Neighborhood offers location, lot size

Saturday, July 27, 2002

BY BOB LANG
Of The Post and Courier Staff

     Only a handful of Lowcountry neighborhoods can offer buyers brick homes on large lots with mature trees - and still be relatively affordable.
     Fort Johnson Estates is one of them.
     Houses in this seasoned James Island community typically sell for less than comparably sized newer homes on smaller lots with younger trees, according to real estate agents who sell in the area.
     "You certainly get your money's worth," said Gregory Belk of Trademark Properties Inc. "These houses have appreciated a lot in recent years, just as all houses have on James Island, but they're still a good value."
     James Wells, an agent with Prudential Carolina Real Estate, called the community one of the premier older neighborhoods on James Island.
     "The houses are of good construction and the people are great," said Wells, who has been selling in the community for about a decade. "When houses come up for sale, they usually don't last long."
     As of last week, agents were listing six homes for sale, ranging in size from 1,700 to 2,600 square feet and in price from $220,000 to $335,000. That doesn't include for-sale-by-owner listings.
     Overall in the neighborhood, homes range from about 1,400 to 3,000 square feet. In the past year, homes on interior lots have sold at prices starting around $160,000, while homes with marsh views have started around $250,000.
     Fort Johnson Estates sits on 135 acres near the end of Fort Johnson Road, within walking distance of the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources facility. The neighborhood, bounded on one side by marsh, was developed in the late 1950s by the Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Co.
     The name was chosen in honor of Sir Nathaniel Johnson, one of the state's first governors. All streets are named for Confederate generals, such as Robert E. Lee Boulevard, Wade Hampton Drive and Preston Road.
     About 220 homes have been built over the years, most of them in the 1960s and '70s. Almost all homes have brick exteriors. Most lots are one-third of an acre or larger. Only a few lots are left that haven't been built upon.
     More than 40 homes are on lots that front marsh, and many of those homes have private docks to tidal creeks. Some lots offer views of Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter and/or the Morris Island lighthouse.
     Split-level homes are common throughout the neighborhood, but there also are ranches, two-story homes and some tri-levels. Most homes come with a covered carport or one-car garage, but there are quite a few two-car garages as well.
     Most floor plans are the old style, with lots of walls and smaller rooms. Formal living rooms are common. Most homes come with at least three bedrooms, with the master upstairs on multistory homes. Master bathrooms are little by today's standards.
     Typical features include hardwood floors, textured ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace. A lot of homes come with wood paneling, built-in bookshelves and sliding patio doors.
     Victor G. Burrell, a retired marine biologist and 27-year resident of Fort Johnson Estates, said the neighborhood is a great place to live.
     "The location is ideal. You're just minutes away from hospitals and downtown, just about anything you would want," Burrell said. "Some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet live here."
     Wells said the neighborhood attracts a wide range of buyers, from families with children to retired couples.
     Unlike a lot of older neighborhoods, Fort Johnson Estates has a swimming pool and tennis court. But all residents don't have to join. Annual memberships are $330 per household.
     Other selling points in the neighborhood, Wells said, are good public schools and the fact that most homeowners aren't required to carry flood insurance.
     "It's a nice neighborhood in a nice area," he said.
     The easiest way to get to Fort Johnson Estates from downtown Charleston is to take the James Island connector to Harbor View Road. Turn right off the exit and take Harbor View to where it meets Fort Johnson Road and turn left. Go about one block until you come to Robert E. Lee Boulevard on your right. That's the first of two entrances, and small monuments mark each.
     For more information on Fort Johnson Estates, call a real estate agent. Some agents have scheduled open houses this weekend.
     Bob Lang covers real estate and automotive news. Contact him at blang@postandcourier.com or 937-5594.

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