Galivants Ferry is home to the best residential real estate investment market in South Carolina.
The 29544 zip code in Galivants Ferry presents the greatest opportunity for the best real estate investments among the 2,136 individual real estate markets in South Carolina we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.
💰 Looking to invest in real estate? Find a top local realtor with experience helping real estate investors find great deals.
Clever has earned home buyers’ and home sellers' trust with more than 3,800 5-star customer ratings on Trustpilot.
Our team is committed to making home selling more transparent by educating sellers through guides like this one. Our writers, editors, and industry-leading researchers strive to provide its readers with the most up-to-date, accurate, and useful information.
Our research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more publications.
Data sources
Most of the data in this article comes from the Zillow Home Value Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
We update our data when the original sources update their data, usually monthly. Sometimes we'll update data more frequently.
Clever also performs regular quality checks to identify outdated data, broken data connections, and other data issues that may arise.
About Clever Real Estate
Clever Real Estate has matched more than 200,000 buyers and sellers with agents.
We partner with over 18,000 top-performing agents nationwide at national brokers including Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Century 21, and more. Our free agent-matching tool connects sellers with agents who have agreed to work for a 1.5% commission rate, while Clever Offers lets sellers compare cash offers on their home at no charge.
5 best places to invest in South Carolina
| Rank | City | InvestScore | Affordability | Property value appreciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galivants Ferry | 100 | 3.5 | 44% |
| 2 | Cayce | 95.1 | 3.3 | 45% |
| 3 | Belton | 93.3 | 4.2 | 57% |
| 4 | Ninety Six | 91.8 | 2.2 | 25% |
| 5 | Spartanburg | 91.1 | 3.3 | 42% |
🚨 This article is for informational purposes only. It isn't intended to convey financial or legal advice. We recommend you talk to a real estate agent or real estate attorney when buying a home in South Carolina.
1. Galivants Ferry
We've identified the 29544 zip code in Galivants Ferry as South Carolina's best real estate investment market. Here's why.
🔎 Key data about Galivants Ferry (29544)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 100 | Highest |
| Typical property value | $273,613[1] | 110th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 44%[2] | 55th highest |
| Household income | $78,401[3] | 53rd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.5 | 57th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 8.4%[4] | 15th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9%[5] | 10th lowest |
| Property taxes | $802[6] | 58th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 18%[7] | 127th highest |
Galivants Ferry (zip code 29544) is the best residential real estate investment market in South Carolina. It has the 55th highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 44% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.
Galivants Ferry is the 57th most affordable market among the 2,136 South Carolina markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 3.5.
2. Cayce
The 29033 zip code in Cayce is the runner-up spot for the best real estate investments in South Carolina.
🔎 Key data about Cayce (29033)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 95.1 | 2nd highest |
| Typical property value | $202,759[1] | 58th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 45%[2] | 47th highest |
| Household income | $61,237[3] | 117th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.3 | 42nd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | -1%[4] | 157th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7%[5] | 7th lowest |
| Property taxes | $825[6] | 60th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 31%[7] | 72nd highest |
The 29033 zip code in Cayce features a typical property value of $202,759, the 58th lowest in the state.
Property values have appreciated 45% over the past five years, the 47th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Cayce homes have an affordability ratio of 3.3, the 42nd most affordable in the state.
3. Belton
The 29627 zip code in Belton comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of the best residential real estate investment markets in South Carolina.
🔎 Key data about Belton (29627)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 93.3 | 3rd highest |
| Typical property value | $248,246[1] | 92nd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 57%[2] | 11th highest |
| Household income | $59,167[3] | 124th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 4.2 | 129th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 11%[4] | 5th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6%[5] | 6th lowest |
| Property taxes | $833[6] | 61st lowest |
| Educational attainment | 17%[7] | 135th highest |
With a typical property value of $248,246, Belton's 29627 zip code features the 92nd lowest property values in the state.
Belton homes have an affordability ratio of 4.2, the 129th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
4. Ninety Six
The 29666 zip code in Ninety Six ranks No. 4 among South Carolina's residential real estate investment markets.
🔎 Key data about Ninety Six (29666)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 91.8 | 4th highest |
| Typical property value | $159,142[1] | 32nd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 25%[2] | 162nd highest |
| Household income | $73,571[3] | 162nd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.2 | 2nd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 2.1%[4] | 91st highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7%[5] | 7th lowest |
| Property taxes | $911[6] | 75th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 28%[7] | 82nd highest |
Property values in Ninety Six's 29666 zip code have seen the 162nd highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 25% over the past five years.
Ninety Six's affordability ratio of 2.2 makes it the 2nd most affordable among the 2,136 markets we evaluated.
5. Spartanburg
The 29302 zip code in Spartanburg rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in South Carolina.
🔎 Key data about Spartanburg (29302)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,136 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 91.1 | 5th highest |
| Typical property value | $262,811[1] | 102nd lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 42%[2] | 72nd highest |
| Household income | $80,819[3] | 72nd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 3.3 | 33rd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 4.7%[4] | 39th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9%[5] | 8th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,739[6] | 165th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 40%[7] | 45th highest |
Property values in Spartanburg's 29302 zip code rose 42% over the last five years, ranking the city 72nd highest among evaluated markets in South Carolina.
Spartanburg homes have an affordability ratio of 3.3, the 33rd most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
Buy your investment property with a top local realtor who specializes in helping real estate investors find great deals. Clever can connect you with investing pros at trusted brands like Keller Williams and RE/MAX.
Enter your zip code to get personalized agent matches sent straight to your inbox. Compare your options until you find the perfect fit, or walk away with no obligation. Try Clever's free service today!
Frequently asked questions
See our article Steps to Buying Your First Rental Property to learn the basics of real estate investing for beginners.
You'll learn the importance of setting goals, picking the right market, and more.
Cash investors often use what's called the 70% rule, which suggests they should pay around 70% of a house's after-repair value minus the cost of renovations.
By buying for about 70% of the after-repair value, they're positioning themselves to pay for repairs and other costs, and to lock in a profit.
The 70% rule isn’t a hard-and-fast formula, but a quick guideline investors use to evaluate potential deals.
Investing in residential real estate can be one of the best passive real estate investments in South Carolina.
Residential real estate offers accessible passive income and the potential to compound your original investment.
Renting out residential units is the top way to invest in real estate. House hacking also offers a great opportunity for passive real estate investment income.
How we rank residential real estate markets in South Carolina
To determine the best real estate investments in South Carolina we evaluated 2,136 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on a proprietary weighting framework. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in South Carolina.
What is InvestScore?
InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.
- Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase.
- Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results.
- Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing.
- Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand.
- Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip.
- Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes.
- Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates.
- Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes.
