Commercial Lease Market Overview

North Myrtle Beach is its own separately incorporated city, not a Myrtle Beach neighborhood, formed in 1968 when Cherry Grove Beach, Ocean Drive Beach, Crescent Beach, and Windy Hill Beach consolidated into a single municipality. A fifth nearby beach community, Atlantic Beach -- developed as a resort for Black residents during the Jim Crow era, when other Grand Strand beaches denied them accommodations -- was invited to join and declined, and remains its own separately incorporated town today. The city's population grew from 13,752 in the 2010 Census to 18,790 in 2020, a 36.6% increase, inside the same Horry County metro area the Census Bureau ranked the third-fastest-growing in the country from 2023-2024. Commercially, the city's identity runs through Grand Strand tourism, anchored along the U.S. Highway 17 corridor by Barefoot Landing, a large, well-established retail, dining, and entertainment complex, alongside the Barefoot Resort & Golf development. But this network's own residential-side research, verifying addresses against the U.S. Census Bureau's jurisdiction data, found that a substantial share of what markets itself as "North Myrtle Beach" -- including numerous large apartment and condo developments -- actually carries a Little River or Longs, South Carolina mailing address, or in several cases a Calabash, North Carolina address across the state line, rather than sitting inside the city's own incorporated limits. That same mismatch risk applies directly to commercial space: a retail or office address near the city's edges should not be assumed to fall under North Myrtle Beach's own zoning and business-license jurisdiction, or even South Carolina's tax jurisdiction, without independent confirmation. No CoStar-, JLL-, or CBRE-grade commercial market report was found specifically for North Myrtle Beach, and office demand is thin, mirroring Myrtle Beach's own tourism- and hospitality-driven economic base rather than a corporate office market.

North Myrtle Beach's own commercial market is thinner and less independently documented than neighboring Myrtle Beach's, and address verification carries more weight here than in most Grand Strand cities: a substantial share of "North Myrtle Beach" listings actually carry a Little River, Longs, or Calabash, North Carolina mailing address once checked against Census Bureau jurisdiction data, per this network's own residential-side research.

Top Lease Risks in North Myrtle Beach

Commercial tenants in North Myrtle Beach most frequently encounter these problematic lease provisions:

1. A commercial space marketed under a "North Myrtle Beach, SC" address that a Census Bureau jurisdiction check places in unincorporated Little River or Longs, or across the state line in Calabash, North Carolina -- a boundary crossing that changes not just which city's zoning and business-license rules apply, but potentially which state's tax authority applies entirely

This clause creates significant financial exposure. In a landlord-heavy market like North Myrtle Beach, landlords have leverage to include provisions that shift cost and risk onto tenants. Review any such clause carefully with a commercial real estate attorney before signing.

2. Percentage-rent or CAM comparisons benchmarked to Myrtle Beach's own much larger tourist-retail footprint (Broadway at the Beach, Coastal Grand Mall, the Tanger Outlets) rather than North Myrtle Beach's own smaller, more fragmented commercial base

This is a common risk in North Myrtle Beach's commercial lease market. Tenants often overlook this provision during negotiations, only discovering its impact after the lease is executed. Negotiate a carve-out or modification before you sign.

3. CAM Expense Transparency

Common area maintenance charges in North Myrtle Beach vary widely by submarket and building class. Landlords in this market sometimes include vague CAM definitions that allow broad cost inclusions. Commonly requested: 3 years of historical CAM statements, alongside an annual cap (3–5%) on increases.

4. Personal Guaranty Scope

Personal guaranty requirements in North Myrtle Beach range from reasonable to extreme depending on landlord, submarket, and tenant credit profile. Know your leverage: established businesses with strong financials can often negotiate shorter guaranty terms or a guaranty burndown provision.

Negotiation Priorities for North Myrtle Beach Tenants

  1. Written, site-specific confirmation of which government -- North Myrtle Beach, unincorporated Horry County, or Calabash, North Carolina -- actually holds zoning and business-license authority over a given parcel is more attainable before signing than after, given the confirmed mismatches this network's own residential research found nearby
  2. Percentage-rent and CAM reconciliation scoped to North Myrtle Beach's own seasonal Grand Strand visitor pattern, rather than assumed from Myrtle Beach's larger year-round tourist base, is worth negotiating for retail space near the city's tourist corridors
  3. Comparable lease data from a Myrtle Beach- or Horry County-based commercial broker is worth requesting given no CoStar-, JLL-, or CBRE-grade market report was found specifically for North Myrtle Beach
  4. Request 3 years of historical CAM reconciliation statements — reveals pattern of expense escalation and unexpected charges.
  5. Require subordination, non-disturbance, and attornment (SNDA) agreement — protects your lease if the building is sold or the landlord defaults on their mortgage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the commercial lease market posture in North Myrtle Beach?

The North Myrtle Beach market is currently Landlord-Heavy, driven by a Grand Strand beach-tourism city formed by a 1968 merger of four beach towns, where a large share of listings carrying a "North Myrtle Beach" mailing address actually resolve to neighboring Little River, Longs, or across the state line to Calabash, North Carolina. This means tenants commonly come to negotiations well-prepared and contest aggressive clauses — landlords have leverage but deals are still negotiable.

What are typical office rents in North Myrtle Beach?

No published office rent data exists for North Myrtle Beach specifically; office demand is thin and folded into the wider Myrtle Beach/Horry County tourism-driven economy.

What are typical retail rents in North Myrtle Beach?

No published retail rent data exists for North Myrtle Beach specifically; the only real commercial anchor confirmed independently, Barefoot Landing on U.S. Highway 17, does not publish leasing rates, and aggregators fold the area into the broader Myrtle Beach retail market.

Should I use a tenant-side broker in North Myrtle Beach?

Yes — always. Tenant-rep brokers are paid by the landlord through commission splits, so their services are effectively free to you. A local tenant-rep broker brings current market data, comparable lease terms, and negotiation experience that can save you far more than their commission. In a landlord-heavy market, professional representation is especially valuable.