Whether you’re buying your first home in the Columbia suburbs, relocating to the booming Charleston metro, purchasing near Fort Jackson, Joint Base Charleston, or one of South Carolina’s Marine Corps installations, retiring to Hilton Head Island, or investing in Myrtle Beach’s nationally renowned short-term rental market,
understanding your home loan options is the first step toward making a smart financial decision. The Bookspan Baker Team at Guild Mortgage is licensed to serve South Carolina buyers statewide.
South Carolina’s mortgage landscape is straightforward in its conforming limit structure — all 46 counties follow the $832,750 national baseline, with no high-cost designations — while the state’s robust SC Housing DPA ecosystem offers some of the most competitive first-time buyer programs in the Southeast. FHA limits are elevated in the Charleston tri-county area and the Beaufort/Hilton Head corridor. A significant military community spans Fort Jackson (the Army’s largest basic training center), Joint Base Charleston, MCAS Beaufort, Parris Island, and Shaw AFB. And for investors, Myrtle Beach and the South Carolina coast rank among the most active short-term rental markets on the East Coast.
$832,750 uniform conforming limit across all 46 SC counties.
$541,287 in most counties; elevated limits in Charleston tri-county and Beaufort/Jasper.
Zero down payment for eligible veterans near Fort Jackson, Joint Base Charleston, Parris Island, MCAS Beaufort, and Shaw AFB.
Financing above $832,750 for Kiawah Island, Hilton Head, Sullivan’s Island, and Charleston’s luxury market.
Lower your rate, shorten your term, or access your home’s equity.
SC Housing’s Palmetto Home Advantage (up to 4% DPA, all buyers), Palmetto Heroes ($10K for public servants and military), and CommunityWorks (up to $25K in select areas).
Conventional Loans are mortgages not insured or guaranteed by a federal agency. All 46 South Carolina counties follow the $832,750 national conforming baseline — making conventional financing
consistent and predictable from the Upstate to the Lowcountry. Down payments start as low as 3% for first-time buyers, and SC Housing’s Palmetto Home Advantage program pairs directly with conventional financing.
FHA Loans are popular with first-time buyers across Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg, and South Carolina’s many growing
communities. Most counties follow the $541,287 FHA floor. The Charleston tri-county area (Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester) and Beaufort and Jasper counties carry elevated FHA limits reflecting higher home values in those coastal and suburban markets.
South Carolina is home to some of the most strategically significant military installations in the country. Fort Jackson in Columbia is the US Army’s largest initial entry training center. Joint Base Charleston supports over 90,000 total force personnel across four installations. Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island is where the Marine Corps makes Marines for the entire eastern United States. MCAS Beaufort flies F/A-18s and F-35s. Shaw AFB in Sumter houses the Air Force’s largest combat F-16 wing. South Carolina also provides meaningful military retirement tax relief for veterans.
The South Carolina coast generates some of the most distinctive Jumbo loan demand in the Southeast. Kiawah Island estates, oceanfront properties on Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms, Hilton Head Island plantation communities, Sea Pines, and Charleston’s premium historic neighborhoods regularly require Jumbo financing above the $832,750 conforming limit.
South Carolina homeowners have seen meaningful appreciation — particularly in the Charleston metro, Beaufort County, and the Greenville-Spartanburg Upstate — creating equity opportunities for rate-and-term or cash-out refinancing. The Bookspan Baker Team provides a full break-even analysis for every scenario.
SC Housing’s Palmetto Home Advantage provides forgivable DPA of up to 4% of the loan amount for both first-time and repeat buyers statewide — income up to $135,750, no sales price limits, 10-year forgiveness, min 640 credit score. The Palmetto Heroes Program provides $10,000 in forgivable DPA for teachers, nurses, law enforcement, firefighters, veterans, and active-duty military. CommunityWorks offers up to $25,000 in select metro areas.
Explore Down Payment Assistance in South Carolina in detail →
For South Carolina retirees with long-held equity in coastal or Upstate homes, self-employed professionals in Charleston’s hospitality and tech corridor or the Upstate’s manufacturing executive class, and investors targeting Myrtle Beach’s nationally recognized STR market, specialty programs often fit better than standard financing.
Explore Specialty Loan Programs in South Carolina in detail →
The Bookspan Baker Team at Guild Mortgage is licensed to serve South Carolina buyers statewide and familiar with the state’s key markets — from the Charleston metro and Beaufort County coast to Fort Jackson’s Columbia community, the Greenville-Spartanburg Upstate, and the Grand Strand. Our team brings over 80 combined years of mortgage lending experience, with education-first guidance at every step.
South Carolina buyers can access Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, Refinance, and Down Payment Assistance programs, as well as specialty programs including reverse mortgages, bank statement loans, and DSCR investor loans.
All 46 South Carolina counties follow the $832,750 national baseline for 2026. There are no high-cost county designations — the limit is the same statewide.
Most counties follow the $541,287 FHA floor. Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties (Charleston tri-county) carry elevated FHA limits. Beaufort and Jasper counties (Hilton Head/Bluffton area) also carry elevated limits.
Yes. SC Housing’s Palmetto Home Advantage provides up to 4% forgivable DPA for all buyers (income up to $135,750, 10-year forgiveness, min 640 credit). The 2026 Palmetto Heroes Program provides $10,000 for public servants and military. CommunityWorks offers up to $25,000 in select markets.
Extremely so. With Fort Jackson, Joint Base Charleston, Parris Island, MCAS Beaufort, and Shaw AFB, South Carolina is one of the most military-active states in the Southeast. South Carolina also provides meaningful military retirement income tax relief.
FHA Loans allow 580+ with 3.5% down. SC Housing programs require 640 minimum. Conventional Loans typically require 620+. Jumbo Loans typically require 700+.
