Tega Cay, SC Real Estate & Waterfront Homes | Bilingual Realtor

Tega Cay

  • Arrow Icon14,457 Population (Census estimate, July 1, 2025)
  • Arrow Icon1982 Year the City was incorporated

Description

Tega Cay is an incorporated city in York County, South Carolina, west of Fort Mill and south of Charlotte. Lake Wylie and the Catawba River border it on the west, and the North Carolina state line is to the north. It was incorporated as a municipality in 1982. Duke Energy owns and manages the lake, and South Carolina law governs property taxes and home sales.

This page doesn't list homes for sale. I'm a bilingual English and Korean agent with eXp Realty. Tell me your budget, the size of home you need and whether you want a lake lot, and I can send you current listings in Tega Cay that match. For a waterfront home, I can also ask the seller for the dock permit records before you make an offer. For commercial property, see my Tega Cay commercial real estate page.

City of Tega Cay and York County

Tega Cay's development began on the peninsula and later expanded outward to the mainland. Before 2019 the City annexed Stonecrest, Serenity Point, Lake Ridge (formerly Gardendale), Cameron Creek, River Falls, Cadence, The Grove, Windhaven and The Courtyards. The City's comprehensive plan, adopted by City Council on April 20, 2026, says there is limited land next to the City available for annexation.

To check whether a specific home is in the City, use the City's boundary map, which has a composition date of July 31, 2026, or York County's One Map Reports, which shows a parcel's jurisdiction, school district and taxes. Inside city limits, the City's Development Services department handles zoning, shoreline management and building permits, and its Utility Department provides water and sewer. York County, not the City, assesses and collects property taxes.

Lake Wylie and Waterfront Homes

Lake Wylie is one of the oldest reservoirs in South Carolina. A dam near Fort Mill first created it in 1904, and in 1960 it was renamed for Dr. W. Gil Wylie, who organized the Catawba Power Company, a predecessor of Duke Energy. Duke Energy owns and manages the lake as one of 11 reservoirs in its Catawba-Wateree Hydroelectric Project.

Duke owns or controls the lakebed and, depending on the location, also owns an upland buffer strip. Building a new lake structure, maintaining or modifying an existing one, stabilizing the shoreline or withdrawing water most likely needs a Duke lake use permit, applied for online through its Lake Access Permit System. Boating, fishing, swimming and wading need none.

For property inside city limits, the City Code adopts Duke's shoreline management guidelines and any amendments by reference, the most restrictive of which applies, and adds rules of its own:

  • Building or altering a dock, pier or other regulated waterfront structure needs a City dock permit or a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals. The application includes the City's and Duke's forms and a survey of the property no older than one year.
  • Boathouses, marine railways and barrel flotation are prohibited. Only one waterfront structure is allowed per lot, except in planned unit developments and on lots conveyed to the City for public use.
  • A structure extending toward the lake from the 570-foot contour line that casts a shadow over the lake may not exceed 1,000 square feet, not counting the gangway.

Duke's Shoreline Management Guidelines, dated October 3, 2016, limit a new, expanded or rebuilt private dock to one-third of the distance to the opposite shoreline or 120 feet past full pond, whichever is more limiting. A lot with less than 100 feet of shoreline is not considered for a pier unless it was subdivided and recorded before September 1, 2006. Duke no longer allows the construction of boat ramps for individual private use.

Before you buy a lake home

Duke's Lake Services will not give permitting history to realtors, neighbors, former owners or potential buyers. Ask the seller for a copy of the pier permit and application; a seller without records can request a copy of permits in the seller's name from Lake Services at no charge. If you buy a property with compliance issues, Duke will likely expect you, as the new owner, to correct them. Duke doesn't pre-approve lake structures, so if being able to build or change a dock matters to you, its buyer sheet says to require the seller to get Duke's approval before closing.

The City's plan says nearness to Lake Wylie and the Catawba River makes the City prone to flooding risks, and that most homes are built on ridges overlooking the lake. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, the official public source for flood hazard information, can be searched by address. At the June 15, 2026 City Council meeting, several residents raised concerns about sediment building up in Nivens Creek and affecting waterfront lots, so check the water depth and any sediment at the dock as well.

Zoning and Permits

Every parcel in the City is assigned to a zoning district that sets the allowed uses and standards such as minimum lot size. Under the City's posted Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 77), amended through March 18, 2024, minimum lot area per dwelling unit is 10,000 square feet in the R-10 district, 15,000 in R-15 and 40,000 in R-40. A single-family house needs at least 1,500 square feet of heated finished floor area, and principal and accessory structures may cover no more than 40 percent of a lot.

The City may approve one accessory dwelling unit per lot, as an accessory to a single-family home. Its conditions go in a recorded covenant: the owner must live in the house or the unit as a primary residence, and neither may be used as a short-term rental.

Anyone can search building permits and see basic permit information on the City's Evolve Portal without logging in. Removing a tree over 4 inches in diameter, measured one foot from the ground, needs a City tree permit, which is free.

Property Taxes in South Carolina

Under S.C. Code Section 12-43-220, an owner-occupied legal residence is assessed at four percent of fair market value, and real property not otherwise provided for is assessed at six percent. Under Section 12-37-220, a home receiving the four percent ratio is also exempt from property taxes for school operations, but not from millage to repay general obligation debt.

The lower ratio is not automatic. The owner must apply before the first penalty date for the tax year in which the owner first claims it, so a buyer who will live in the home needs to file. The York County Assessor qualifies properties for the legal residence assessment. York County's 2025 millage sheet lists a total levy of 576.8 mills in Tega Cay, including 86.0 for the City, and 240.2 mills for a 4% owner-occupied home. When you compare homes, I can check each parcel's last tax bill.

Buying and Selling in South Carolina

South Carolina's Residential Property Condition Disclosure Act covers sales of homes with one to four dwelling units. Unless the sale is exempt, the owner must give the buyer a written disclosure statement before the contract is signed, or as otherwise agreed in the contract, including whether a homeowners association governs the property. Exemptions include the first sale of a dwelling never inhabited and sales where both parties agree in writing not to complete a disclosure.

The law does not limit the buyer's obligation to inspect the physical condition of the property. I suggest a professional home inspection on any home you buy, and on a lake lot, a close look at the dock and shoreline too.

Homes and Neighborhoods

Tega Cay began as one of the first master-planned communities in South Carolina. The Ervin Company developed it on 1,600 wooded acres along Lake Wylie that Duke Power Company had owned. In 1982 a later developer filed for bankruptcy, and the Property Owners Association led the incorporation of Tega Cay as a city. Under the bankruptcy plan, responsibility for the community amenities was split between the City and a trust company. Property owner assessments were phased out, and services were absorbed by the City government. Residents coined the phrase "The Good Life" during this time.

The City's plan says homes in Traditional Tega Cay have a variety of architectural styles, with wooded lots the most common sites, and that the lakefront areas have larger homes with boat docks, boardwalks, and kayak, canoe and fishing piers. Between 2005 and 2015, annexed land led to the construction of 1,300 dwelling units, most of them single-family attached and detached homes.

New construction

River Falls, on Gold Hill Road, was approved in 2014 for up to 136 single-family homes. It and Windell Woods, a 52.7-acre planned development between Dam and Gardendale Roads, began construction in 2024. The Grove is a planned mixed-use community on a 55-acre site between Stonecrest Boulevard and Dam Road, where site work began in the summer of 2025. The City Manager's report of August 17, 2026 said the developer had not yet submitted the final plats required before building permits can be issued there.

A builder's first sale of a never-inhabited home is exempt from the disclosure statement, so I ask the builder directly for HOA documents and permits. My guide to new construction around Charlotte covers what else to ask.

Parks and Lake Access

The City lists three lakefront facilities: the Beach & Swim Center, Pitcairn Park and Windjammer Park. Windjammer Park has a beach and lake swimming area, and Pitcairn Park has a boat landing. Parking at all three needs a permit from City Hall. Resident permits are free and need a driver's license and vehicle registration at a Tega Cay address, and non-resident decals are $200 for one calendar year.

The Tega Cay Marina is privately owned and operated, with slips for rent, a boat launch and a repair shop. The City's parks master plan lists the Nivens Creek Boat Landing, the Fort Mill River Access and the Tega Cay Golf Club among facilities maintained or owned by outside organizations. The comprehensive plan lists the golf club as having 27 holes. Below the dam, a 30-mile section of the Catawba River was designated a State Scenic River in June 2008, and the City's Catawba Park beside it has a river launch, lighted multipurpose fields and walking trails. The Stephen M. Hamilton Walking Trail runs about 2 miles from Trailhead Park to Runde Park.

Getting Around

The City's FAQ says to reach Tega Cay from exit 88 on I-77 South and from exit 85 on I-77 North. The comprehensive plan calls the intersection of SC 160 and Gold Hill Road the gateway of Tega Cay.

SCDOT set a groundbreaking for March 11, 2024 on its SC 160 and I-77 Interchange Reconfiguration Project, which also widens over 1 mile of SC 160 from US 21 to Pleasant Road. At the May 18, 2026 City Council meeting, the City Manager's report noted that completion of the Hwy 160/I-77 interchange construction had been pushed to spring 2028 because utilities need to be relocated. If you will use SC 160 every day, I can check where the project stands.

Schools

The City's FAQ says students who live in Tega Cay attend schools in the Fort Mill School District. The district assigns schools by attendance area, a boundary around specific residential addresses, and publishes its attendance-area maps by grade level and school year. Assignments can change. In October 2024 the district was redrawing elementary and middle school attendance zones ahead of the openings of Flint Hill Elementary and Flint Hill Middle School. Before you rely on an assignment, check the address with York County's online school locator, linked from the district's attendance page.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page doesn't list homes for sale. Tell me your budget, the size of home you need and whether you want a lake lot, and I can send you current listings in Tega Cay that match. I can also check whether each address is inside city limits and, for a waterfront home, ask the seller for the dock permit records before you make an offer.

Lake Wylie. The lake and the Catawba River border the City of Tega Cay on the west. Duke Energy owns and manages Lake Wylie, owns or controls its lakebed, and in some places also owns an upland buffer strip, so most dock and shoreline work needs a Duke lake use permit. Inside city limits, building or altering a dock also needs a City dock permit.

Ask the seller for a copy of the Duke Energy pier permit and application, because Duke won't give permitting history to realtors or potential buyers, and it will likely expect a new owner to correct any compliance issues. Inside city limits, ask whether the dock had a City dock permit. Look the address up on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and check the water depth and any sediment at the dock. I can request the permit records from the seller early in the process.

Inside Tega Cay city limits, the City Code prohibits boathouses, marine railways and barrel flotation, and a new or changed dock needs a City dock permit. It also needs Duke Energy approval, and Duke limits a private dock to one-third of the distance to the opposite shoreline or 120 feet past full pond, whichever is more limiting. Duke doesn't consider a pier for a lot with less than 100 feet of shoreline unless it was subdivided and recorded before September 1, 2006.

York County, South Carolina. Tega Cay is an incorporated city west of Fort Mill and south of Charlotte, with the North Carolina state line to its north. South Carolina law, not North Carolina law, governs its property taxes and home sales, and York County assesses and collects the property taxes.

Look the parcel up in York County's One Map Reports, which shows a parcel's jurisdiction, school district and taxes, or compare it with the City's boundary map, which has a composition date of July 31, 2026. The City annexed a number of subdivisions before 2019, so check the parcel rather than the mailing address. Inside city limits, the City handles zoning and building permits and provides water and sewer.

I don't post an average or a price range here, because prices change and an average across the city says little about a specific street, a lake lot or a home away from the water. Tell me the streets or subdivisions you're considering, and I can pull recent sales of comparable homes so you can see what they actually sold for.

The City's FAQ says students who live in Tega Cay attend schools in the Fort Mill School District. The district assigns schools by attendance area, which depends on the exact address, and it publishes its attendance-area maps by school year. Assignments can change. In October 2024 the district was redrawing elementary and middle school zones ahead of new Flint Hill schools. Check a specific address with York County's online school locator before you rely on an assignment.

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