Conway

Conway is the Horry County seat, sitting inland from Myrtle Beach along the Waccamaw River, and its commercial market has grown around supplying the coast's tourism economy rather than serving beachfront visitors directly. Coastal Carolina University adds a second, smaller demand driver, and the river itself is a factor no Conway exchange file can skip past, since it shapes construction standards across a meaningful share of the city. Investors moving proceeds from beachfront Myrtle Beach property into Conway should expect a lower price point paired with a different, inland set of diligence questions.

Property Types Serving the Coastal Supply Chain

Conway's replacement candidates reflect its role as an inland support market for Myrtle Beach rather than a tourist destination in its own right.

• Distribution and warehouse space supplying Myrtle Beach retail and hospitality operations
• Retail along the Highway 501 and Highway 701 corridors
• Student housing and small mixed-use near Coastal Carolina University
• Historic riverfront mixed-use in downtown Conway
• Self-storage serving the region's second-home and seasonal population

Because so much of Conway's income property ultimately depends on Myrtle Beach's tourism cycle, an investor should treat the two markets as connected rather than analyzing Conway in isolation from the coastal demand driving its warehouse and retail activity. That connection cuts both ways, since a slow tourism season on the coast can show up as softer demand in a Conway warehouse lease renewal a year or two later.

Corridors and Submarkets

Highway 501 is the primary connector between Conway and Myrtle Beach and carries most of the retail and distribution activity, Highway 701 serves the southern approach toward Georgetown, Main Street's riverfront downtown holds a smaller historic commercial pocket, and University Boulevard near Coastal Carolina University supports a distinct student-oriented submarket that behaves more like a small college town than the rest of Horry County. Each of these corridors sits at a different point relative to the Waccamaw River, which means flood exposure varies block by block rather than applying evenly across the city.

Flood Exposure and Building Standards

The Waccamaw River has produced repeated flood events over the past decade, and that history has pushed construction standards in low-lying parts of Conway toward elevated slabs and flood-resistant materials on lower levels. Older riverfront buildings built before those standards existed should get a direct flood history and elevation review, since insurance cost and rebuild requirements on a flood-zone property can change the net return meaningfully compared to a similar building set back from the river. A recent elevation certificate should be requested from the seller rather than relying on an older survey. Warehouse buildings serving the Myrtle Beach supply chain should also get a roof and HVAC review of their own, since a large distribution footprint carries a meaningful utility cost that a purchase price comparison alone will not reveal.

Identification Watchouts

Flood zone designation should be confirmed early for any Conway candidate near the river or its tributaries, well before the 45-day identification window closes, since it directly affects both insurance cost and financing terms. Distribution property tied to the Myrtle Beach supply chain should also be reviewed for seasonality, since tourism-driven demand can create uneven cash flow across the year that a straight annualized number would miss, particularly for tenants whose own business slows in the winter months. Student housing near Coastal Carolina University should also be checked against the academic calendar rather than modeled as a standard twelve-month commercial lease, since summer vacancy patterns differ from the rest of the market.

Advisor and Closing Coordination

A Conway handoff file should record the flood zone status of the property, whether it was built to current elevation standards, and how tied its income is to Myrtle Beach's seasonal tourism cycle. That keeps the qualified intermediary, the lender, and the tax advisor working from the same picture, and it should note the date and source of any elevation certificate obtained during diligence, along with who at the lender's office reviewed the flood insurance requirement.

Common 1031 Exchange Questions

Why does flood history matter so much for a Conway exchange?

The Waccamaw River has flooded repeatedly over the past decade, and older buildings built before current elevation standards existed can carry higher insurance costs and rebuild requirements. That should be confirmed with a current elevation certificate before a riverfront candidate is identified.

Is Conway itself a tourist destination like Myrtle Beach?

No. Conway functions mainly as an inland supply and logistics market supporting Myrtle Beach's tourism economy, so its commercial base leans toward warehouse, distribution, and everyday retail rather than beachfront hospitality.

How does Coastal Carolina University affect the local market?

It supports a smaller submarket of student housing and mixed-use property near University Boulevard, distinct from the warehouse and retail activity that dominates the rest of Conway and its Highway 501 corridor.

What corridors should a Conway search cover?

Highway 501 toward Myrtle Beach for retail and distribution, Highway 701 toward Georgetown, Main Street's riverfront downtown, and University Boulevard near Coastal Carolina University.

Does tourism seasonality affect Conway warehouse income?

It can. Distribution property tied to the Myrtle Beach supply chain often sees uneven demand across the year, so income should be reviewed on a seasonal basis rather than assumed to be flat month to month, especially for tenants supplying seasonal hospitality operators.

Ready to organize the exchange file?