Have a place in Calabash NC, 7 miles north of the SC boarder, far enough away from Myrtle to avoid the influx of tourists during the summer and close enough to enjoy all Myrtle has to offer. For dining take a ride into Muriel’s Inlet, it’s the seafood capitol of SC, the have a marsh walk that’s pretty cool, food is awesome there. Calabash NC is the seafood capitol of NC, in Little River NC there is a bunch of inter coastal restaurants you can walk to once parked, it’s a great way to kill an afternoon.
When looking for a retirement place there really isn’t a bad location down there, obviously there are bad locations but they are easy to spot, homeowner insurance is where they get you, if you are within 7 miles of the ocean insurance is crazy high, you need to carry homeowner and wind and hail insurance, if outside the 7 miles those costs are much better, I’m outside the 7 miles and I still pay 2800 a year, without the wind and hail insurance (it’s optional) if a hurricane comes through you are screwed.
A second home in SC charges you a big number for property tax, a friend bought in SC recently and is paying 4600 a year, once it becomes the primary residence that number is like 1000 a year, in NC I pay 1400 a year and when I hit 65 it gets cut in half, NC taxes your pension if you have one, SC does not.