Horry County, SC Leads State with 7,172 Vacant Properties, Signaling Investor Opportunities
Horry County, South Carolina, presents a significant landscape for real estate investors, recording 7,172 vacant properties in July 2026. This figure positions Horry County as the statewide leader, holding 15.3% of South Carolina's total vacant inventory, which stands at 46,851 properties. The substantial concentration of vacant properties here indicates a robust environment for value-add and distressed asset acquisition, particularly given the county's prominent position within the state.
County Overview
According to BatchData's Vacancy Rates & Investment Opportunities Report for July 2026, Horry County's 7,172 vacant properties are spread across 9,396 parcels, underscoring a significant pool of potential investment targets. The vast majority of these opportunities are concentrated within the residential sector, which accounts for 6,822, or 95.1%, of all vacant properties. This overwhelming dominance by residential assets suggests that investors focusing on single-family homes, duplexes, or small multi-family units will find the most prevalent opportunities for acquisition and renovation within the county.
Beyond residential, other property types represent smaller, yet still noteworthy, segments of the vacant inventory. Commercial properties comprise 249 vacant units (3.5%), while office spaces contribute 46 vacant properties (0.6%). Industrial properties register 24 vacant units (0.3%), with agricultural, exempt, recreational, and vacant land parcels each representing 9, 9, 8, and 4 units respectively, all at 0.1% of the total. This diverse, albeit residential-heavy, distribution offers niches for specialized investors in Horry County.
A critical insight for investors is the on-market status of these vacant properties. A striking 97.2% of Horry County's vacant properties, totaling 6,968 units, are currently off-market. This means only 204 vacant properties, or 2.8%, are actively listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This high proportion of off-market inventory highlights the need for sophisticated property search and lead-generation strategies for investors looking to uncover these hidden opportunities, moving beyond traditional public listings.
Local Market Context
The significant presence of off-market vacant properties in Horry County diverges from what might be expected in a highly competitive market, indicating that many owners of these properties may not be actively advertising their availability. This scenario often points to motivated sellers, neglected properties, or those requiring substantial capital improvements, making them prime targets for investors seeking value-add projects. Engaging in proactive outreach, such as skip tracing and direct mail campaigns, becomes essential to connect with these owners.
Further analysis of MLS statuses for all vacant properties in Horry County provides a deeper look into the market dynamics. A substantial portion, 3,253 properties (45.4%), are categorized with an "Unknown" MLS status. This ambiguity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for investors, requiring diligence to ascertain the true availability and ownership situation of these properties. Another 1,811 vacant properties (25.3%) are listed with an MLS status of "Sold," suggesting that these properties may have recently changed hands but remain unoccupied, potentially awaiting renovation or resale by new owners.
The remaining vacant properties are distributed across various MLS statuses: 1,741 (24.3%) are explicitly "Off Market," aligning with the broader off-market trend. A smaller segment includes 160 "Active" listings (2.2%), 145 "Canceled" listings (2.0%), 44 "Pending" listings (0.6%), and 18 "Expired" listings (0.3%). The presence of "Canceled" and "Expired" listings, though smaller in number, indicates properties that failed to sell on the open market, often due to pricing issues or condition, making them potential targets for investors willing to negotiate directly.
Compared to the broader state and national trends, Horry County's high concentration of off-market vacant properties and its leading position in South Carolina suggest a unique investment landscape. While larger states like Texas, California, and Florida naturally have higher raw counts of vacant properties nationally, Horry County's distinction as the top county in South Carolina, holding 15.3% of the state's total, points to an outsized opportunity relative to its geographic size. Investors can leverage BatchData's property data API and contact enrichment tools to identify and target these specific property types and owner profiles effectively within this dynamic market.