55+ communities and the $500,000 line
| Area | Median sale (12 mo.) | Under $500K: closed / for sale | HOA on MLS listings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horizons at Carnes Crossroads | Goose Creek / Summerville | $369,505 | 161 closed / 15 for sale | $234 to $366 a month on 2026 listings, depending on the collection |
| Horizons at Summers Corner | Summerville | $400,000 | 137 closed / 29 for sale | About $369 a month on most 2026 listings ($274 on some) |
| Hammock Walk at Nexton | Summerville | $286,885 | 33 closed / 7 for sale | About $215 a month on 2026 listings |
| The Elms of Charleston | North Charleston | $326,000 | 18 closed / 4 for sale | About $230 a month on 2025 and 2026 listings |
| Del Webb at Cane Bay and Four Seasons at Lakes of Cane Bay | Summerville | $460,000 | 59 closed / 19 for sale | $327 to $350 a month on 2026 listings |
| Cresswind Charleston and Carillon at The Ponds | Summerville | $484,750 | 23 closed / 12 for sale | About $310 a month on most 2026 listings (up to $359 on a few) |
| Del Webb Charleston at Nexton | Summerville | $610,000 | 26 closed / 3 for sale | $270 to $310 a month on 2026 listings (newer builder closings show $310) |
| The Pines at Gahagan | Summerville | too few sales | 3 closed / 1 for sale | $233 to $244 a month on recent listings |
| Encore / Restore at Carolina Park | Mount Pleasant | $675,000 | 0 closed / 0 for sale | About $187 a month on recent listings |
| Del Webb Point Hope | Cainhoy | $857,128 | 0 closed / 0 for sale | About $286 a month on 2026 listings |
Closed residential sales flagged "55+ Community" in the CHS Regional MLS, Oct. 28, 2025 to Oct. 28, 2026, matched to each community as described on its page; active listings and fees pulled Nov. 8, 2026. Medians, not appraisals. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Where $500,000 works
Two Lennar communities do most of the volume. Every sale I matched to Horizons at Carnes Crossroads closed under $500,000 (median about $370,000), and so did nearly all of Horizons at Summers Corner (median about $400,000). Both are one-story, gated Lennar sections inside big Summerville-area master plans, and both had new homes and resales for sale under $500,000 in November.
If you want the lowest price, look at the attached villas in Nexton that I match to Hammock Walk (median about $287,000 for roughly 1,140 square feet) and The Elms of Charleston in North Charleston (median about $326,000). Smaller homes, but the lowest entry points I track.
Where it's a stretch
Cane Bay's two 55+ sections and The Ponds (Cresswind and Carillon) sit right around the line: medians of about $460,000 and $485,000, with roughly two-thirds of Cane Bay's 55+ sales and about half of The Ponds' under $500,000. Those are mostly resales, so condition and lot matter more than the plan name.
At Del Webb Nexton the median detached sale was about $610,000. 26 detached sales closed under $500,000, but only 3 detached homes were listed under it in November, so plan on being patient or stretching the budget.
Where it doesn't work
Del Webb Point Hope on the Cainhoy peninsula (median about $857,000) and Restore at Carolina Park in Mount Pleasant (median about $675,000 on a handful of sales) had no sales or listings under $500,000 in the window. Closer to downtown and Mount Pleasant, the 55+ options cost more.
What $400,000, $450,000 and $500,000 buy
Going by the MLS sales, about $350,000 to $400,000 buys a new or nearly new one-story Lennar home of roughly 1,500 to 2,000 square feet at Carnes Crossroads or Summers Corner, or a resale at The Elms. Around $450,000 opens up the larger Horizons plans and many Cane Bay resales. At $500,000 you can look at most of The Ponds and the smaller Del Webb Nexton resales.
Budget for the monthly fee too. HOA fees on recent MLS listings run from about $215 a month (Hammock Walk) to about $369 (Horizons at Summers Corner), and some communities add a master association fee or a special assessment on the tax bill. A $100-a-month difference in fees adds up to $12,000 over ten years, so compare the full monthly cost, not just the price.
Where I land
Under $500,000, I'd start at Horizons at Summers Corner or Horizons at Carnes Crossroads if you want new construction and single-level living, and at Cane Bay or The Ponds if you'd rather have an established resale with mature landscaping. Then I'd compare the full monthly cost, fees and taxes included, not just the price.
Common questions
What is the cheapest 55+ community near Charleston?
By median sale price in the 12 months to Oct. 28, 2026, the attached villas I match to Hammock Walk at Nexton (about $287,000) and The Elms of Charleston (about $326,000). Among detached new construction, Horizons at Carnes Crossroads had the lowest median, about $370,000.
Which Charleston 55+ community has the lowest HOA fees?
On recent MLS listings, Restore at Carolina Park (about $187 a month, though a Carolina Park master fee may apply) and Hammock Walk (about $215 a month plus about $125 a year) were lowest. Horizons at Summers Corner was highest at about $369. Always get the HOA's current budget; listings aren't always complete.
Are there 55+ communities in Mount Pleasant under $500,000?
Not that I found. The 55+ section I track in Carolina Park had no sales or listings under $500,000 in the window. For that budget, the Summerville and North Charleston area communities are where to look.
Do I have to be 55 to buy in these communities?
Each community sets its own age policy in its covenants under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act, which requires at least 80% of occupied homes to have at least one resident 55 or older. Some allow younger buyers or residents in limited cases. Read the recorded covenants for the specific community.
Keep reading
- 55+ communities around Charleston, compared
- Horizons at Summers Corner
- Del Webb Nexton vs Horizons at Summers Corner
- Retiring to Charleston: taxes, health care and housing
- New construction directory
Sources
- Lennar: Horizons at Summers Corner (HOA, tax rate, special assessment)
- NewHomeSource: Cresswind Charleston plan (HOA)
- HUD: Housing for Older Persons Act (55 and older housing)
Published November 8, 2026, last checked November 8, 2026. Fees, prices and road projects change, so confirm the current numbers for any specific home before you buy. More answers