Myrtle Beach, SC

Hurricane Florence produced massive rainfall-driven flooding across the broader Grand Strand region in September 2018, and Hurricane Matthew's 2016 coastal track changed local buyer perceptions of evacuation logistics and preparation in ways that the tourist economy had previously absorbed without triggering diligence conversations. Myrtle Beach's hurricane score of 86 sits at the 94th national percentile; flood at the 90th. The oceanfront strip's profile is the one buyers typically research—but the inland resort growth in Carolina Forest and the Socastee corridor has introduced a distinct flood exposure that backwater conditions, not ocean surge, drive. We checked twice: Carolina Forest's 29579 expansion is a case study in inland resort growth meeting floodplain reality. River and lowland flooding here operates on mechanisms separate from beachfront surge—but the outcome in a Florence-style event is materially similar. Short-term rental economics in the broader Grand Strand market can systematically hide real insurance carrying costs: a property generating strong gross rental income can still be cash-flow negative once flood, windstorm, and HOA reserve costs are properly accounted. Annual premiums range from $2,200 to $6,100, with strong variation between oceanfront towers and inland communities. Flood insurance is required or strongly advisable across most of the market. Backwater flooding matters beyond the beach strip itself. Heat at the 75th national percentile is moderate—not the headline—but long humid summers compound the energy costs of maintaining short-term rental inventory to acceptable guest standards. Myrtle Beach is not only an oceanfront storm story. The inland flood exposure in resort growth corridors is the underappreciated variable in every acquisition model that focuses only on the sand.

— Open Data Collective