Plantation Lakes Myrtle Beach: 5 Pros and 5 Cons of Living Here

by Mike Fiebernitz

If you're looking at homes in Carolina Forest, Plantation Lakes has probably come up in your search. It's one of the most established neighborhoods in the area, and it's built around something you don't find in many Myrtle Beach communities: a big, boatable lake right in the middle of it.

Below, I'll walk you through what I'd tell you if you called me about Plantation Lakes: what homes actually sell for, what your HOA dues cover, and the rules that catch some buyers off guard.

Quick Summary

- Plantation Lakes is a 748-home neighborhood in Carolina Forest, built around a 170-acre lake with about 15 miles of shoreline.
- In the last 12 months, 39 homes sold for a median price of $750,000, or about $250 per square foot.
- HOA dues are $125 a month and cover the clubhouse, fitness room, pools, courts, boat ramp, day docks and trash pickup.
- Homes sit on large lots. The typical home that sold was on just over half an acre.
- Boats are limited to 19 feet and 20 horsepower, and short-term rentals aren't allowed.
- It's about 25 minutes to the nearest public beach access.

Where Is Plantation Lakes?

Plantation Lakes sits right off Carolina Forest Boulevard in Carolina Forest. It's outside the Myrtle Beach city limits, but you still get a Myrtle Beach address.

The neighborhood started in the early 2000s. Today it's 748 single-family homes surrounding one large lake with roughly 15 miles of shoreline.

Plantation Lakes Home Prices: The Numbers

Here's what the MLS shows for detached homes that sold in Plantation Lakes over the last 12 months:

- Homes sold: 39
- Median sale price: $750,000
- Price range: $500,000 to $1,550,000
- Median price per square foot: about $250
- Typical home size: a little over 3,100 square feet
- HOA dues: $125 a month

The Pros of Living in Plantation Lakes

1. The Lake

This is the big one. Lakefront homes can have their own private boat slip, and everyone else in the neighborhood can use the community boat ramp and day docks.

The lake has rules, and they shape what kind of boating you'll do here:

- Boats can be up to 19 feet long.
- Boats 17 to 19 feet can have up to a 20-horsepower motor. Boats under 17 feet are limited to 10 horsepower.
- Think pontoon boats, jon boats and kayaks.

You can go tubing, but this isn't a wakeboarding lake. It's more of a sunset-cruise-on-the-pontoon kind of lake, and for a lot of buyers, that's exactly the appeal. The community has even hosted a bass fishing tournament.

What does it cost to be on the water? Over the last 12 months, lakefront homes sold for a median of $776,000, and off-water homes sold for about $635,000. That's roughly $140,000 more to be on the lake.

But lakefront homes here also tend to be about 400 square feet bigger. Per square foot, the difference is only about $8.

2. A Lot of Amenities for $125 a Month

The HOA is $125 a month, and here's what that covers:

- Clubhouse
- Fitness room
- Pools
- Tennis and basketball courts
- Volleyball and pickleball
- Community docks and boat ramp
- Trash pickup

And the dues didn't go up for 2026.

3. Room to Spread Out

When you talk about space, this is where Plantation Lakes stands out. The typical home that sold in the last year sat on just over half an acre, and two-thirds of them were on a half acre or more.

A lot of newer communities in the area put homes much closer together. Here you get real side yards, backyards and room to breathe. About one in three homes that sold had a private pool.

Most homes have side-load garages, so when you look down the street, you see landscaping instead of a row of garage doors. And some homes back up to protected woods, which gives you privacy behind the house.

4. Established and Built Out

Plantation Lakes is an established subdivision, which means it's basically finished. More than 360 lots have sold here since 2006, and right now there's only one lot for sale.

In the last 12 months, there wasn't a single new-construction sale. Every home that sold was a resale. What you get is mature trees, finished streets and sidewalks, and a neighborhood that isn't full of builder trucks.

The original covenants also required homes to be at least 2,000 square feet, or 2,400 square feet for two-story homes. That's a big reason homes here are consistently on the larger side.

5. Convenient for Everyday Life

You're right in the middle of Carolina Forest, with shopping and restaurants close by and quick access to Highway 501 and Highway 31. Myrtle Beach International Airport is about 25 minutes away.

The Cons of Living in Plantation Lakes

1. The Price of Entry

Plantation Lakes isn't an entry-level neighborhood. The least expensive home that sold here in the last year was $500,000, and the median was $750,000. With the 2,000-square-foot minimum, there aren't any small starter homes.

Here's the good news if you're buying: about half of the homes that sold had to cut their price first, and the typical home sold for about 95% of its original list price.

Right now there are 12 homes for sale, and 9 of them have already reduced their price. So if you're buying here, I wouldn't automatically assume you need to pay asking price.

2. The Boat Storage Catch

This one surprises a lot of people. You can't keep a boat, RV or trailer in your driveway overnight, and there's no overnight parking on the street.

So if you buy a home off the water and want a boat, you'll need to store it somewhere else. The community has four marina slips for overnight use, but you can only stay up to seven days in a row.

One more: commercial vehicles can't be parked in the neighborhood overnight unless they're in your garage. If you drive a work truck home, read that rule carefully in the HOA documents before you buy.

3. No Short-Term Rentals

If you're an investor, this matters. The minimum lease in Plantation Lakes is six months. No Airbnb, no VRBO, no weekly rentals.

So if you're shopping for a short-term rental property, this isn't the place. The flip side is that you won't have vacation renters coming and going next door every weekend.

4. The Architectural Rules Have Teeth

Plantation Lakes takes its appearance seriously:

- You need HOA approval to remove any tree 6 inches or more in diameter. Remove one without approval and it's a $750 fine per tree, plus a 12-foot replacement tree.
- Fences must be 48 to 54 inches tall, and the design has to be approved.
- No contractor work on Sundays or federal holidays, and that includes your lawn service.

Is that a pro or a con? It depends on you. It's also a big reason the neighborhood looks the way it does.

5. You're Not at the Beach

It's about 25 minutes to the nearest public beach access, and longer in the summer once you hit Carolina Forest Boulevard and Highway 501 traffic.

So you're trading the beach for a lake in your backyard. Whether that's a good trade is entirely up to you.

Is Plantation Lakes Right for You?

If you want to be on a lake, have room to spread out, and live in an established neighborhood, and you don't need to walk to the beach or rent your home out short term, Plantation Lakes belongs on your list.

Plantation Lakes FAQ

What are the HOA fees in Plantation Lakes?
HOA dues are $125 a month, usually billed quarterly at $375. They cover the clubhouse, fitness room, pools, tennis and basketball courts, volleyball, pickleball, the community docks and boat ramp, and trash pickup. Dues did not increase for 2026.

Can you have a boat in Plantation Lakes?
Yes. Boats can be up to 19 feet long. Boats 17 to 19 feet can have up to a 20-horsepower motor, and boats under 17 feet are limited to 10 horsepower. Lakefront homes can have a private slip with HOA approval. Boats, trailers and RVs can't be kept in driveways overnight.

Can you rent out a home in Plantation Lakes?
Only long term. The minimum lease is six months, so short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO aren't allowed.

How much do homes cost in Plantation Lakes?
Over the last 12 months, the median sale price was $750,000, with sales ranging from $500,000 to $1,550,000. Lakefront homes sold for a median of $776,000, and off-water homes for about $635,000.

How far is Plantation Lakes from the beach?
About 25 minutes to the nearest public beach access, and longer during summer traffic.

The Bottom Line

Plantation Lakes gives you something most Myrtle Beach neighborhoods can't: a real lake, big lots and an established neighborhood, with an HOA that covers a lot for $125 a month. The trade-offs are the price, the rules and the drive to the beach. If those work for you, it's worth a close look.

If you're thinking about Plantation Lakes, give me a call or text at 843-907-0355. I'll send you every home that's for sale in the neighborhood, and for any home you're serious about, I'll pull the HOA documents so you know exactly what you're buying into. If it's easier, you can grab a time for a quick 30-minute call here: calendly.com/mikefiebernitz/30min

— Mike Fiebernitz, Mike Fiebernitz & Associates | RE/MAX Executive