Most Myrtle Beach buyers are purchasing more square footage than they actively use day to day, but they are using homes more flexibly than ever—especially for work, guests, storage, and hobbies. In Horry County, the typical listed home is around the mid‑1,400s square feet, yet many buyers still gravitate toward layouts that feel larger because space can “do double duty” as an office, media area, or guest space.
The size of homes buyers are actually purchasing
Nationally, recent buyers typically purchased about 1,900 square feet, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. First‑time buyers came in lower, at a median of 1,600 square feet, while repeat buyers purchased closer to 2,000 square feet. In Horry County, active listings skew a bit smaller, with a median listed home size around 1,435–1,450 square feet as of late 2025, reflecting a shift toward more efficient footprints.
In Myrtle Beach and the broader Grand Strand, new construction in popular areas like Carolina Forest and along Highway 707 often targets the 1,600–2,200‑square‑foot range because it aligns with what buyers can realistically afford at current price‑per‑square‑foot levels. According to recent coastal Carolinas MLS reporting, the 2025 median single‑family price sits in the mid‑$360Ks region‑wide, while condos hover in the low‑to‑mid‑$200Ks, which naturally influences how much space buyers feel comfortable taking on.
Which parts of the home get used the most?
Once the boxes are unpacked, most buyers default to a surprisingly small “daily‑use footprint” inside their home. Survey and behavioral data show people spend the majority of waking hours in:
The main living area (family room or great room)
Kitchen and informal dining space
Primary bedroom and bathroom
A single flex space used as an office, den, or guest room
National consumer research suggests home offices and “Zoom rooms” surged in importance; listings that mention dedicated workspace and strong connectivity rose sharply in 2024–2025. For many buyers, that office or flex room becomes the most heavily used “extra” space, especially with an estimated 20–22 percent of the workforce spending a meaningful part of the week working remotely in 2025.
Outdoor areas also punch above their square footage. In coastal markets like Myrtle Beach, even a modest screened porch or small backyard tends to see heavy use for relaxation, entertaining, and pets, particularly when interior square footage is on the smaller side.
The square footage that often goes underused
Where does space get wasted? Across both national and local markets, several patterns repeat:
Formal rooms: Formal living and dining rooms see far less use than open great rooms and kitchen nooks, especially in newer Myrtle Beach plans that favor open concepts.
Extra bedrooms: In 3‑ and 4‑bedroom homes, one bedroom often becomes long‑term storage, a rarely used guest room, or an occasional hobby space rather than a daily‑use area.
Oversized primary suites: Large bedrooms and sitting areas feel luxurious but don’t necessarily add much day‑to‑day function beyond basic sleeping and dressing.
“Dead” hallways and lofts: Long halls, oversized foyers, and open lofts can add to the overall square footage without adding proportional usable living space.
In the latest national buyer profile, 20 percent of recent buyers reported compromising on the size of the home, while 30 percent compromised on price. That trade‑off tells us that even when buyers do opt for a smaller footprint, they still want their space to be efficient and livable rather than simply bigger on paper.
How remote and flexible work changed “used” space
Remote and hybrid work reshaped how much house buyers actually use. A growing share of workers now spend part of the week at home, and many specifically seek:
A dedicated or semi‑dedicated office
Separation between work and relaxation zones
Extra outlets and strong internet infrastructure
National studies of remote‑work housing trends in 2025 note that buyers increasingly prioritize “spacious but flexible” layouts over raw square footage, often favoring:
One true office or flex room instead of an extra bedroom that never gets used
Open main living areas that can handle multiple functions—work, lounging, homework, and entertaining
Covered outdoor spaces that effectively extend the living room part of the year
In Myrtle Beach, where a significant share of purchases involve relocation or second‑home buyers, this often translates into plans with:
A main‑level office near the entry
An upstairs loft that doubles as media space and overflow sleeping
Smaller secondary bedrooms but better‑appointed shared spaces
Local Grand Strand trends: how much space buyers are actually living in
Local data shows that buyers here are still getting a meaningful amount of space, but not excessively so:
Horry County’s median home sale price in late 2025 sits around $300K–$330K, with typical sale prices per square foot in the upper‑$190s to low‑$220s range.
That price‑per‑square‑foot structure naturally encourages buyers to pick floor plans where nearly every room will be used, especially in popular areas such as Carolina Forest, Conway, and the south end toward Surfside Beach.
County‑level listing data indicates median home sizes in the mid‑1,400s square‑foot range, smaller than the national 1,900‑square‑foot typical purchase, which reinforces the idea that Grand Strand buyers are opting for right‑sized, more efficiently used homes.
At the same time, Myrtle Beach remains more affordable on a per‑square‑foot basis than many coastal markets, with typical prices around the mid‑$200s per square foot in late 2025, leaving room for buyers to add a bit of “nice‑to‑have” space without stepping far outside their budget. In practice, this often shows up as a fourth bedroom, slightly larger garage, or expanded covered porch—spaces that see intermittent but meaningful use, especially for hosting visitors.
What this means when you’re planning your next home
When you translate all this data into real decisions, the key takeaway is that most people regularly use only a subset of their home—and coastal buyers are becoming more intentional about which subset that is. To estimate how much “house” you will actually use, it helps to focus on:
Daily‑use zones: Kitchen, great room, primary suite, and one flex space will do most of the heavy lifting.
Essential extras: Decide whether a true office, hobby room, or expanded outdoor living will genuinely see weekly use.
Storage versus square footage: Well‑planned closets, pantry space, and a functional garage often matter more than an extra 150 square feet tacked onto a rarely used room.
An example: a 1,700‑square‑foot, single‑story home in Carolina Forest with three bedrooms, two baths, a small office niche, and a screened porch may “live larger” than a 2,100‑square‑foot two‑story with an unused formal dining room and a loft you rarely enter. In both national and Grand Strand data, buyers who feel satisfied with their purchase tend to be those who chose layouts that match how they actually live, not just the biggest home they could qualify for.
Carolina Crafted Homes stays current on Myrtle Beach market trends and can answer questions about how much “house” you are likely to use after move‑in. Reach out anytime for guidance—no pressure, just straightforward expertise.
FAQs
Q1. How much square footage do most Myrtle Beach buyers really need?
Most Grand Strand buyers are comfortably living in the 1,500–2,000‑square‑foot range, which aligns with Horry County’s mid‑1,400s median listing size and national buyer preferences around 1,900 square feet. That range typically supports three bedrooms, two baths, and at least one flex space, which covers daily living, work‑from‑home, and occasional guests for many buyers. If you’re considering a larger plan, it’s worth mapping how you would use each additional room on a weekly basis before committing to the extra cost.
Q2. Which rooms end up being used the least after move‑in?
Across markets, formal living and dining rooms, oversized foyers, and some loft spaces tend to see the least regular use once buyers settle in. Extra bedrooms can also become storage or rarely used guest rooms if they aren’t tied to a specific purpose like a home office or hobby space. In coastal layouts popular around Myrtle Beach, open great rooms and kitchen areas see far more daily traffic than formal spaces, which is why many newer plans minimize or remove them.
Q3. How has remote work changed how much house buyers use?
Remote and hybrid work increased demand for at least one truly functional workspace rather than just more total square footage. Listings highlighting home offices, Zoom rooms, and strong connectivity have grown, and buyers consistently report using those flex spaces heavily during the week. As a result, many Myrtle Beach buyers now accept slightly smaller secondary bedrooms in exchange for a better office, improved main living area, or covered outdoor living that extends their usable footprint.
Q4. What’s the typical price‑per‑square‑foot in Horry County right now?
As of late 2025, Horry County resale homes generally sell in the upper‑$190s to low‑$220s per square foot, depending on location and property type. Myrtle Beach itself often lands a bit higher, in the mid‑$200s per square foot due to proximity to the beach and resort amenities. That pricing environment encourages buyers to choose floor plans where almost every room has a clear purpose, rather than paying for extra square footage that may rarely be used.
Q5. How can I tell if I’m overbuying on square footage?
A practical test is to list every room in the plan and write down how often you expect to use it in a typical week; if several spaces land in the “once a month” category, you may be overbuying. Compare that list to a smaller, more efficient plan and see if you can achieve the same functions by rethinking a flex room, office, or outdoor area. In many Myrtle Beach communities, buyers find they can step down one size category and still comfortably cover all their needs while keeping payments and upkeep more manageable.
