Murrells Inlet is a region of South Carolina that's rich in history, from Native American traders to Colonial times, even to the rice plantations that boomed prior to the Civil War, then the commercial fishing boom of the 1880s. All of these endeavors were enabled by the network of creeks and wetlands waterways, linking a network of small lakes and rivers together. This allowed plantations on the inlet to ship their goods to the coast without dredging new channels for them. During the era of extensive commercial fishing, the former plantations changed focus to harborage for shallow draft fishing vessels, even fish salting plants in a few cases. Prior to the arrival of European settlers and colonists in the vicinity, this area was used by the local Native American tribes for moving between summer hunting and fall gathering grounds, mostly gathering wild rice and vegetables and nuts, mixed with fishing in the lakes, and going a small distance offshore into the Atlantic.

Because of this rich tapestry of history, home development on Murrells Inlet focuses on it and tries to incorporate historical elements into their designs. The aim is to get the feel of a calmer, more placid time, in touch with the grand history of South Carolina. The Heritage development on Murrell's Inlet works hard on this aim, and is steeped in history. The development retains many of the features that define Southern living in the antebellum South. It's geared for a sense of civility and restraint, and the mix of old elements (stone and brick construction, Southern décor and architectural motifs) with modern sensibilities where the latter don't intrude exemplifies this fashionable and exclusive development. For example, while all the homes are spacious and open in construction, they aren't cookie cutters, either - they're all developed with the assistance of the prospective home owner and are constructed to have all the modern amenities, including Green/LEEDs certification.

As a community, the development retains many of the features that define southern living - civility and genteel restraint predominate; the community is made of prosperous, successful people who enjoy quiet evenings with their families, the simple pleasures of watching a sunset over the cypresses of the marshlands, or walking down on the dock and listening to the waves lap the piers.

Like all properties in Murrells Inlet, it's close enough to Myrtle Beach that if you need something more than beach combing to fill your days, there's plenty to do. Myrtle Beach is the sixth fastest growing community in the US, and the economy is still strong, having diversified from being a destination retreat for families on holiday to a diversified, service oriented economy with strong jobs growth in the computer and legal fields.

The Hermitage development is one of the upper ends of the greater Myrtle Beach Area real estate market, with home values in the millions, and even the smaller ones costing in excess of four hundred thousand dollars. All that said, they've appreciated in value over the last decade and have not suffered tremendously in the current real estate market.

Murrells Inlet, SC

$5,400,000

Residential
MLS# 1010576
Rhonda Bryant of Prince George Sotheby'S Intl.

Murrells Inlet, SC

$2,495,000

Residential
MLS# 1006507
Vicki Roller of Re/Max Beach & Golf

Murrells Inlet, SC

$699,000

Residential
MLS# 913676
Maggie Boineau of Vintage Estates Christies

Murrells Inlet, SC

$239,000

Land
MLS# 914788
Maggie Boineau of Vintage Estates Christies

Murrells Inlet, SC

$179,900

Land
MLS# 1010378
Chuck Cox of Vintage Estates Christies