South Carolina real estate: buy or sell with a local AXEN agent
SC Code 12-43-220 taxes your main home at 4% of its value and everything else at 6%, and that gap is the biggest surprise buyers hit here. A lawyer has to run your closing, and the county resets your value the year you buy. Here is what is the same everywhere in South Carolina, and where to search homes.
South Carolina cities we cover
Each guide covers the local neighborhoods, costs and rules for that city.
What every South Carolina buyer and seller should know
4% for your home, 6% for everything else
South Carolina taxes your main home at 4% of fair market value. A second home or a rental is taxed at 6% (SC Code 12-43-220). Two identical houses on the same street can have very different bills. The 4% rate is never automatic. You apply with the county assessor and prove the home is your legal residence.
Apply for the 4% rate on time
Apply before the first penalty date for that tax year. Taxes are due January 15 and the penalty starts January 16, or 30 days after notices go out, whichever is later. Do not count on backdating the 4% rate to your purchase date. Apply as soon as you move in.
Your value resets when you buy
A deed is an assessable transfer of interest, so the county re-appraises the home at full market value as of December 31 of the year you buy (SC Code 12-37-3150). The old owner's bill is not your bill. Ask the assessor what your number will be before you write the offer.
The 15% cap does not protect a buyer
Between county-wide reassessments, value increases are capped at 15% over five years. That cap does not apply when a sale sets a new value, and it does not cover new additions. A separate 25% exemption can apply to 6% property after a sale, but you have to tell the county assessor before January 31 of the first year you claim it.
A lawyer has to run your closing
South Carolina requires a licensed attorney to perform or supervise the title search, the documents, the closing and the recording. That comes from State v. Buyers Service Co. and Matrix Financial Services Corp. v. Frazer. It is not optional and it is not local custom. Pick your closing attorney early.
The deed recording fee is $1.85 per $500
South Carolina charges $1.85 for each $500 of the price, or part of $500, split $1.30 to the state and $0.55 to the county (SC Code 12-24-10). The seller owes it as grantor and the buyer is secondarily liable (SC Code 12-24-20). On foreclosure, master-in-equity and government deeds the law puts it on the buyer instead. A contract can change who writes the check.
The seller fills out a condition disclosure
Most sellers have to give you the state disclosure form (SC Code 27-50-40). It covers water and sewer, roof and structure, systems, wood-destroying insects, covenants and land use, environmental items, rental contracts, and whether an HOA governs the property. One thing to know: state law says a missing disclosure does not void the deal or hold up closing.
Coastal property has its own rules
A contract to sell property seaward of the setback or jurisdictional line has to disclose the baseline, the setback line, where the structure corners sit and the local erosion rate (SC Code 48-39-330). Work in a coastal critical area needs a permit from the Department of Environmental Services. Those jurisdictional lines are being redrawn in phases, so check the current line, not an old one.
Closing costs in South Carolina: who pays what
Who pays what in South Carolina. The deed recording fee is set by law. The rest is contract custom and can be negotiated.
| Buyer pays | How it works |
|---|---|
| Closing attorney fee | A flat fee set by the firm. An attorney is required by law here, so this line is not optional. |
| Title search and exam | Flat or hourly through the attorney's office. |
| Owner's title insurance | A one-time premium based on the purchase price. |
| Lender's title insurance | Based on the loan amount, if you are borrowing. |
| Recording the deed and mortgage | Set by each county register of deeds, sometimes called the RMC. |
| Survey | A flat fee by parcel. Optional unless your lender or the attorney asks for one. |
| Home inspection | A flat fee set by the inspector. |
| CL-100 wood infestation report | A flat fee from a licensed pest company on the official state form. |
| HOA transfer, estoppel or capital fee | Set by the association's recorded documents and its management company. |
| Seller pays | How it works |
|---|---|
| Deed recording fee | $1.85 per $500 of the price. State law puts it on the seller, except on foreclosure and government deeds. |
| Deed preparation | A flat attorney fee. |
| Loan and lien payoffs | Your lender's payoff statement through the closing date. |
| Recording the mortgage satisfaction | A county recording fee. |
| Property tax proration | Split at closing by the days each side owned the home. That is custom, not law. |
| HOA dues and document fees | Your share of dues plus whatever the recorded documents allow. |
| Repairs agreed after the inspection or CL-100 | Whatever the signed amendment says. |
| Any closing costs you agreed to cover | Per the contract. |
Plan for the tax swing. If the home is a second home or a rental it is assessed at 6%, not 4%. Recording fees and assessor filing rules differ by county. Ask your AXEN agent for the numbers in your county before you sign.
How a South Carolina home purchase runs
From accepted contract to recorded deed, most South Carolina sales run 30 to 45 days. Here is the order, and which parts are law rather than custom.
Get pre-approved →-
Contract accepted. Both sides sign and every other date counts from here.
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Earnest money delivered. You send the deposit to the broker or attorney holding it, usually within a few days.
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Seller disclosure delivered. The owner gives you the state disclosure form, before signing or as the contract says. That one is state law.
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Inspections and the CL-100. You order the home inspection and the wood infestation report and pay for them. Usually 7 to 14 days.
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Loan and appraisal. The lender orders the appraisal and works the file. Usually 3 to 5 weeks.
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Attorney title search and survey. The closing attorney searches title, clears liens and orders a survey if one is needed. Two to four weeks in the background.
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Final walkthrough. You check the home shortly before closing.
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Closing at the attorney's office. Both sides sign and the attorney pays everyone out. State law requires the attorney.
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Recording, then your 4% application. The attorney records the deed and mortgage with the county. Then you file the legal residence application with the county assessor. Do not skip this one.
South Carolina by region
South Carolina splits into three very different parts. Tap a city for homes for sale there.
Lowcountry and the coast
The coastal strip from historic Charleston out to the sea islands and south toward Beaufort and Hilton Head. Beachfront setback rules, wind and flood coverage and local short-term rental rules matter most here.
Midlands
The center of the state and the capital. Lakes and rivers, government and university jobs, and a mix of older in-town neighborhoods and newer suburbs out toward Lexington and Camden.
Upstate
The northwest corner in the Blue Ridge foothills, stretching toward Spartanburg and Anderson. Mountain and lake access, a walkable downtown core, and none of the coastal insurance or setback rules.
AXEN Realty in South Carolina
Every AXEN agent in South Carolina works under a licensed managing broker: Laura Nerbonne (AXEN Realty, LLC, firm license 28108); Wayne Green (AXEN Realty Partners, LLC, firm license 28910). See every state on the state brokers page.
Buying? Start with the home buying guide and get pre-approved.
Selling? Read the home selling guide and get your home value.
Moving here? Read buying in a new state.
Real estate agent? Changing brokerages in South Carolina: you file it online; state fee: no fee. See how to transfer a South Carolina license, the switching checklist, advice for new agents and how keeping 100% works.
South Carolina real estate questions
What is the difference between the 4% and 6% property tax rate?
Your main home is assessed at 4% of market value. Second homes and rentals are assessed at 6%. Two identical houses on the same street can have very different tax bills. You have to apply with the county assessor to get 4%. It is never automatic.
When do I apply for the 4% rate?
Apply with the county assessor before the first penalty date for that tax year. Taxes are due January 15 and penalties start January 16. Apply as soon as you move in rather than counting on the rate reaching back to your purchase date.
Will my taxes match the seller's old bill?
No. A sale is an assessable transfer of interest, so the county re-appraises the home at full market value as of December 31 of the year you buy. The old owner's rate and value do not carry over. Ask the assessor to estimate your bill.
Does the 15% cap protect me from a big jump?
No. The 15% five-year limit applies to county-wide reassessment programs. It does not apply when a sale sets a new value, and it does not cover new additions. A separate 25% exemption may apply to 6% property after a sale, if you notify the county assessor before January 31 of the first year you claim it.
Do I need an attorney to close?
Yes. A licensed South Carolina attorney has to perform or supervise the title search, the documents, the closing and the recording. A title company on its own cannot do it. Choose your closing attorney early so the title work starts on time.
Who pays the deed recording fee?
The seller owes it as the grantor, and the buyer is secondarily liable. Under SC Code 12-24-10 it is $1.85 per $500 of the price, split $1.30 to the state and $0.55 to the county. On foreclosure and government deeds the law puts it on the buyer instead. A contract can shift who writes the check.
What is a CL-100?
The CL-100 is the Official South Carolina Wood Infestation Report. A licensed pest company checks accessible areas for termites, wood-boring insects and decay, and checks moisture under the first floor. Many lenders ask for it. Buyers usually order and pay for it.
What is different about buying on the coast?
Property seaward of the setback line needs a beachfront disclosure in the contract. Work in a coastal critical area needs a state permit. Wind and hail coverage is often a separate policy with its own deductible, and flood is separate again.