Summerville’s median sale price rose to $368,000 in April 2024, up 9.1 % from a year earlier but still trailing Mount Pleasant’s $740 k by half. Active listings sit at 1.8 months—technically a seller’s market—yet new subdivisions like Nexton and Cane Bay are releasing 30–40 homes per month, giving buyers options if they move fast. Entry-level inventory under $300 k moves in 6 days; anything above $550 k lingers 45 days, creating negotiation room. Dorchester County saw 1,124 closed sales in Q1, a 12 % dip from 2023, mainly because rates hovered near 7 %. The sweet spot: 3-bed, 2.5-bath builds 2010–2020 priced $280 k–$350 k.

• Median list-to-close ratio: 98.4 %
• Average days on market: 18
• Share of cash buyers: 18 % (down from 24 % last year)

Old Village & Downtown: Walk to Flowertown Players and the ice-cream parlor; homes 1920-1970, $450 k–$900 k; flood insurance required; FHA 203(k) renovation loans popular.

Sangaree: 1980s-90s brick ranches, $260 k–$320 k, low HOA, USDA eligible, great for first-time buyers with 580 credit.

Nexton: Master-plan with pools, gigabit fiber, $400 k–$650 k; builder incentives up to $15 k; NMHL 1 % down Conventional keeps cash in your pocket.

Cane Bay: 4,500-acre community, new construction $350 k–$550 k; Special Tax District adds ~$600/year but includes amenities; VA loans welcome.

Knight’s Ridge & Legend Oaks: Golf-course lifestyle, $375 k–$550 k; higher acreage; watch for HOA covenants on short-term rentals.

South Carolina State Housing Finance offers three pillars: SC Home (3 % down, $8,000 forgivable), SC Palmetto Hero (reduced rate for teachers, nurses, firefighters), and SC 97 (conventional 3 % down with reduced PMI). Dorchester County’s Community Land Trust sells townhomes at 20 % below market if you agree to resale restrictions—perfect for public-service pros. On top, NMHL layers Closing Cost Assistance up to $3,500 for borrowers under 80 % Area Median Income. We pair these with our Credit Lift program—tri-merge rapid rescore that boosted the average Summerville client’s score 37 points in 30 days last quarter, turning a 585 into a 622 and unlocking better PMI tiers.

Summerville’s gig economy—landscapers, tour guides, Etsy shop owners—often write off too much to qualify on tax returns. NMHL’s Bank-Statement Advantage uses 12 or 24 months of business statements to calculate income; we closed a Johns Island florist who showed $92 k net on Schedule C but $168 k gross deposits, qualifying him for a $410 k home in Cane Bay with 15 % down. Credit scores start at 660, and we allow debt-to-income ratios up to 50 % with compensating reserves. Another niche: 1099 Only for Uber drivers and travel-nurses—no tax returns, just year-to-date 1099s and 30-day bank statements. Rates run 0.75 %–1 % above conventional, but you keep your deductions and still own a Lowcountry address.

With the Naval Weapons Station Joint Base and Naval Nuclear Power Training Command minutes away, Summerville is teeming with active-duty, veterans, and DoD civilians. VA loan limits here follow conforming high-balance—$766,550 in 2024—so zero-down still buys a spacious build in Cresswind. NMHL’s VA Advantage program funds the funding fee into the loan, so a $400 k purchase needs only $1,400 out-of-pocket for appraisal and inspection. We recently closed a $485 k new-build for a retiring E-8 in Del Webb Nexton, saving him $17,500 compared to a 5 % conventional. Surviving spouses with VA COE can also use the benefit; we helped a Gold Star widow buy a $350 k patio home in Knight’s Ridge at 5.625 % when conventional quotes were 7 %.

Dorchester County reassesses every five years; owner-occupied ratio is 5 % of assessed value, millage ~116 mills, producing an effective rate of 0.58 %. On a $300 k primary home expect roughly $1,740/year before homestead exemptions. Veterans receive a full exemption on the first $100 k of assessed value—about $575 annual savings. Closing costs run 2.1 %–2.4 % of price; NMHL’s Summerville Advantage lender credit covers up to $4,000 if you choose a slightly higher rate. Flood zones snake along the Ashley and around Sawmill Branch Trail—factor $650–$2,800 for flood insurance; NMHL orders elevation certificates early so sellers can’t blindsided you. Finally, South Carolina’s deed-recording tax is $1.85 per $500—budget $1,110 on that $300 k purchase.