Charleston, SC Rental Market for Investors
An estimated 56% of Charleston's active listings could cash-flow as a short-term rental — here's what the numbers say for investors, as of August 2026.
Homes in Charleston that pencil right now
A sample of active Charleston listings whose DSCR clears 1.25 using short-term rental income projections we accept as a direct lender. These are spread across the price range, not ranked, and current as of August 2026.
$349,000DSCR 1.632 bed · 2 bath · 990 sqft
- STR revenue
- $51,382/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $2,097/mo
On the market 58 days · Listed by Realty One Group Coastal
Scout this home & market: 2-bed condo in Charleston
$470,000DSCR 1.433 bed · 2 bath · 1,420 sqft
- STR revenue
- $59,858/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $2,793/mo
On the market 314 days · Listed by Carolina One Real Estate - Mount Pleasant North
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Charleston
$534,990DSCR 2.034 bed · 3.5 bath · 1,941 sqft
- STR revenue
- $105,399/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $3,468/mo
On the market 24 days · Listed by DRB Group South Carolina, LLC
Scout this home & market: 4-bed townhouse in Charleston
$775,000DSCR 1.653 bed · 2 bath · 1,193 sqft
- STR revenue
- $113,803/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $4,608/mo
On the market 99 days · Listed by Carolina One Real Estate - West Islands
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Charleston
$849,900DSCR 1.283 bed · 2.5 bath · 1,502 sqft
- STR revenue
- $105,856/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $5,511/mo
On the market 108 days · Listed by Realty One Group Coastal
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Charleston
$849,900DSCR 1.283 bed · 2.5 bath · 1,502 sqft
- STR revenue
- $105,802/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $5,511/mo
On the market 108 days · Listed by Realty One Group Coastal
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Charleston
$899,999DSCR 2.044 bed · 4.5 bath · 1,940 sqft
- STR revenue
- $172,878/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $5,660/mo
On the market 55 days · Listed by EXP Realty LLC
Scout this home & market: 4-bed house in Charleston
As of August 2026, we analyzed 770 active for-sale homes in Charleston, South Carolina. The typical listing is priced at $635,000 and is projected to generate about $59,954 a year as a short-term rental.
After setting aside an estimated 20% for operating costs, an estimated 55.7% of those homes could still cover an investor mortgage payment on short-term-rental income — roughly in line with the 52.5% median across the 200 major metros we track, ranking Charleston #88 of 200 for cash-flow potential.
On market momentum: homes in Charleston sit a median of 56 days on the market, and 30% of active listings came on in just the last 30 days — a steadily paced market, which shapes how much room there is to negotiate.
For a DSCR loan — which qualifies on the property's rental income rather than your personal income — that's a relatively healthy setup: in Charleston, a meaningful share of listings throw off enough short-term-rental income, after costs, to cover an estimated investor mortgage payment.
What actually works in Charleston
Charleston works for investors, but the window is specific: 147 of the 490 Charleston homes, condos and townhomes we can price confidently clear a DSCR of 1.25. Nine in ten of them are priced under $794,000.
| Price | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed | 5 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $150k–$250k | 86%1.95 | 88%1.99 | — | — | — |
| $250k–$350k | 38%1.21 | 79%1.50 | 100%1.56 | — | — |
| $350k–$500k | — | 33%1.05 | 54%1.28 | — | — |
| $500k+ | — | 3%0.80 | 12%0.92 | 20%0.84 | 32%0.93 |
Darker means a larger share of that group cash-flows. “—” means fewer than 8 active listings — too few to draw a conclusion from.
Charleston in full
| Active for-sale homes analyzed | 770 |
|---|---|
| Median list price | $635,000 |
| Median projected STR revenue (annual, gross) | $59,954 |
| Median average daily rate (ADR) | $244 |
| Median occupancy | 66% |
| Median beds | 3 |
| Median size | 1,782 sqft |
| Estimated cash-flow-positive share | 55.7% |
| Median days on market | 56 days |
| New listings (last 30 days) | 29.9% of active |
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