News Title:Chris Manning Communities Takes a Different Approach to Residential Development in the Grand Strand
Chris Manning Communities is pursuing residential real estate opportunities in the Grand Strand through a business model that extends beyond traditional homebuilding. From acquiring land for future communities to partnering with established builders and purchasing homes nearing completion for independent resale, Manning has demonstrated a willingness to work at different stages of the residential development process.
Recent transactions involving Lennar's SeaChase Pointe community illustrates that approach particularly well. As Lennar reached sellout at SeaChase Pointe in the North Myrtle Beach area, Chris Manning Communities purchased the remaining homes before certificates of occupancy (COs) were issued. Manning now has the opportunity to make selected upgrades before marketing and selling the homes independently, potentially offering buyers enhancements beyond Lennar's original specifications and positioning the homes at a modest premium.
The strategy provides an interesting alternative to building homes from the ground up. Rather than taking on an entire development and construction cycle, Manning has acquired homes that were already nearing completion, leaving him to oversee the final preparations and resale.
Expanding Holdings Near The Grove
Manning is also investing in undeveloped property in the same general area. In May 2026, Chris Manning Communities purchased a parcel in the new section of The Grove, on the south side of the community in the North Myrtle Beach area.
The property extends toward the tidal salt marsh and is situated between Lennar's SeaChase Pointe and the established Cottages on the Marsh community. The parcel contains approximately 29 lots, providing another residential development opportunity in an area where Manning already has a connection through his SeaChase Pointe acquisition.
The two properties represent different stages of the residential process. At SeaChase Pointe, Manning acquired homes approaching completion. At The Grove, he owns land that can be developed for future residential use. The eventual building arrangement for the Grove property has not been announced, but Manning's other projects demonstrate that he can either build homes himself or work with other builders.
Two More Communities Planned at Palmetto Harbor
Manning's development activity also includes two proposed communities in the Palmetto Harbor area of North Myrtle Beach: Hudson Creek at Palmetto Harbor and The Bluffs at Palmetto Harbor.
Hudson Creek at Palmetto Harbor is in the planning stages and is expected to bring new homes to a location near the Intracoastal Waterway and adjacent to Grand Strand Airport. The airport primarily serves general aviation, including private aircraft, charter operations and corporate flights, rather than scheduled commercial airline service. Beachwood Golf Course, an 18-hole public course that opened in 1968, borders the property on the south side. The timing of development and home construction has not yet been announced.
Nearby, The Bluffs at Palmetto Harbor is planned for an approximately 13.2-acre parcel along the Intracoastal Waterway, nestled between Palmetto Harbor and Kingswood on the Waterway. Del Webb North Myrtle Beach, a Pulte Homes community, is located to the south.
Preliminary plans associated with Manning show 41 residential lots, including four lots adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway. The property is zoned Single-Family Residential Low-Medium (R-1A), which generally requires a minimum single-family lot area of 7,500 square feet. Although the preliminary layout offers a picture of the proposed community, final development plans and a construction schedule have not yet been announced.
Together, Hudson Creek and The Bluffs represent additional opportunities for Manning to bring new residential development to North Myrtle Beach. They also demonstrate that his activities extend beyond individual home acquisitions and resale to the planning of new communities on undeveloped land.
The River Oaks Example: Selling Land to Other Builders
One of the clearest examples of Manning's flexible approach can be found around the former River Oaks golf course.
Manning acquired property in the area and subsequently sold portions to established homebuilders. Mungo Homes is developing North Cove, while Ashton Woods is developing the Landing at River Oaks. Rather than building all the homes himself, Manning created opportunities for other builders to undertake construction and market homes under their own brands.
On the opposite side of River Oaks Drive, Manning continues to own property and is exploring opportunities to work with builders interested in constructing homes there. This approach allows him to retain an interest in the development process through land ownership while relying on other companies for home construction.
For a landowner with the right property and builder relationships, this arrangement can offer an alternative to financing and managing an entire homebuilding operation. It also gives established builders opportunities to expand into locations where the land has already been assembled for residential development.
Direct Homebuilding Is Also Part of the Business
Manning does not rely exclusively on land sales and partnerships. He has also been directly involved in building homes, including projects at The Townes at The Landing and Glasgow Village.
These projects demonstrate another side of the business. Depending on the circumstances, Manning can take responsibility for constructing and selling homes himself, rather than transferring the land to another builder or bringing in a construction partner.
The ability to move between these approaches is an important part of what distinguishes Chris Manning Communities from a conventional production homebuilder. The company can pursue opportunities involving raw land, planned subdivisions, builder partnerships and homes already under construction.
A Business Model With Several Paths to Market
The range of Manning's projects illustrates how residential development does not always follow a single formula.
At SeaChase Pointe, he acquired homes before certificates of occupancy were issued and can now make selected improvements before reselling them. At The Grove, he purchased undeveloped property in May 2026 that offers the potential for approximately 29 residential lots. Hudson Creek at Palmetto Harbor and The Bluffs at Palmetto Harbor represent additional planned community opportunities, while the River Oaks projects demonstrate how Manning has worked with other builders to bring new neighborhoods to market.
His direct homebuilding projects provide yet another option.
This combination of land acquisition, development planning, builder partnerships, direct construction and resale of nearly completed homes gives Chris Manning Communities several ways to participate in the Grand Strand housing market. The SeaChase Pointe transaction is particularly noteworthy because it shows that a residential development opportunity can arise not only at the beginning of a project, when land is acquired, but also near the end of construction, when homes are close to being ready for buyers.
As development continues across North Myrtle Beach and the surrounding Grand Strand, Manning's projects offer an example of a business model built around flexibility rather than a single method of delivering new homes to market.