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Homes for Sale in Carolina Forest Learn more about the Myrtle Beach Carolina Forest Community

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Carolina Forest is an unincorporated community, located in Horry County, west of the Intracoastal Waterway, in between the larger South Carolina cities of Myrtle Beach and Conway.

Carolina Forest Homes and Real Estate

The median home value for this area is $396,800 with most homes being made up of single-family properties or condos. There are plenty of housing options available including older ranch-style houses to modern new construction that come fully equipped with all upgrades imaginable. Depending on the subdivision, buyers have a lot of choices between single-family homes for sale, townhomes, as well as open land, vacant lots, and even condominium units on the market.

Carolina Forest real estate came to life in the mid-1990s thanks to a master plan developed through the cooperative efforts of the world’s largest paper and pulp company, International Paper, and the government of Horry County.

The architects of Carolina Forest real estate’s master plan had the foresight to determine its infrastructure ahead of the actual construction, giving the community’s future residents a detailed outline of how the development would come together, including schools, grocery stores, childcare, and commercial expansion.

By all accounts, Carolina Forest’s master plan has so far worked out splendidly, especially if you consider population growth important.

According to the United States Census of 2020, this planned-unit development’s more than 9,000 acres was home to 23,000 full-time, year-round residents. That’s a whopping 6,400 more residents than the officially recorded population for the community in the year 2000.

What Is A Carolina Forest Master-Planned Community?

Master-planned communities, like Carolina Forest, are not a new development (so to speak) in the real estate world. They have been around since the 1960s.

It all started in Arizona. Here underneath the blisteringly hot desert sun, a visionary developer from California, named Simon Eisner, teamed up with an equally forward-thinking group of city planners to create a master plan for the layout, design, construction, and development of what would come to be named McCormick Ranch, located in the Phoenix-area suburb of Scottsdale.

In addition to the actual, physical, plan itself, there are several contributing factors that make Carolina Forest a master-planned community,  lots’ shapes, and sizes were pre-determined, and office parks, commercial and retail centers, recreational parks, and plans for future development were all included in the community’s master plan.

These provisions were literally and figuratively groundbreaking for the real estate market of the 1960s; however, today most of them would generally not be considered unconventional. The defining features of most master-planned communities in the 21st century tend to be things like man-made lakes, vast green spaces and parks, jogging and biking paths, a golf course or two, and recreational and relaxation niceties, such as community centers, swimming pools, and spas.

Carolina Forest SC Homes for Sale
Carolina Forest SC Homes for Sale

Guide to Carolina Forest’s Neighborhoods

More than two dozen different neighborhoods combine to make up Carolina Forest’s real estate properties. Each one of these communities has its own personality and style. Here you will find an eclectic mix of Intracoastal Waterway neighborhoods that offer dry boat storage, gated communities, lakefront homes, apartments and condominiums, golf course subdivisions, custom home neighborhoods, and many more.

Although most of Carolina Forest’s single-family homes and multi-purpose residential units look brand new, there are a few subdivisions, such as Covington Lake, Canterbury Apartments, and Spring Lake that were established more than a decade ago.

Carolina Forest real estate also consists of relatively new communities, which often tend to be more affordable than the older communities. These include Avalon, Belle Grove, and Walkers Woods.

The vast majority of Carolina Forest’s neighborhoods are conveniently situated less than 10 miles from the Grand Stand’s 60-mile stretch of warm, sandy beach, and the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

Carolina Forest Neighborhoods Map
Carolina Forest Neighborhoods Map

Complete list of the most popular areas in Carolina Forest for Myrtle Beach real estate.

Planters Point
Village Oaks

Carolina Forest Shopping and Dining

One of the factors that figure prominently in making Carolina Forest real estate so desirable is its close proximity not only to the airport and the beach but also to a number of shopping and dining options.

With downtown Myrtle Beach only a short drive away, Carolina Forest’s residents have an embarrassing amount of shopping and dining opportunities from which to choose; however, they also have an incredible variety of each of these at their disposal without having to travel far from the friendly confines of their master-planned community.

Coastal Grand Mall has more than 100 stores to peruse, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ulta, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret, and Aeropostale. Savor some of the available fare available here at places like the Texas Roadhouse, Abuelo’s, or Chick-fil-A.

Carolina Forest real estate properties are also located near Tanger Outlet. One could spend a lot of time, not to mention money, at such popular and disparate stores as Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Tommy Hilfiger, Candy Barrel, Kenneth Cole, and The Children’s Place. And after a shopping foray, it’s easy to grab a bite at Outback Steakhouse.

And last but certainly not least, is The Market Common, an incongruous moniker if there ever was one. There’s nothing “common” about The Market Common. It is more than 340,000 square feet of commercial and retail space contains mostly upscale retailers, like Ann Taylor, Barnes & Noble, and Williams-Sonoma; disparate eateries, such as King Street Grille, Ultimate California Pizza, and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro; and you can catch a movie at its 14-screen theatre.

But what makes The Market Common so uncommon is that you can actually live here or rent a vacation condo. Market Common Homes by Dock Street Communities offers sparkling new homes, apartments, and vacation rentals onsite.

Carolina Forest Recreation and Fun

There are enough recreational options available in and around the Carolina Forest real estate properties to meet everyone’s age, interests, and skill level. There are more than 70 golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area, including The Wizard and Man O’ War, and World Tour, which are the three golf courses that reside within Carolina Forest.

The initial master plan for Carolina Forest called for parkland, nature reserves, and land for an animal corridor to be set aside in order to be used for future recreational areas. The Horry County Bike & Run Park is a 7-mile trail that twists and turns across 72 acres of land, sandwiched between Carolina Forest and the Intracoastal waterway. The Hulk never leaves riders disappointed as it provides an experience like no other with its challenging terrain which will leave you questioning if this really happened in Myrtle Beach!

Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve is a 9,690-acre expanse of land adjacent to Carolina Forest which the state of South Carolina has deemed an “Important Bird Area.” Bird watching is, of course, a very popular pursuit in the preserve, but it also offers several other recreational opportunities, such as hiking, hunting, and horseback riding.

Carolina Forest Schools

Carolina Forest High School
Carolina Forest High School

Carolina Forest has its public education needs to be served by Horry County Schools. This includes Carolina Forest Elementary School, Palmetto Bays Elementary School, South Conway Elementary School, Waccamaw Elementary School, Carolina Forest Middle School, and Carolina Forest High School.

Carolina Forest Health and Medical Services

There are several outstanding healthcare and medical service centers in and near Carolina Forest, such as Conway Medical Center, Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, Seacoast Medical Center, and Waccamaw Community Hospital.

Carolina Forest Realtors

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Carolina Forest? Let your local real estate expert help you through the purchase of your next home, or expertly negotiate the sale of your current home. As local real estate agents, this is what we do every day and we are good at it. Jerry Pinkas real estate Experts know the Carolina Forest real estate market like the back of our hand. Give us a call at (843) 839-9870 and put us to work for you!

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