Moving to the Lowcountry
Your real 90-day move
Built by a local REALTOR who has helped families land here from every state. Every item is here because someone wished they had known sooner.
90 days out
Get your feet under you
- Visit in person if you can. Photos lie. Spend a long weekend driving from DD2 to DD4, Mount Pleasant to Summerville. The Lowcountry is more spread out than it looks on a map.
- Get pre-approved with a local lender. Out-of-state lenders often miss SC-specific quirks (flood zones, septic vs city sewer, well water). A local lender saves you closing-day headaches.
- Decide: rent first or buy now? If you have never lived in SC, renting for 6 months is rarely a wasted move.
- Map school zones. DD2 and DD4 share borders in Ridgeville and the line matters. Same with Berkeley County. Confirm before you fall in love with a house.
- Start decluttering. Long-distance movers charge by weight. Every pound is real money.
- Get 3 mover quotes in writing. Be wary of any quote that is wildly low.
60 days out
Lock it in
- House hunting trip. Walk neighborhoods at different times of day. Drive your would-be commute at rush hour.
- Submit offer or sign lease.
- Schedule movers. Best dates go first, especially May through August.
- Change-of-address kickoff. USPS, banks, employer payroll, subscriptions, doctors, kid's school.
- New insurance quotes. Home and auto. SC rates often surprise people coming from CA, NY, NJ (sometimes lower, sometimes way higher depending on flood zone).
- Notify your current landlord if renting.
30 days out
The logistics push
- Confirm closing date or move-in date.
- Cashier's check for closing. Your lender will tell you the amount and who to make it out to.
- Schedule utility transfers. Varies by county. Electric: Dominion Energy SC (most of Lowcountry) or Berkeley Electric Cooperative (parts of Berkeley County). Water: Berkeley County Water and Sanitation, Charleston Water System, or Dorchester County depending on address. Internet: Spectrum, AT&T Fiber where available, T-Mobile Home Internet where fiber is spotty.
- Start packing non-essentials. Books, off-season clothes, holiday decor.
- Forward your mail with USPS (do it online, takes 5 minutes).
Move week
Execute
- Confirm utilities are ON at the new house before move-in day.
- Walk through your new home with your REALTOR before closing.
- Take meter readings at the old place.
- Pack an open-me-first box. Toiletries, chargers, meds, important docs, snacks, paper towels, toilet paper, sheets for one bed.
- Have cash for movers' tips. $20 to $50 per mover is standard.
First 30 days as a South Carolinian
The stuff most moving lists skip
- Get your SC driver's license within 45 days. It is the law. Bring proof of residency, proof of SC car insurance, your old license, and your Social Security card.
- Register your car within 45 days. You will pay SC property tax on your vehicle every year. Berkeley County does this online; Dorchester does too.
- File for the 4% legal residence ratio at your county tax assessor if you own and live in the home. This drops your property tax from 6% to 4%. The savings are significant. Do not skip this.
- Update voter registration at scvotes.gov.
- Pick a primary care doctor and dentist. Roper, MUSC, and Trident are the main systems.
- Hurricane prep if you are arriving June through November. Look up your evacuation zone at scemd.org. Build a basic kit: water, batteries, flashlights, important docs in a waterproof bag, two weeks of meds.
- Register the kids for school. You will need a deed or lease, photo ID, and immunization records.
- Get a beach pass if you are going often. Isle of Palms charges for parking; Sullivan's is free. Folly is metered.
- Update your estate docs to reflect SC residency. Your will, healthcare directive, and POA may need refreshing.
- Eat at three local spots in your first month. The Lowcountry welcomes you back through food. Start with shrimp and grits somewhere.
Need a hand?
Let's land you softly
I'm Jess. I'm a REALTOR at eXp Realty serving Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties. If you're moving here from out of state, I help families land softly. No pressure, just real answers.
SC License #146007 · Equal Housing Opportunity
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