Assistance program · South Carolina
County First Initiative
South Carolina state agency rural initiative for certain counties: an FHA, USDA or VA mortgage at a special fixed rate with forgivable down payment assistance, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before
At a glance
- Kind of help
- Forgivable
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
- First-time buyer?
- No
- No first-time requirement
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
Only in: Abbeville County, Allendale County, Bamberg County, Barnwell County, Beaufort County, Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Chester County, Chesterfield County, Clarendon County, Colleton County, Darlington County, Dillon County, Edgefield County, Fairfield County, Florence County, Georgetown County, Hampton County, Horry County, Jasper County, Kershaw County, Laurens County, Lee County, Marion County, Marlboro County, McCormick County, Newberry County, Orangeburg County, Saluda County, Union County, Williamsburg County
What it gives
Source text
The program includes forgivable down payment assistance and special fixed rate financing. Borrowers can choose FHA, USDA or VA financing. A summary of what the program publishes; not a loan offer or advice. Amounts, limits and funding change without notice.
At a glance
Who qualifies
Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.
Source text
County First is a rural initiative designed to provide potential homebuyers, in underserved communities, with additional resources when local economic conditions make homeownership difficult. Funding is available for both first-time or move-up borrowers. … County First funding is available to homebuyers in the following targeted counties: … The program requirements are the same as our SC Homebuyer Program for income and home price limits. - First-time buyers only No
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- Minimum credit score Not stated — ask
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with FHA, USDA, VA
- Immigration requirement Not stated — ask
- Accepts ITIN? Not stated — ask
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies Abbeville County, Allendale County, Bamberg County, Barnwell County, Beaufort County, Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Chester County, Chesterfield County, Clarendon County, Colleton County, Darlington County, Dillon County, Edgefield County, Fairfield County, Florence County, Georgetown County, Hampton County, Horry County, Jasper County, Kershaw County, Laurens County, Lee County, Marion County, Marlboro County, McCormick County, Newberry County, Orangeburg County, Saluda County, Union County, Williamsburg County
What its page says about being open
Its page does not say whether the program is open or has funds. Ask the lender or the agency before counting on it. Read on the official page on November 5, 2026.
Your area in numbers
What buying costs in the program's 31 counties
The program covers 31 counties. The first column is the figure of the middle county; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among them.
The program sets its maximum price in a table. Compare it with the typical home value in the program's 31 counties: $158,000.
The typical home value ($158,000) fits within the program's 31 counties's FHA limit ($541,287).
The program sets its income limit in its own table. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in the program's 31 counties is $59,700.
| Figure | Middle county | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $158,000 | $76,200 (Allendale County) to $455,600 (Beaufort County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 (Abbeville County) to $638,250 (Jasper County) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 31 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $59,700 | $59,700 (Abbeville County) to $90,400 (Beaufort County) | HUD |
Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024) · FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data) · Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data) · Income Limits (HUD) (Fiscal year 2026)
Step by step
How to use it, step by step
Each step comes from what the program's page says. What its page leaves out is further down, in the questions.
Find a participating lender-
Ask first whether it is open
Its page does not say whether it is open or still has funds. That is the first thing to ask.
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Find your county in the income table
The limit changes with the county and the number of people in your household. Count the income of everyone the program asks you to add.
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Check your county's maximum price
The program sets a maximum price per county in its table.
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Pick a mortgage it works with
According to its page, the help is used together with a FHA, USDA and VA loan. Each loan type has its own requirements.
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Find a participating lender: state programs do not take applications directly; the lender reserves the assistance while processing your mortgage.
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Compare the total cost before you sign
Ask about the total cost. The mortgage with assistance may carry a higher rate than without it, and some programs charge for the course or a fee.
Before you call
What to ask
Its page leaves 7 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to SC Housing.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- What is the most it gives, and how is it calculated?
- Do you require a homebuyer course? Which ones do you accept, and what do they cost?
- What minimum credit score do you require?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- After how many years is the loan forgiven, and what happens if I sell or refinance before then?
Against the others
How it compares with South Carolina's other programs
The 3 programs we checked in South Carolina, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is one of 2 programs in South Carolina, out of 3, that say you do not need to be a first-time buyer. None of the 3 publishes an amount with the figure in its own wording. 2 more programs in the state give "forgivable" help: Palmetto Home Advantage and SC Housing Homebuyer Program. It is the only local program on the list; the others cover the whole state.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County First Initiativethis program | Forgivable | Not published | No | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Abbeville County, Allendale County, Bamberg County, Barnwell County, Beaufort County, Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Chester County, Chesterfield County, Clarendon County, Colleton County, Darlington County, Dillon County, Edgefield County, Fairfield County, Florence County, Georgetown County, Hampton County, Horry County, Jasper County, Kershaw County, Laurens County, Lee County, Marion County, Marlboro County, McCormick County, Newberry County, Orangeburg County, Saluda County, Union County, Williamsburg County |
| Palmetto Home Advantage | Forgivable | Not published | No | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| SC Housing Homebuyer Program | Forgivable | Not published | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
Sources
How we checked this program
We read the program's official pages on November 5, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.
We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.
Get free help applying
A HUD-approved housing counselor explains the program's requirements, goes over your numbers and tells you what to ask the lender. They do not sell loans.
Find a counselor (HUD)Read before you apply
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Help and programs
Down payment assistance: how it works
What down payment assistance is, the types that exist (grant, forgivable or deferred second loan, tax credit), who qualifies and where to find it.
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Mortgage loans
FHA loan: down payment, insurance, limits and who qualifies
How an FHA loan works: the down payment and credit score HUD requires, MIP mortgage insurance, your county limit, the home and the residency rules.
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Mortgage loans
USDA loan: no down payment in rural areas
How the USDA guaranteed loan works: rural areas, the household income limit, guarantee fees, who can apply and the steps from address to keys.
Your county
Price and income limits depend on the county. Your county page has the typical value, the FHA limit and the counseling agencies that can walk you through the application.