Mora and Richard Dyke are Michigan natives who moved to Greenville SC from Atlanta. And although they've never visited Charleston SC, they've already gotten a small taste of the Lowcountry via their Mauldin SC neighborhood, Bell's Grant.

The 63- home Mauldin SC neighborhood -- once construction is complete -- is located near the intersection of Bell and Woodruff roads. It's composed primarily of Charleston SC style-inspired homes with spacious front porches, upstairs balconies and garages at the rear. And in the spirit of the Lowcountry, the Mauldin SC homes for sale are an array of inviting hues, including salmon, tan, light olive, yellow and traditional brick.

The SC real estate and houses in Bell's Grant sit closer to the street and on quarter-acre lots, similar to other SC homes in small Southern towns, said Jerre Carne, a builder and one of the developers of the subdivision.

"We pulled the houses forward on the lots so you can talk to your neighbor from your front porch," Carne said.

The other two developers for the Mauldin SC neighborhood are Steve Stewart and Doug Snipes.

Citing the Mauldin SC homes and neighborhood's size and its friendly residents, Mrs. Dyke said, "We just thought it was very quaint. It's a nice change of pace where people actually want to get to know each other."

Last summer, she said, residents got together for a Lowcountry boil, featuring oysters and the famous South Carolina stew of shrimp, potatoes and corn on the cob.

And to help satisfy their appetite, the couple are making plans to experience the real deal.

"We've heard a lot about it (Charleston SC) real estate, so yeah, we're actually planning a trip this summer," Mrs. Dyke said with a laugh.

In the meantime, the Dykes continue to savor their surroundings in Bell's Grant near Greenville SC.

Each Mauldin SC home for sale, and SC real estate in the neighborhood is unique in its own way, said resident Sandra Shaver, who moved to the Upstate from Minnesota and has lived in Bell's Grant since October.

"They have their own character," she said.

While looking for a Greenville real estate for sale, she and her husband, Bill, kept coming back to the neighborhood.

"We used to drive down here as the houses were being constructed. We really loved the architecture of the Mauldin SC homes."

On her large front porch on a recent breezy afternoon, Shaver snuggled with her dog and chatted with her neighbor.

Square footage of the Mauldin SC homes ranges from 2,600 to 4,200, and pricing is between $330,000 and $550,000.

"So we're mixing the size and the price range," Carne said.

So far, 45 Mauldin South Carolina homes have been built; a total of 63 are planned, Carne said.

Residents purchasing the SC real estate are a mix of ages, ranging from newlyweds and young couples with children to empty nesters and retirees, said Margaret McCanless, who has lived in Bell's Grant since November 2003.

"We were the first residents. ... We love it," she said. "We all get along so well, and I think this winter we have missed being out, because as soon as the weather warms up, you can walk down the sidewalks any late afternoon and you will visit with quite a few of the neighbors."

McCanless said her 3,000-square-foot home in Bell's Grant reminds her of the Union SC home in which she grew up -- everything from the exterior color and large wrap-around porch to the spacious dining room and crown molding inside.

"Our Mauldin SC home is more of the Lowcountry style home, and my home that I grew up in is white and this house is white," McCanless said. "I had grown up in a home with a big front porch. It had been in my dad's family, and ... so my dad had resided in his home for 89 years."

Sidewalks throughout the Mauldin SC neighborhood, along with paved walking trails near the common areas, help add to the neighborhood's aesthetics.

"We're trying to hide the garages from the street and have sidewalks on both side to create a neighborhood instead of just a subdivision," Carne said.

Amenities include a playground, walking trails and a junior soccer field.

"It's kind of this new 'urbanist' concept that is taking hold in cities now. The new urbanism is really creating villages," Carne said. "We only had 21 acres, so we didn't have any room for any commercial. We did all residential, but we're so close to Woodruff Road that people can walk to get an ice cream cone. People can walk to the drugstore, etc."

Although the subdivision is convenient to Woodruff Road shops and restaurant, "you don't feel like you're anywhere near traffic," said resident Jean Roper.