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Windmill Harbour Fees at a Glance

Windmill Harbour HOA fees are currently published by the association at $3,152 a year for a unit dwelling, which covers homes, townhomes and all condominiums. That is about $263 a month. Undeveloped lots are assessed at $1,576. Windmill Harbour is a compact community, just 172 acres and 348 homes, built around something genuinely rare: one of only three private lock-controlled harbours on the East Coast.

All figures as of 2026.

What the Windmill Harbour POA Fee Covers

The association publishes its fee schedule, which is more than most communities in the area do, though it does not itemise coverage in detail. Here is what the community maintains.

• The lock-controlled harbour. One of only three private lock-controlled harbours on the East Coast, with 258 slips accommodating watercraft up to 70 feet.

• Community pools and walking trails.

• Pocket parks, fishing docks and kayak launches.

• Roads, common areas and grounds. Across 172 acres and 348 homes.

What Costs Extra at Windmill Harbour

• Your boat slip. Slips are assessed separately by the Marina Owners Association at $788 a year, distinct from the POA assessment. If you own both a home and a slip, you are paying both.

• The South Carolina Yacht Club. The club is the social hub of the community, with seven Har-Tru tennis courts, fitness facilities, dining, sailing lessons and regattas. It is a separate organisation from the POA and its membership costs are not published, so ask directly.

• Condominium association fees. Windmill Harbour contains several condominium associations, including Marina, Spindle Lane Villas, Westwind Villas and Leeward Passage. Those carry fees in addition to the POA assessment, and the amounts are not published.

• Vacant lot maintenance - $340 a year. If you own an undeveloped lot, the association charges $340 annually for bush hogging. Be clear about what that does and does not include: it excludes tree work, debris removal and drainage.

One-Time Fees When You Buy in Windmill Harbour

Windmill Harbour handles its transfer fee differently from most communities, and the formula is worth understanding.

• A transfer fee equal to the property's most recent annual assessment. Rather than charging a percentage of the sale price, Windmill Harbour charges an amount equal to the most recent annual assessment for the property being transferred that calendar year. On a unit dwelling at the currently published rate, that is roughly $3,152. This is unusual and, at Windmill Harbour's price points, considerably cheaper than the percentage-based fees charged by most island communities. A community charging half a percent on a $1.5M home would take $7,500.

• The Town of Hilton Head Island transfer fee. The Town's own real estate transfer fee applies to every island purchase. Confirm the current rate and who customarily pays it.

Can Windmill Harbour Fees Change?

The association publishes its fee schedule but does not date it, so confirm that the figures above are current before you rely on them. The harbour and its lock system are the community's defining asset and its largest long-term maintenance obligation, so the reserve position for the locks is the thing worth asking about specifically.

What to Verify Before You Buy in Windmill Harbour

Before you write an offer, here is what I would want confirmed in writing:

• That the published assessment figures are current for this year, since the association's fee page is undated

• The reserve position for the harbour and lock system, and any planned capital work

• Slip availability and the annual Marina Owners Association assessment for the slip you want

• If you are buying a condominium: the condominium association fee on top of the POA assessment

• South Carolina Yacht Club membership costs, if you intend to join

• Whether any special assessment has been levied recently or is under discussion

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the current HOA fees at Windmill Harbour?

The association currently publishes $3,152 a year for a unit dwelling, which covers homes, townhomes and all condominiums, and $1,576 a year for an undeveloped lot. That works out to about $263 a month for a unit dwelling.

What is the Windmill Harbour transfer fee?

Rather than a percentage of the sale price, Windmill Harbour charges a transfer fee equal to the most recent annual assessment for that property in the calendar year, which is roughly $3,152 on a unit dwelling. That is notably cheaper than the percentage-based fees most island communities charge.

How much is a boat slip at Windmill Harbour?

Slips are assessed at $788 a year by the Marina Owners Association, which is separate from the POA assessment. The harbour has 258 slips accommodating watercraft up to 70 feet.

What is the Windmill Harbour lock system?

Windmill Harbour is built around one of only three private lock-controlled harbours on the East Coast. The lock holds the water level steady inside the harbour regardless of the tide, which means your boat sits level and access is not tide-dependent.

Is South Carolina Yacht Club membership included in the fees?

No. The Yacht Club is a separate organisation from the POA and its costs are not published. It serves as the community's social hub with seven Har-Tru tennis courts, fitness facilities, dining, sailing lessons and regattas.

Can Windmill Harbour fees increase?

Yes. The association sets assessments annually. Because its published fee page carries no date, confirm the current figures directly before relying on them.

Windmill Harbour is a community where the transfer fee works in a buyer's favour and the slip costs need separate accounting. Call me and I will put the whole picture together for the property you are considering.