843.478.6287
THE COST
Although Regime Fees sometimes scare people, having lived in both condos and single family homes, the cost is similar annually or in most cases, cheaper to live in a condo. People who have never experienced this kind of living are often shell-shocked by the monthly fees. Don't be, just consider it insurance for the future maintenance. Do beware if the Regime Fee seems too low. In Charleston, the Regime Fees include the Flood Insurance & Insurance for the Liability of the Building, so that cost will make the fees seem higher than other parts of the country, but flood insurance is needed for homes as well. As a condo owner, you will need to get HO6 insurance which insures your personal belongings along with any expensive upgrades that may not be covered through the condo insurance.
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In the Tides, there are some perks that you may not see in all condos. The water and cable are covered by the HOA in addition to sewer and trash disposal. Your additional fees may include more channels or faster service fees. You will be responsible for your electric & gas bill which will be considerably less than living in a home because of the insulation factor of the building.
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RULES & REGS for TIDES 1-2-3
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RULES & REGS for TIDES IV
ESTIMATED COSTS
for a $900k CONDO
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HO6 Insurance =
$400-600 this really depends on how many valuables you have and whether you have done significant upgrades to the property - your HOA insurance will cover a build-back to the original specs - this is an annual fee.
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TAXES =
$3566 for a full-time owner ANNUALLY
REGIME FEE =
$945 based on 2000 sq. ft.
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UTILITIES =
< $175 based on 2000 sq. ft. @ double occupancy per month
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AVERAGE MONTHLY =
$1460 for this scenario - of course, food is not included, but this is reasonable when you think of what your utility bills alone cost in a single family home, not to mention the increase in homeowners insurance.
Here is more information on those costs listed that you can expect:
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REGIME FEES
'Regime fees' are also known as Homeowner Association Fees or Property Owners Association Fees. Although the terms "HOA" and "condo association fees" are more widely used, “regime fee” is a common term in southern states, and more specifically here in South Carolina.
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The regime fee often includes building insurance, board insurance, flood insurance, wind & hail insurance, structural maintenance, and upkeep of the common areas inside and out, including any amenities owned by the condo complex (i.e., the pool, the exercise facility, the meeting room) , interior and exterior pest control for the common areas, as well as garbage pickup. The regime is usually a combination of two payments - one payment is added to the RESERVE which holds monies for future repairs and major expenses. The remainder portion is considered the BUDGET ITEMS payment that helps pay for the ongoing maintenance needed throughout the year. Homeowners vote on the Budget each year in deciding how much daily maintenance they want to share with each other. In some cases the insurance payments which should be bid out annually, are a separate item because they tend to fluctuate with the annual bidding.
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Regime fees at Tides are based on the square footage of each condo.
INSURANCE
Building insurance, board insurance, flood insurance, wind & hail insurance are most often included in the higher-end luxury condos' HOA fees. The Tides homeowners are fortunate in that the seawall that was built around the complex has actually reduced their insurance fees, so their regime fees should be lower than some of the others around town and especially those downtown closer to flood zones. The fact that this is a luxury building with lots of amenities does add an expense, so one should find that the monthly fees here are in line with the rest of the luxury buildings in Charleston many of which do not have amenities.
TAXES
There is a two tier tax system in Charleston County. If you are a resident living here full-time, your taxes will be about 1/3 of what an investor or out-of-stater pays. Don't let this deter you if you are not planning on being in Charleston full time, because I still think you will find the taxes less than most other states. You can estimate your taxes with this handy link.
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TAX ESTIMATOR - click here
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For all TIDES condos, the tax district is #21 City of Mt Pleasant. Your assessment ratio is either 4% for full-time residents or 6% for part-time. Your taxes are based on your sale price (appraisal value) and not what the previous owner paid (with the exception of that first year if they are not caught up on updating the records by closing).
Also, remember that if you are going to be here full-time or you are over 65, you need to apply for these discounts. You will not receive them automatically.