Help to buy in South Carolina
Home-buying assistance programs in South Carolina
3 official programs for down payment and closing cost help in South Carolina, from SC Housing. We show what each program says on its own page, with the date we checked it.
Key numbers in South Carolina
- Verified programs
- 3
- from SC Housing
- First-time buyers only
- 1
- 2 do not require it or their pages do not say
- Accept an ITIN
- 0
- per their own site · no: 0 · unconfirmed: 3
- Last checked
- November 5, 2026
- against each program’s official page
How to read the list
Not all help is the same
Amounts, limits and funding change: confirm with a participating lender.
Before you compare amounts, look at the kind of help: it changes what you pay later. These are the kinds the programs on this page use.
On ITIN, each card says what the program itself publishes: yes, no, or not confirmed on its site.
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Forgivable
Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
The full list
Programs in South Carolina
Filter by who qualifies, by ITIN or by kind of help. Each card quotes the source and the date we checked it.
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- Forgivable
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
What it gives, per the source
The program offers forgivable down payment assistance of 0%, 3%, or 4% of the loan amount with no monthly payment.
- First-time buyer?
- No first-time requirement
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority)
Verified November 5, 2026
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- Forgivable
South Carolina state agency fixed-rate mortgage with forgivable help for the down payment, closing costs or prepaid expenses: a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments, forgiven if you live in the home 15 years
What it gives, per the source
Currently our bond program offers Forgivable Down Payment Assistance (DPA) with a zero percent (0%) interest rate and no monthly payments. The DPA is a second lien with 15-year (180 month) term. If the borrower(s) remain in the home for the full term, the lien is forgiven.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority)
Verified November 5, 2026
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County First Initiative
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
- Forgivable
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
What it gives, per the source
The program includes forgivable down payment assistance and special fixed rate financing. Borrowers can choose FHA, USDA or VA financing.
- First-time buyer?
- No first-time requirement
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority)
Verified November 5, 2026
No program matches your search.
Help to repair your home
Repair programs in South Carolina
One program we checked in South Carolina to repair your home or make it more efficient, with what its page says.
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Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
Run by South Carolina Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO)
South Carolina weatherization program: upgrades that cut energy use in low-income homes, through local agencies
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is down payment assistance?
Money from a public or nonprofit program for the down payment or closing costs. It can be a grant you never repay, a second loan forgiven if you stay in the home for some years, a second loan repaid when you sell or refinance, or a tax credit (MCC) that lowers your federal taxes.
Do I need to be a first-time buyer in South Carolina?
Of the 3 programs on this page, 1 requires it; the rest do not, or their page does not say. In general, “first-time buyer” means not having owned a home in the last three years.
Can I use these programs with an ITIN?
What each program’s own site says: accept an ITIN, 0; do not accept one, 0; not confirmed on its site, 3. Ask the participating lender directly before you start, and ask for it in writing.