Plain-English guides for South Carolina homebuyers.

For first-time buyers

• All South Carolina Down Payment Assistance programs: State-level programs plus national programs (Chenoa Fund, Arrive Home, Essex/NHF) that work in South Carolina.
• First-Time Buyer paths beyond DPA: FHA, USDA, Conventional 97, and layered combinations.
• One DPA per transaction: We explain which one fits your scenario — income limits, FICO thresholds, purchase-price caps, occupancy rules vary by program.

For self-employed buyers

The Self-Employed Mortgage Problem

Tax returns underrepresent self-employed income because of legal business deductions. Standard mortgage underwriting punishes that. South Carolina self-employed buyers routinely get told they don’t qualify based on adjusted gross income, even when their bank deposits tell a very different story. Three programs solve it:

• Bank Statement Loans: Qualify on 12 or 24 months of business deposits with expense-factor adjustments — not what’s left after deductions.
• 1099 Loans: For contractors, gig workers, real estate agents, and other 1099-only earners — qualify on documented 1099 income.
• Asset Qualifier Loans: Qualify on liquid assets (cash, brokerage, retirement) divided over an asset-utilization period — no income calculation required.

For move-up buyers

• Buy Before You Sell (BBYS) bridge financing: Buy your next South Carolina home before your current one closes.
• Removing offer contingencies with bridge loans: For the buyer who wants their offer to read as cash-equivalent.

For jumbo and high-income buyers

• Full Doc Jumbo: Standard South Carolina jumbo with W-2 / tax-return documentation.
• Alt Doc Jumbo: Jumbo qualified with bank statements, 1099, or asset qualifier.
• Medical Professionals Jumbo: Up to 100% LTV with NO PMI for MD, DO, DDS, DMD, and other eligible credentialed roles.
• Super Jumbo: Loan amounts above $2M.

For investors

• DSCR Loans (qualifies on rental income, not yours): Including below-1.0 DSCR financing for South Carolina rental property.
• Short-Term Rental Loans: Built for South Carolina Airbnb / VRBO markets.

For real estate agents

• The For Agents playbook: Contract Contingent on Buyer Sale (CCBS) rescue, complex-doc buyers, jumbo with student debt, RESPA-compliant co-marketing