Southern Palms

Independent Assessment

Because 'Southern Palms' is a generic name used by multiple, unrelated 55+ communities nationally, including at least one Florida property, it was specifically verified that the Ladson, South Carolina Southern Palms is a real, independently confirmed entity rather than a name-collision error. Multiple independent sources — Sun Communities' own official site, mobile-home industry directories (MHVillage, MHBO), and local real-estate and senior-living directories — consistently confirm the same address (701 Southern Palms Boulevard, Ladson, SC 29456), the same 1983 build date, and the same owner/operator (Sun Communities, Inc.), giving high confidence this is a genuine, distinct South Carolina community. Which county the community sits in also remains unresolved: one address-specific search result places it in Charleston County, while a separate source describes it as being in Dorchester County, and Ladson's 29456 ZIP code itself is known to span Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties (roughly 45%/29%/25% respectively, per ZIP-code demographic data). Charleston County is assigned as the primary jurisdiction based on the more address-specific source, but this remains an open item for direct confirmation via county GIS or parcel records. Reported total home-site counts (138, 154, or 194 depending on source) were also not reconcilable and are presented as a range.

Who May Find This Community Appealing

Buyers seeking a genuinely affordable, age-restricted 55+ option in the greater Summerville/Charleston area — manufactured-home ownership with land-lease lot rent rather than a traditional home purchase and HOA fee — who value amenities like a fishing lake and putting green over a resort-style clubhouse, are the best fit for Southern Palms.

Homes, Builders & Development History

Southern Palms was built in 1983 as a manufactured-home land-lease community in Ladson, South Carolina, and is owned and operated by Sun Communities, Inc., a large, publicly traded manufactured-housing operator active in multiple states. Reported total home-site counts vary by source — approximately 138, 154, or 194 — and the discrepancy remains unreconciled. As a long-established community, available homes are resale manufactured homes rather than new construction.

Current Pricing & Market Positioning

Resale manufactured homes at Southern Palms are reported starting around $129,995, positioning it as a substantially more affordable entry point into age-restricted community living than any traditional stick-built 55+ subdivision in the Summerville/Charleston area. Buyers should request current available inventory and pricing directly from the community's on-site management office, and should separately budget for ongoing monthly lot rent in addition to the home's purchase price.

New Construction vs. Resale Considerations

Southern Palms offers resale manufactured homes rather than new construction, given its established 1983 origin. Buyers should request a home-specific condition inspection (manufactured homes have different inspection standards than site-built homes), confirm current lot-rent terms and any pending increases, and review the land-lease agreement carefully before purchasing.

Taxes, Insurance & Special Assessments

Because Southern Palms is a land-lease community, residents typically pay personal property tax on the manufactured home itself (rather than real property tax on land they do not own), while the land itself remains subject to Sun Communities' own property tax obligation as owner. Which specific county (Charleston, Dorchester, or Berkeley) issues the property tax bill for this address remains unconfirmed, given the surrounding ZIP code's tri-county boundary. Buyers should confirm the specific taxing jurisdiction and current personal-property tax obligations directly with the relevant county auditor's office and the community's management office.

Community Layout & Lifestyle

Southern Palms offers a low-cost, low-density manufactured-home lifestyle centered on modest but genuine outdoor amenities — a fishing lake and putting green in addition to its pool and clubhouse — within private, tree-lined community roads, appealing to residents who prioritize affordability and a quiet, established setting over a large resort-style clubhouse program.

Shopping, Healthcare & Airport Access

Southern Palms sits at 701 Southern Palms Boulevard in Ladson, South Carolina, roughly 15 minutes from downtown Summerville and about 20 minutes from downtown Charleston, in an area where the ZIP code itself spans Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties.

Age Qualification & Material Ownership Restrictions

Southern Palms is described directly on Sun Communities' own official site as an age-restricted (55+) manufactured-home community. The recorded deed-restriction or land-lease agreement language confirming the exact legal terms and any HOPA-standard occupancy exceptions has not been independently confirmed. Buyers should request the community's specific age-qualification and occupancy rules directly from the on-site management office before signing a land-lease agreement.

Tradeoffs & Limitations

As a land-lease community, buyers own the home but not the land beneath it, meaning monthly lot rent is a permanent, potentially rising cost rather than a payoff-able mortgage, and lot rent and fee terms can change; a specific current lot-rent amount remains unconfirmed. Reported total home-site counts vary across sources (138 vs. 154 vs. 194), and it could not be fully resolved whether the community sits primarily in Charleston, Dorchester, or Berkeley County given Ladson's tri-county ZIP code. There is no golf course, and the amenity package here is considerably more modest than newer, purpose-built 55+ subdivisions in the area.

Comparison With Nearby Communities

Within the greater Summerville/Charleston 55+ market, Southern Palms is a distinctly more affordable, land-lease manufactured-home alternative to the area's stick-built, HOA-governed communities such as The Pines at Gahagan or Carillon at The Ponds — trading traditional home/land ownership and a fuller clubhouse amenity package for a substantially lower entry price point and ongoing lot rent instead of a mortgage-financeable land purchase.

Current Listings

A connected local agent, or Sun Communities' own on-site office, can provide current available resale manufactured-home inventory, pricing, and lot-rent terms for Southern Palms.

Is this Southern Palms the same as the Southern Palms communities in Florida or elsewhere?

No. Across Sun Communities' own official site and multiple independent directories, this is independently confirmed as a distinct, genuine South Carolina community at 701 Southern Palms Boulevard, Ladson, SC, built in 1983. Sun Communities and other operators run separately named or similarly named 'Southern Palms' communities in other states, including Florida, as fully independent, unrelated properties.

Do I own the land at Southern Palms?

No. Southern Palms is a land-lease community: residents own their manufactured home but pay monthly lot rent to Sun Communities, Inc. for the land and shared amenities, rather than owning the underlying lot outright.

What county is Southern Palms in?

A single county has not been fully confirmed from available sources. One address-specific source places it in Charleston County; another describes it as being in Dorchester County, and the surrounding Ladson ZIP code itself spans Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties. Buyers should confirm the specific taxing jurisdiction directly with the relevant county.

Is Southern Palms legally age-restricted?

Sun Communities' own official site describes it as an age-restricted (55+) community. The specific land-lease agreement language confirming the exact legal terms has not been independently confirmed, so buyers should confirm current age-qualification rules directly with the on-site management office.