Assistance program · South Carolina
Palmetto Home Advantage
South Carolina state agency program with forgivable down payment assistance of 0%, 3% or 4% of the loan, with no monthly payments, for any buyer in all 46 counties
At a glance
- Kind of help
- Forgivable
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
- First-time buyer?
- No
- No first-time requirement
- Minimum credit score
- 640
- The minimum the source asks for; a lender may ask for more.
- 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
What it gives
Source text
The program offers forgivable down payment assistance of 0%, 3%, or 4% of the loan amount with no monthly payment. 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
for first-time, move-up and repeat buyers with no first-time home buyer requirements … across all 46 counties in South Carolina … All program options require a minimum 640 credit score … with a borrower income limit of $135,750 - First-time buyers only No
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- Minimum credit score 640
- Income limit A flat cap; see the source
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- 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 All of South Carolina
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 South Carolina
The program covers all of South Carolina. The first column is South Carolina's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its counties. Limits change by county: check yours.
The program sets its maximum price in a table. Compare it with the typical home value in South Carolina: $259,000.
The typical home value ($259,000) fits within South Carolina's FHA limit ($541,287).
The program publishes an income cap of $135,750 for the household. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in South Carolina is $66,850.
| Figure | South Carolina | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $259,000 | $76,200 (Allendale County) to $489,100 (Charleston County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 (Abbeville County) to $690,000 (Dorchester County) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 46 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $66,850 | $59,700 (Abbeville County) to $94,000 (Dorchester 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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Your income cannot go above $135,750
According to its page, the cap counts the whole household's income.
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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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Check your score: the published minimum is 640
That is the program's minimum; the lender may ask for more. If you are short, a housing counselor can explain how to raise it.
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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?
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
- 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: SC Housing Homebuyer Program and County First Initiative. It covers the whole state; one program on the list is only for a city or a county.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmetto Home Advantagethis program | Forgivable | Not published | No | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| SC Housing Homebuyer Program | Forgivable | Not published | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| County First Initiative | 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 |
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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Help and programs
HUD housing counselors: what they do and what they cost
What a HUD-approved housing counselor does, what they help with (buying, renting, missed payments, credit), what they may charge and how to find one.
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Help and programs
Public charge and housing: what the rules say
Public charge: which housing help DHS may consider, who is exempt, how HUD prorates assistance for mixed-status families and where to get free advice.
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.