DPA + First-Time Buyer Programs

Down payment assistance + first-time buyer programs in SC.

South Carolina has multiple stackable programs. Site-change watcher (worker/sources/website_changes.py) monitors each program page for income-cap, eligibility, or funding changes and posts to Slack.

SC Housing — Homeownership Program

First mortgage

SC State Housing Finance + Development Authority

Income cap: $132,300 (1-2 person) / $154,350 (3+) — Charleston Tri-County
Price cap: $424,500
Assistance: Up to $9,000 forgivable second after 10 yrs
Rate: Fixed 30-yr conventional, FHA, VA, USDA
Eligibility: First-time buyer (3-yr lookback) · 640 FICO min · 640 if FHA, 660 conventional

Pairs with FHA + USDA. Most-utilized DPA in the state.

SC Housing — Palmetto Heroes

First mortgage

SC State Housing

Income cap: Same as Homeownership Program
Price cap: $424,500
Assistance: Up to $10,000 forgivable second + below-market rate
Rate: 0.25% below standard SC Housing rate
Eligibility: Active police, fire, EMT, teachers, nurses, vets, certain state employees

Strongest program for first-responder + teacher buyers.

City of Charleston — Down Payment Assistance

DPA second mortgage

City of Charleston

Income cap: 80% AMI ($66,950 single / $76,500 family of 4 — 2026 Charleston-North Charleston MSA)
Price cap: $300,000
Assistance: Up to $20,000 forgivable second after 10-15 yrs
Rate: Used with any approved first mortgage
Eligibility: First-time buyer · primary residence · within City of Charleston limits

Stacks with SC Housing Homeownership Program.

Movement Boost

Lender-funded DPA

Movement Mortgage

Income cap: 80% AMI
Price cap: Conforming limit
Assistance: Up to 4% DPA grant, no repayment if held 5 years
Rate: Movement standard purchase rate
Eligibility: First-time buyer · 600 FICO · 50% DTI max

Movement-exclusive — strongest competitive answer to bank-channel DPA.

FHA 203(b)

Government-insured first mortgage

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Income cap: None (DTI-based)
Price cap: $524,225 (2026 SC limit, most counties)
Assistance: 3.5% down · gift funds allowed for full down payment
Rate: Standard FHA
Eligibility: 580 FICO for 3.5% down · 500-579 FICO for 10% down

Workhorse first-time buyer loan. Pairs with all SC + city DPA above.

USDA RD Section 502 Guaranteed

Government-guaranteed first mortgage

USDA Rural Development

Income cap: 115% AMI · $124,200 (1-4 person, Berkeley + Dorchester eligible areas)
Price cap: None (loan-amount based)
Assistance: 100% LTV · no down payment · no PMI (annual fee instead)
Rate: Standard USDA
Eligibility: Eligible rural areas only — most of Berkeley + Dorchester County qualify; map check required

Big lever for buyers in Berkeley + Dorchester. Map at eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov.

Stacking matrix

Most powerful combinations: SC Housing Homeownership + City of Charleston DPA on an FHA 203(b) first — gives a buyer up to $29k assistance with as little as 1% out of pocket. For Berkeley + Dorchester rural buyers, USDA + SC Housing is the workhorse (no down + DPA second). Movement Boost stacks on any first to fund the LTV gap when a buyer's assistance falls short.