STR in Charleston, SC

[William Riesner]

I am looking into the Charleston area for a house hacking Airbnb situation. I understand there are a lot of areas that prohibit STR. Does anyone have suggestions or would like to connect so I can get an idea. I am looking for a nice primary residence with a rentable unit preferably detached but not a requirement. Any thoughts or help would be great

[Sarah Young]

I live in a house on James Island where we airbnb our attached garage apartment. We are zoned for the Town of James Island, so while STRs aren't "legal", they only enforce the ordinance if a neighbor complains. Those who are zoned for the City of Charleston must get licensed, lest they be fined big fines if caught. It depends on how far from downtown you are, and how old your house is as to determine if your license application will be approved. The further out from downtown you go, the younger your house can be, if I understand it correctly. In all cases, you must live on the property. Hope that helps! Happy to answer any more questions. I personally love our set up with having a private guest unit on our property. Our 1bd/1ba apartment pays our mortgage every month.