NEWCOMER INFORMATION SERVICES
Two words best describe the Myrtle Beach area’s residential real estate market: “red hot.” In fact, the market has been so active that recently U.S. Housing Markets ranked the Myrtle Beach area No. 2 on its Market Hotness Index.
Judging by statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau in April 2001 rating the Myrtle Beach area the 13th fastest-growing area in the nation, based upon 36.5 percent population increase in the last decade, it seems the secret’s out. The Myrtle Beach area is indeed as awesome a place to call home as it is to visit.
New single-family homes, apartments, condominiums, and townhouses have sprung up throughout the Myrtle Beach area at an almost unbelievable pace. A number of gated neighborhoods and planned communities are being developed, some in phases that will not be completed for almost two decades, when the local population is expected to have doubled.
From graceful antebellum mansions to golf course villas, inland apartments to seaside houses, the options for buyers and renters of every budget and lifestyle are plentiful. To that abundance and diversity add the Myrtle Beach area’s natural beauty, a full complement of services and amenities, and easygoing Southern ways – all the ingredients for an ideal location to start on your own, raise a family, or retire.
RELOCATION & RETIREMENT SERVICES DIRECTORY
Water and Sewer
In Myrtle Beach, contact Myrtle Beach City Hall at (843) 918-1212. In North Myrtle Beach, contact the North Myrtle Beach City Hall at (843) 280-5550. In the Little River area, contact the Little River Water & Sewage Co. at (843) 249-4025. Most other areas in Horry County are serviced by Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority at (843) 448-1686. In Georgetown County, contact Georgetown Water & Sewer at (843) 546-8408.
Electricity
Santee Cooper at (843) 448-2411 services Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Conway, Garden City Beach, Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island. Horry Electric Cooperative, Inc. at (843) 248-2211 services most other rural areas such as Socastee, Aynor and Galivants Ferry.
Telephone
The area code for the Grand Strand is (843). Verizon customers may apply for phone service by calling 1-800-483-4000. Horry Telephone Cooperative, Inc., customers may apply for residential phone service by calling (843) 365-2154 and for business service by calling (843) 365-2155. Call the telephone companies to learn which will service your area and what type of deposit is required.
Natural Gas
South Carolina Electric & Gas Corp. (843) 236-6413 furnishes natural gas.
Securing a S.C. License Plate
New residents need to secure a South Carolina license plate within 45 days of relocation. Vehicle registration fee is $24. License plates may be obtained from the S.C. Highway Department at:
4103 Hwy. 701 in Conway - (843) 365-4781
1200 21st Ave. N. in Myrtle Beach - (843) 448-9957
214 Ridge Road in Georgetown - (843) 546-6445
107 Hwy. 57 North in Little River - (843) 399-5567
Obtaining a S.C. Driver's License
Your out-of-state driver's license will be valid for 90 days once you relocate into the area. A South Carolina license may be obtained at the locations listed below with no testing other than a visual exam. There is a $12.50 fee for the license, which is renewable every five years on your birthday. You will need your out-of-state license and social security card in order to obtain a license. If you've never previously been licensed, you will need to submit certification of a driver education course and certification of satisfactory school attendance. Then you must successfully complete the vision and skills tests.
1200 21st Ave. North in Myrtle Beach - (843) 448-9957
4103 Hwy. 701 North in Conway - (843) 365-4781
107 Hwy. 57 North in Little River - (843) 399-5567
214 Ridge Road in Georgetown - (843) 527-8730
Voter Registration
To register to vote, you must be a citizen of the United States and 18 years of age or older. Proof of permanent address is required. In order to vote you must register in person or mail a registration application 30 days in advance of any election. A registered voter may vote in any special, general or municipal election or primary by presenting a registration certificate and a S.C. driver's license or state I.D. at the polls.
Register to vote in Horry County at any of four Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce office locations. The Horry County Board of Registration is located at 1316 1st Avenue in Conway, (843) 248-1382. Georgetown County residents may register to vote at the Georgetown County Board of Registration located at 303 Hazard Street in Georgetown, (843) 546-9530.
Real Estate Taxes
Horry County Tax Assessor's Office - (843) 248-1361
Georgetown County Tax Assessor's Office - (843) 546-1241
Real property (land, houses, buildings, mobile homes) tax notices are mailed in October to Horry County and Georgetown County residents and must be paid by January 15 of the following year in order to avoid penalties. Taxes are based on the following percentages of assessed value: commercial, 6 percent; residential, 4 percent or 6 percent (may only be 4 percent if you've filed with the tax assessor's office to qualify as a year-round resident); second home, 6 percent.
Homestead Exemption
Once you have established one-year residency and you are over the age of 65, you are eligible for a homestead exemption of $20,000. That exemption, if applied to a $100,000 home, would reduce your property tax by $173.00.
Income Tax
S.C. Department of Revenue - (843) 293-6550
South Carolina has a simplified income tax structure which follows the federal income tax laws. South Carolina accepts the adjustments, exemptions and deductions allowed on your federal return with few modifications. Your federal taxable income is the starting point in determining your state income tax liability.
Sales and Use Tax
South Carolina's sales and use tax rate is 5 percent. Neither Horry County nor Georgetown County has a local option sales and use tax. Prescriptions, dental prosthetics and hearing aids are exempt from the sales tax. Those over the age of 85 are exempt from 1 percent of the sales tax. A maximum sales tax of $300 is imposed on the purchase of motor vehicles, including recreational vehicles, boats, motorcycles and airplanes.
Each gallon of gasoline is taxed at 16 cents. This tax is included in the price per gallon at the gasoline pump. |