Three Critical Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Home or Lot in Lake Murray South Carolina

All real estate is not created equal, and this is certainly true with waterfront property on Lake Murray, South Carolina. Understanding what to look for can help in the decision-making process and can also help ensure years of enjoyment from your lakefront home. For most people, the three critical factors to consider when buying waterfront on Lake Murray are whether it has marginal land, whether the property can have a private dock, and whether it has year-round water.

The first critical factor is marginal land. Fringe-land is a term used by SCE&G (South Carolina Electric and Gas) that basically refers to a seventy-five foot wide strip of land that is owned by SCE&G and lies between the edge of the lake and the adjacent property fronting Sea.

Adjacent property owners have only foot access to the lake and may not encroach on the land or cut down trees or shrubs on the land without written consent. While most properties on the lake don’t have to deal with this “vegetable buffer,” there are still many properties in more rural areas of the lake where this is a consideration. Generally, properties free of marginal land are more desirable.

The second critical factor is the ability to have a private dock. Not all Lake Murray properties may have private docks. SCE&G controls the issuance of dock permits and has strict guidelines governing the issuance of permits. Properties that have private dock capacity are in higher demand and typically command a higher price than those that only have a shared dock or no dock.

The third critical factor is whether the property has water year-round. Since Lake Murray is a hydroelectric lake, it has an annual drawdown in the fall and winter. The result for landowners is that some properties may be “dry” during the low period. Unfortunately, most real estate agents don’t understand how to properly assess this aspect of lakeside properties.

Properties will often be presented as having water throughout the year, but this is not the case. This is usually not intentional deception on the part of the listing agent, but simply a lack of skill. If you plan to buy a home or lot on Lake Murray, make sure your real estate agent can do an in-depth USGS-based analysis on any property of interest.

When purchasing any real estate, you must perform the proper due diligence. You now have an idea of ​​what to look for when considering making a purchase in Lake Murray South Carolina. See you at the lake!