What should you know before buying in Wexford?

Key facts

• Founded: 1983, as a private waterfront residential and club community (Wexford).
• Harbour: lock-regulated, one of three lock systems on the East Coast by Wexford's count, with a nearly constant depth of 8 feet and direct access to Broad Creek and the Intracoastal Waterway (Wexford).
• Slips: 280 in all; 138 behind privately owned homes and the rest behind the clubhouse for Wexford property owners. Boats up to 70 feet long and 19 feet wide (Wexford).
• Amenities: 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course, clubhouse, pool complex, 6 Har-Tru clay tennis courts and 4 lighted pickleball courts, croquet (Wexford).
• Address: 111 Wexford Club Drive; Wexford has its own security department and gatehouse (Wexford ASC Guidelines).
• New-home design review: $3,000 conceptual and $5,000 preliminary submission fees, non-refundable (ASC application, version January 2023).
• Height limit: roof no more than 35 feet above the first finished floor or 50 feet above mean sea level (ASC application).
• Not published: annual dues, initiation or capital fees, club membership terms and leasing rules. Request them in the resale documents.

What makes Wexford different?

The harbour. Wexford's inland harbour connects to Broad Creek and the Intracoastal Waterway through a lock, which keeps the water at a nearly constant depth of about 8 feet instead of rising and falling with the tide. Wexford says it's one of only three lock systems on the East Coast. Boats up to 70 feet long with a beam up to 19 feet fit, and 138 of the 280 slips sit behind privately owned homes. The rest are behind the clubhouse for Wexford property owners.

The Wexford Yacht Club is open to all residents and runs social events, seminars and trips, with reciprocity at other yacht clubs. Harbour Services charters tours on a pontoon boat and lends kayaks and paddleboards from the Harbour Center. Boating in the harbour follows the Wexford Harbour Yachting Guide, which the architectural rules also reference.

What will Wexford cost to own?

This is the part to slow down on. Wexford's public website doesn't publish its annual dues, any initiation, capital or transfer fee, any food and beverage minimum, or whether club membership comes with ownership. Local sites quote figures, but none of them is the community's own document, so we don't repeat them here.

Before you make an offer, ask for:

1. The current annual dues and assessments, and any special assessment approved or under discussion.
2. Any initiation, capital contribution or transfer fee due at purchase, and who pays it.
3. The club membership terms and any minimums.
4. The covenants' leasing rules, if you might ever rent.
5. Slip ownership or rights for the specific property, if it's on the harbour.

The Town of Hilton Head Island's 0.25% transfer fee applies on top of anything Wexford charges. Our community transfer fee guide explains what to look for in resale documents.

What does the Architectural Standards Committee require?

Article X of the Wexford covenants sets up the Architectural Standards Committee (ASC), and every owner agrees to it by accepting a deed. The ASC has sole discretion over whether plans are acceptable, and it usually meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Rules from the guidelines and new-construction application include:

• Review fees: $3,000 for a conceptual submission and $5,000 for a preliminary submission on a new home, both non-refundable. Other fees and escrow deposits follow the Wexford ASC fee schedule.
• Height: no more than 35 feet from the first finished floor to the top of the roof, or 50 feet above mean sea level.
• Fences: prohibited except around pools and in-ground spas, and no pet fences. Pool fences must stay at least 10 feet from the property line on golf course lots and 20 feet on harbour or waterway lots.
• Pools on harbour lots: set back 20 feet from the concrete bulkhead.
• Deadlines: a new home's exterior should be complete within 12 months of the foundation permit. After the scheduled completion date the owner can be fined $300 per workday for the first 40 workdays and $600 per workday after that.

Owners who hold an unimproved lot through an LLC or corporation must sign a personal guarantee before final plan approval. If you're buying a lot or a house to rebuild, read the full guidelines first.

What about flood zones and storms?

A lock controls the harbour's everyday water level, not storm surge, and harbour-front and marsh-side lots carry their own flood risk. Look up the exact parcel with the Town's flood hazard search and get the elevation certificate. Our flood zone guide explains the zones and the Town's building elevation rules.

Questions

Sources

1. Wexford Harbour, Wexford (checked October 2026)
2. Wexford home page, Wexford (checked October 2026)
3. Architectural Standards Committee Policies and Procedures, revised May 2023, Wexford (checked October 2026)
4. ASC Application for Design Review for New Construction, Wexford (checked October 2026)
5. Tennis and Pickleball, Wexford (checked October 2026)