Raised watching his father build a construction company, Stephen McManus carried that commitment to craftsmanship into 12 years in the Marine Corps before settling in Charleston. Frustration with realtor commissions on his own fix-and-flip projects pushed him to get his license — and six years later, he hasn’t looked back. He launched Coastal Collective Group from the start, deliberately avoiding a personal brand in favor of something scalable, built around a team with roots in construction, the military, and corporate life.
On the Charleston market, Stephen tells clients the truth: breaking even on a long-term rental investment is a good outcome. Short-term rentals face tight restrictions, with Isle of Palms and Edisto Island among the few viable STR markets. The tax shift from 4% to 6% on investment properties hits nearly three times harder than it sounds, and while insurance costs have risen, none of it is slowing Charleston’s growth — the area nets an estimated 20 to 30 new residents per day.
His advice for newer agents is straightforward: adopt a “work for free” mentality, shadow experienced agents early, and start marketing from day one. He lives by “how you do anything is how you do everything” — this week he had offers out on a $5 million and a $150,000 property and was up late for both. Small daily wins, consistent effort, and integrity over commissions are what compound into a career. As he puts it, his team doesn’t eat until their clients approve the kill.
Connect: https://thecoastalcollective.com/
@coastalcollective.chs on Instagram
Mentioned: Atomic Habits by James Clear
About the author:
Jeff Hamm
AIDAwerks
Marketing for Top Producers
Jeff is an award winning podcast producer, marketing professional, and licensed real estate broker. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
When he’s not helping agents scale their real estate business, you can probably find him traveling the U.S., publishing expert content, reluctantly training for a marathon, or walking his dogs, Sam & Maisy.