1. Location and accessibility Convenience is everything. A facility that's miles out of your way sounds fine until you need to grab something in a hurry. Look for a site close to your home or workplace with easy road access, ample parking, and clear signage. Also check the access hours — some facilities lock up at 6pm, while others offer 24/7 drive-up access. Consider how often you'll realistically need to visit, and match the location to that frequency. Pro tip: If you're storing for a house move, pick a facility that's between your old and new address, not your current one. 2. Security measures Your belongings should be as safe as they would be at home — arguably safer. A reputable facility will have CCTV covering all entry points and corridors, individual unit alarms, electronic gate access with personal codes, and on-site staff during opening hours. Ask directly: 'Who monitors the cameras and how often?' A good facility will answer with confidence. Avoid anywhere that's vague about its security setup. Red flag: If the lock on your unit is shared with the facility (not your own padlock), your access can be revoked without warning. 3. Unit size and variety Good storage companies offer a wide range of unit sizes — from small locker-style spaces to large room-sized units. You shouldn't be forced into a size that doesn't fit your needs. Ask if you can upgrade or downsize easily if your requirements change. Many facilities let you walk through sample units before committing, which is worth doing. A locker that looks big online can feel very different in person. 4. Climate control If you're storing anything sensitive — furniture, artwork, electronics, important documents, wine, or clothing — temperature and humidity matter. Damp, unventilated storage can cause mold, warping, and odor in as little as a few weeks. Climate-controlled units cost a little more but are worth it for items with sentimental or monetary value. Check whether 'climate controlled' means just temperature, or temperature and humidity — both matter. 5. Cleanliness and ...
—May 14th, 2026
From Farm Roads to Fast-Growing Suburb For most of its history, Johns Island was known for two things: its sprawling truck farms and the majestic Angel Oak, a 400-year-old southern live oak whose canopy stretches nearly 17,000 square feet. The island was the kind of place that felt like a different world — a few minutes from downtown Charleston, but a lifetime away in pace and character. That began to change slowly in the early 2010s as Charleston's growth started to spill outward. Land was cheaper, lots were bigger, and the natural beauty of the Lowcountry was still on full display. Word got out. And it got out fast. Census data tells the story clearly: the island's population climbed from around 15,100 in 2010 to nearly 23,000 by 2024, with estimates now placing the figure above 28,000. That's a near-doubling in just over a decade — a rate of growth that has made Johns Island one of the most talked-about communities in Charleston County. "We see more growth and opportunity in the last 10 years than the previous 40 combined." — Pam Harrington, local real estate broker A Housing Boom Unlike Anything the Island Had Seen Drive down Maybank Highway today and the transformation is impossible to miss. Planned subdivisions, luxury townhomes, apartment complexes, and master-planned communities have replaced what were once open fields and marshland. Developments like Oakfield, Kiawah River, Woodbury Park, and Sea Island Preserve have drawn buyers from across the country, many of them relocating from higher-cost metro areas in the Northeast and Midwest. New construction has ranged from accessible entry-level townhomes to multi-million dollar waterfront estates along the Stono River and Bohicket Creek. The Riverbend community, developed in partnership with Toll Brothers, features single-family waterfront homes starting close to $1 million. At the same time, newer mixed-use developments like Hayes Park are bringing a walkable urban feel to an island that once had no such thing. By the numbers: The median home price on Johns Island reached around $650,000 in ...
