Welcome Home: Local Living Episode 5: “The Art of the Match”

With complementary expertise and an intimate knowledge of Kiawah Island, Chris and Lauren Dion of Selling Kiawah help buyers find what listings and satellite images can’t reveal.

Audio Interview and Story by Josh Walker | Photograph by Stephany Selby

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Chris and Lauren Dion of Selling Kiawah specialize in helping people find their place on Kiawah Island, where seemingly similar properties can offer remarkably different experiences. I recently joined the husband-and-wife team at a home they renovated on the island to talk about the area’s unique vibe, the people drawn to it, and the importance of trust in finding a home there.

The Greenville natives met in high school Spanish class when Lauren was a freshman and Chris a sophomore. They’ve been together for more than two decades. Now married for 13 years, the couple built their real estate business around helping others find their own place on Kiawah Island, just as they have.

Their partnership unites two distinct professional backgrounds. Chris originally gained his footing in Charleston with about a decade of commercial real estate experience. “I think the discipline I had in commercial real estate helped once I moved back into residential,” he said.

“Chris loves to work the numbers, which is great,” Lauren said. “I do the contracts, and I’m always on the go.” She began her career practicing family law while simultaneously earning her real estate license. She had originally called on several real estate law firms around Charleston, hoping to find a position that combined both, but none were hiring. When she landed at Kiawah, one offered her a job in sales instead. “Let’s try it,” she said.

Then, “In 2022, I made the jump from full-time commercial to a hybrid year of finishing out with some of my commercial clients and then helping Lauren,” Chris said.

Today, their complementary strengths help clients navigate decisions that involve far more than a purchase price and closing docs. Both share an enthusiasm for meeting people and developing relationships, and they approach each client with a balance of personal attention and substantial earned research. 

Chris tracks years of property sales, studying the nuances of individual neighborhoods and the factors that influence value. That groundwork helps the couple narrow the search to position their clients to act quickly when the right opportunity arises, which is particularly important on an island where an unhurried way of life belies a surprisingly fast-moving real estate market.

In 2021, they purchased their own home and renovated it into a stunning rental property. That experience has given them yet another layer of insight. What now serves as a popular getaway looked quite different when they found it, and the transformation provides a tangible example of what an older island property can become with the right vision and investment.

“Our personal house has been used a handful of times or more to show clients, this is what you can do with a property that did not originally look like this,” Lauren said. It’s not just the region-specific know-how they gained; it’s also recognizing that maximizing potential means understanding possibilities and limitations.

“The most important thing when we sit down with clients is having that initial conversation,” Chris explained. “What is truly important to you?” With that information, Chris works the numbers, and Lauren navigates all of the frameworks that define what’s doable. The goal, Lauren said, “is to build a relationship and to earn and keep their trust.”

That trust matters particularly on an island where the experience of living in one neighborhood can differ considerably from another. Chris and Lauren continually draw on their insight because they know how much it can mean to make the stars align for someone. They often remind their three children how fortunate they are to have Kiawah as part of their everyday lives.

The change in vibe after making the short drive from their home on Johns Island to Kiawah never gets old, Chris said. “It’s fifteen minutes for us to get to the front gate, but it still feels like we’re in a different world. I think people feel the same way when they’re coming from out of town.”

That feeling, ultimately, is what they hope to help their clients discover and make their own. A house might begin with a particular view, a promising floor plan, or a convenient location, but its true meaning is often born of years of earned experience crunching numbers, closing contracts, and navigating the nuances of this specific Charleston enclave.

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Welcome Home: Local Living is a Charleston Home + Design series that explores what makes a house feel like home through conversations with the people who shape the way we live. Each installment goes beyond products and projects to uncover the experiences, ideas, and personal connections that influence how we design, furnish, and experience our homes. For more information or to participate in the series, contact josh@newhomecharleston.com.