When Will and John Hardee were hunting for their first home together in Charleston before getting married, the ultimate fixer-upper was hiding in plain sight.

For years, the property across the street from Will's bachelor pad sat shrouded in overgrown flora, deferred maintenance and an air of mystery. "It was the 'Grey Gardens' of the block," says John, 38. "You could barely see the house from the curb."

But the couple recognized the potential beneath the neglect, and were drawn to its rare double lot. "We told our real-estate agent, 'If it ever goes on the market, call us,'" John says.

In 2022, the property was listed with a catch: it was already pending. The previous owner's children had already put it under contract through a word-of-mouth deal.

Undeterred, Will and John submitted a backup offer. They banked on John's credentials as the owner of a renovation-and-design company to reassure the sellers that the couple wouldn't be scared off by a major project.

When the initial deal collapsed, the property was theirs for $1.8 million.

Architectural pedigree

While the house's period character embodies the charm of historic Charleston, it was actually built in 1995.

For the Hardees, this meant bypassing the realities of renovating a 200-year-old home. Instead, they inherited a blank slate.

"If the home would have had historic details, we would have preserved them," says Will, 37, a management-consulting partner. "A more recent build gave us the opportunity to do whatever we wanted."

Renovation costs

In 2023, they gutted the main house to the studs, replacing the electrical, plumbing, insulation and gas lines.

By 2024, they completed a roughly 2,000-square-foot addition, creating an L-shaped footprint with a new primary suite, mudroom and pool house. They spent more than $3 million total on the renovation.

Can't-miss features

Outside, the Hardees transformed the grounds with a pool, brick hardscaping, professional landscaping and four fountains. There is also deeded parking for three vehicles.

Reason for selling?

The couple is expecting twins this fall. While the home's layout -- which sets the primary suite apart from the main house -- is ideal for two adults with no young children, they want a house with a more connected layout for raising a family.

Market snapshot

The downtown Charleston market is strong, in both buyer interest and increased sales prices and values, says listing broker Leslie Turner, founding partner of Maison Real Estate. Sales from January to May were up 21% and new listings rose 18% compared to the same period last year. High demand pushed the average home sales price up 17% to roughly $3.1 million.

Write to Jessica Flint at Jessica.Flint@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 10, 2026 15:00 ET (19:00 GMT)

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