup. It may not fit if you want mature trees, a finished neighborhood, or a short, quiet commute. And if Point Hope isn't the right fit, that's a good answer too. I'd rather you find that out now than in five years. Go drive it on a weekday morning and see how it fits your commute and your lifestyle. If you're relocating from out of the area, our Charleston relocation guide will help you compare areas side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many homes is Point Hope planned to have?
Point Hope is approved for up to 18,000 homes. The developer expects somewhere between 11,000 and 12,000 homes to be built over the next 15 to 20 years on about 9,000 acres, with roughly 60 percent of the land set aside as protected marsh, wetlands, parks, and trails.
What are the fees when you buy in Point Hope?
As of the 2026 fee sheet, the property owners association assessment is $1,400 per year per home, prorated at closing, up from $710 in 2025. Buyers also pay a $350 capital contribution fee and a $315 paperwork fee at closing. On resales only, there is a half of one percent community enhancement fee, which does not apply when you buy from a builder.
How much do homes cost in Point Hope?
Homes listed under Point Hope in the MLS ranged from the mid $500,000s to about $1.3 million as of late October 2026. About 147 homes closed over the prior 12 months, and the median sale price in September was about $905,000. Builder inventory that is not yet listed will not appear in MLS numbers, so prices move.
Is there a lawsuit over the Point Hope development?
Environmental groups challenged the federal wetlands permit for the project. Live 5 News reported on October 27, 2026 that the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Army Corps of Engineers permit, and the developer says the decision brings the legal process to a close. The groups said they are weighing next steps, so ask for the latest status before you write an offer.
What property tax rate applies in Point Hope?
Point Hope is in Berkeley County. In South Carolina, your primary home is assessed at 4 percent if you apply for the legal residence rate, while a second home or rental property is assessed at 6 percent. Berkeley County has an online tax estimator so you can run the numbers for a specific home.
The decision comes down to whether you want to live in a town that's still being built, not whether the sticker price looks good. Run the costs, read the documents, check the flood zone, and drive Clements Ferry at the times you'd actually commute. If you're getting serious about buying here, get on the VIP Home Search so you see the right listings first: https://findhomessc.com/vip-home-search/. Want to map out your plan? Book a quick call with me: https://scheduler.zoom.us/brett-kelley-74pj7g/lets-chat.
About Brett Kelley
Brett Kelley is a licensed South Carolina REALTOR (SC License #96167) and Team Leader of The TREAT Team at SCSOLD, LLC, serving buyers and sellers across the Charleston tri-county area of Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties. A REALTOR since 2016, he has helped hundreds of families buy and sell homes and specializes in listing and seller representation. Connect with Brett at findhomessc.com.
Market figures are from MLS data as of late October 2026 and from the developer's fact sheet and public reporting, as cited above. They change and are not a prediction. This post is educational and is not legal, tax, insurance, or financial advice. Equal Housing Opportunity. Brokered by SCSOLD, LLC.
