Berkeley County Housing Market Struggles to Keep Up with Demand

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–When Kimo Esarey moved to Berkeley County 35 years ago, traffic was light and most residents traveled to Charleston every day for work. Berkeley County was known as a “bedroom community” of Charleston, he said.

Esarey, broker in charge at Coldwell Banker’s Goose Creek office, said the influx of industry and jobs within the county over the past years has shifted the residential real estate market. Many more homebuyers are now working within the county, but the market doesn’t have enough homes available.

Michael Sally, president of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors and a lifelong Berkeley County resident, said the region is at its lowest inventory level in more than a decade.“We need more single-family homes,” he said. “We’re trying really hard to keep up with all the demand.”

“In 2009 and 2010, I can remember the inventory levels being at 12,000. Currently, we’re at under 5,000,” Sally said. “That’s a drastic difference.”

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