Quick answer: Myrtle Beach is not one housing market right now. Single-family homes are closer to balanced. Condos, especially many oceanfront and older buildings, are a buyer’s market. If you only look at one “Myrtle Beach market update,” you will get the wrong picture.
Data sources: Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS® (CCAR) monthly reports, local MLS city updates, and recent Grand Strand market summaries through summer 2026.
Key takeaways
- Single-family homes have tighter supply, more stable prices, and stronger demand from year-round buyers and relocating retirees.
- Condos have more inventory, longer market times, and more price cuts. Buyers have more room to negotiate.
- Closed sales can look “up” while pending contracts and showings tell a different story. Watch the next 30–60 days, not last quarter’s headlines.
- A condo’s HOA fee, insurance, reserves, and rental rules now matter as much as the list price.
- The right move depends on the property type, the neighborhood, and the building — not a county-wide average.
What “two markets” actually means
People search “Myrtle Beach housing market” and expect one answer: buyer’s market or seller’s market.
That is the wrong question in 2026.
Market 1: Single-family homes
Detached houses in places like Carolina Forest, Conway, Longs, Socastee, Little River, and parts of North Myrtle Beach still have buyers. Inventory is higher than the frenzy years, but it is not overflowing. Prices have been mostly flat to slightly mixed, not collapsing.
Market 2: Condos and many townhomes
There are more units for sale, they sit longer, and buyers are pickier. Oceanfront buildings with rising insurance and HOA costs feel this first. A well-run inland condo with reasonable dues can still sell. A high-fee building with a thin reserve account often will not, at least not at last year’s price.
If someone tells you “the market is hot” or “the market is crashing,” ask: house or condo? Then ask: which zip code and which building?
Side-by-side snapshot
These are directional figures from 2026 CCAR and local reports, not a promise that every street matches them.
| What to watch | Single-family homes | Condos / townhomes |
|---|---|---|
| Supply | Roughly 5 months in many recent reports — closer to balanced | Often 8+ months — buyer-friendly |
| Prices | Mostly holding; small ups and downs by area | Softer medians in many Myrtle Beach and oceanfront reports |
| Time on market | Still measured in months, but better-priced homes move | Longer, especially if dues or insurance are high |
| Buyer leverage | Some, if the house is overpriced or needs work | More: inspections, credits, and price are in play |
| Biggest risk for sellers | Pricing like it’s 2021 | Ignoring HOA, insurance, and building health |
| Biggest opportunity for buyers | Negotiation on condition and extras, not a fire sale | Price + terms, if you underwrite the building first |
Numbers change every month. The split has not.
Why condos and houses diverged
1. Monthly cost is the real price now
A $220,000 condo with $800–$1,200 in HOA dues plus higher insurance is not “cheaper” than a modest house inland. Retirees and second-home buyers run the full payment, not just the mortgage.
2. Insurance and reserves showed up on the closing statement
Wind, hail, flood, and building master policies have risen. Some associations raised dues. Some lagged, then hit owners with assessments. Lenders and buyers now ask for budgets, reserve studies, and master policy details before they get attached to a view.
3. Investors cooled off in the wrong buildings
Short-term rental condos only work if the building allows them, the numbers work after dues, and the unit can actually get booked. When those pieces slip, listings pile up in the same towers.
4. Year-round buyers still want a house and a yard
A lot of people moving from Florida, New York, Ohio, and the Midwest want no stairs, a garage, and room for visiting family. That demand supports detached homes more than stacked units.
5. Showings and pendings matter more than last month’s closings
Closings are old news. They reflect contracts signed weeks earlier. If showings drop and pendings slip while inventory stays high, prices usually follow. That is the condo warning light several mid-to-late 2026 reports already flagged.
What this means if you are selling a house
Price it to today’s comps, not your neighbor’s 2022 sale.
Homes that are clean, well photographed, and priced inside the last 90 days of solds still get attention. Homes that launch 8–12% high sit, then chase the market down.
Do this before you list:
- Pull the last 6 closed sales within a tight radius and similar square footage.
- Look at active competition, not just solds. Those are the houses a buyer will tour this weekend.
- Fix the cheap stuff: paint, lighting, HVAC service, curb appeal.
- Be honest about flood zone, insurance quotes, and any HOA if you have one.
A house in Longs, Conway, or Carolina Forest does not sell the same way as an ocean-view condo on North Kings.
What this means if you are selling a condo
The list price is only half the listing.
Buyers will ask:
- What are the current HOA dues, and how much did they rise in the last 24 months?
- Is there a special assessment now or coming?
- How healthy are the reserves?
- Is the building warrantable for a normal loan?
- Are short-term rentals allowed, limited, or banned?
- What does the master insurance policy cover, and what does the owner still pay?
If you cannot answer those in one sitting, the listing will feel risky. Risky listings get lowball offers or no offers.
Practical path:
- Gather the HOA packet before photos go live.
- Price against recent closed units in the same building first, then nearby buildings second.
- If three similar units are already listed below you, you are not “waiting for the right buyer.” You are the backup option.
What this means if you are buying or relocating
You have more choice than you did in 2021–2022. Use it.
If you want a single-family home:
Don’t wait for a crash that may not arrive. Shop the payment, the location, and the insurance quote. Leave room to negotiate repairs.
If you want a condo:
Underwrite the building like an investor even if you will live there. A pretty kitchen does not fix a weak reserve fund.
If you are retiring here from Florida or the Northeast:
Compare the all-in monthly number: principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA, and flood. South Carolina’s tax treatment of retirement income helps many people. It does not cancel a $900 condo fee.
Neighborhoods are not interchangeable
Broad labels hide the real market.
- Carolina Forest: Strong house demand over the last decade; 2026 sales volume has been choppier in some reports, but prices in many pockets have held better than beach condos.
- Conway and Longs: More house for the money. Good fit for buyers who want space and a lower payment.
- Myrtle Beach oceanfront / walk-to-beach condos: Highest fee and insurance pressure. Shop building by building.
- North Myrtle Beach: Houses and condos can both work, but they are still two products.
- Surfside, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys: Smaller inventories. One listing does not set the market.
Ask for the zip code and property type every time. “Grand Strand average” is a blended number that helps almost no one make a decision.
How to read a market update without getting fooled
When you see a headline that sales are “up 15%” or “the market is surging,” check four things:
- Houses or condos?
- Closed sales or pending sales? Pendings are the leading indicator.
- Year-over-year or last 90 days? A strong year-ago comparison can hide a soft summer.
- Median price or average price? A few luxury sales can lift the average and hide weakness in the middle.
If the article cannot show those four, it is marketing, not a briefing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Myrtle Beach a buyer’s market in 2026?
For many condos, yes. For well-priced single-family homes, it is closer to balanced. It is not 2021, and it is not a collapse.
Are Myrtle Beach home prices dropping?
Single-family prices have been relatively stable in a lot of 2026 data, with variation by town. Condo medians have been weaker in multiple Myrtle Beach and oceanfront reports. Your property can move opposite the average.
How long does it take to sell a home in Myrtle Beach right now?
Plan on weeks to several months, not days. Priced-right houses move faster than overpriced ones. Condos with high dues or insurance issues take longer.
Should I sell my Myrtle Beach condo now or wait?
Waiting only helps if the building’s costs stabilize and competing inventory shrinks. If dues and insurance are still rising and similar units keep listing, waiting can cost more than selling and moving on.
Is a condo a good buy for retirees in Myrtle Beach?
It can be, if the building is financially healthy, the dues fit the budget, and you like the lifestyle. It is a poor buy if the only reason is “it’s cheaper than a house” and you have not read the HOA documents.
Do I still need a local agent if I can see the listings online?
Online listings show asking prices. They do not show which buildings have assessment risk, which streets flood, which HOAs are tightening rental rules, or which “updated” units still have original HVAC. That is the part that costs people money.
Bottom line
Myrtle Beach in 2026 is two markets sharing one beach.
Houses are a negotiation. Many condos are a bigger negotiation. Treat them that way, use current comps, and run the full monthly cost before you decide.
If you want a plain-English read on your house or condo — not a county average — I will pull the recent solds, the active competition, and the cost picture and tell you the truth. It may not be what you want to hear. It will be what you need before you list or write a check.
