See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated March 22, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Beaufort, SC (2026)

Population: 14,700 | Median home price: $400,000 | Est. closing costs: $8,000 - $12,000

Beaufort is a charming coastal city in South Carolina's Lowcountry, known for its historic architecture, military presence at nearby Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, and vibrant waterfront community. With a median home price around $400,000, buyers here benefit from a strong lineup of state, local, and nonprofit programs. The SC Housing Homebuyer Program offers up to $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance, while the Palmetto Heroes Program provides an additional $10,000 for teachers, nurses, veterans, law enforcement, and first responders. The Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust offers up to $12,000 in forgivable assistance for Beaufort County buyers. CommunityWorks Lowcountry provides up to $10,000 in down payment assistance, with employer-partnered programs offering even more. Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry also serves qualifying families with zero-interest mortgages. By stacking these local and state programs with federal loan options like FHA, VA, or USDA financing, Beaufort buyers can significantly reduce their upfront costs.

County Programs in Beaufort County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust Homebuyer Assistance	Forgivable Loan	Up to $12,000 in forgivable down payment assistance	Yes	View →

Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust Homebuyer Assistance

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $12,000 in forgivable down payment assistance
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in South Carolina

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHLBA Community Partners Product	Forgivable Loan	Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	No	View →
FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product	Forgivable Loan	Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	Yes	View →
FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+	Grant	Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	No	View →
Palmetto Heroes Program	Forgivable Loan	$10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance	Yes	View →
Palmetto Home Advantage	Forgivable Loan	Up to 4% of the first mortgage loan amount	No	View →
SC Housing Homebuyer Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance	Yes	View →

FHLBA Community Partners Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

Palmetto Heroes Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance
First-time only:: Yes

Palmetto Home Advantage

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to 4% of the first mortgage loan amount
First-time only:: No

SC Housing Homebuyer Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance
First-time only:: Yes

Federal Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHA Loans	Government-Insured Mortgage	Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)	No	View →
Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)	Government Property Sale Program	50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes	Yes	View →
Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HUD $100 Down Program	FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase	Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.	No	View →
USDA Rural Development Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value	No	View →
VA Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)	No	View →

FHA Loans

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)

Type:: Government Property Sale Program
Amount:: 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
First-time only:: Yes

Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HUD $100 Down Program

Type:: FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase
Amount:: Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.
First-time only:: No

USDA Rural Development Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
First-time only:: No

VA Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Nonprofit Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
CommunityWorks Lowcountry Down Payment Assistance	Forgivable Loan	Up to $10,000 in forgivable down payment and closing cost assistance (employer-partnered programs may offer up to $25,000)	Yes	View →
Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	No-interest mortgage with homes sold at no profit. Monthly payments set at 30% or less of household income.	Yes	View →

CommunityWorks Lowcountry Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000 in forgivable down payment and closing cost assistance (employer-partnered programs may offer up to $25,000)
First-time only:: Yes

Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: No-interest mortgage with homes sold at no profit. Monthly payments set at 30% or less of household income.
First-time only:: Yes

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16 programs available in Beaufort. See which ones you qualify for.

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Most SC Housing programs require household income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income for Beaufort County. The Palmetto Heroes Program is available to teachers, nurses, veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, and EMTs. The Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust and CommunityWorks programs have their own income requirements.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. SC Housing and most local programs require a HUD-approved homebuyer education course. CommunityWorks offers homebuyer workshops in the Lowcountry area. Contact them at (864) 235-6331 or visit communityworkscarolina.org.

Step 3: Contact an SC Housing participating lender. Visit the SC Housing website at schousing.sc.gov to find a participating lender in the Beaufort area who can help you apply for the SC Housing Homebuyer Program or Palmetto Heroes Program.

Step 4: Explore local assistance. Contact CommunityWorks Lowcountry about their down payment assistance programs. City of Beaufort employees and Beaufort Memorial Hospital employees may qualify for employer-specific programs offering up to $10,000 each.

Step 5: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Your lender will determine which loan type (FHA, VA, USDA, or Conventional) best fits your situation and confirm your eligibility for down payment assistance.

Step 6: Find a home within program limits. Work with a local real estate agent to find a property that meets purchase price limits for your selected programs.

Step 7: Submit your application and close. Once you have a signed contract, your lender will process the down payment assistance alongside your first mortgage. Expect 30-45 days from contract to closing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Beaufort?+

Beaufort buyers can access up to $10,000 through the SC Housing Homebuyer Program as a forgivable loan. Eligible public service workers can receive an additional $10,000 through the Palmetto Heroes Program. The Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust offers up to $12,000 in forgivable assistance. CommunityWorks Lowcountry provides up to $10,000 in additional assistance. Palmetto Home Advantage adds up to 4% of the loan amount. By stacking programs, buyers may be able to cover most or all of their down payment and closing costs.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify?+

For the SC Housing Homebuyer Program, Beaufort County is a non-targeted county, so you must be a first-time homebuyer or not have owned a home in the past three years. The Palmetto Home Advantage program has no first-time buyer requirement. VA and USDA loans also do not require first-time buyer status.

What is the maximum home price I can pay using these programs?+

SC Housing sets purchase price limits by county that are updated periodically. Check the current limits for Beaufort County on the SC Housing website at schousing.sc.gov. The Palmetto Home Advantage program has no sales price limits. The Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust and CommunityWorks programs may have their own property requirements.

What homebuyer education is required?+

SC Housing requires at least one borrower to complete a HUD-approved homebuyer education course before closing. CommunityWorks offers homebuyer workshops in the Lowcountry area and can be reached at (864) 235-6331. Online courses through approved providers are also accepted.

Are there employer-specific programs in Beaufort?+

Yes. City of Beaufort employees may qualify for up to $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance through a CommunityWorks partnership, with household income up to 200% AMI. Beaufort Memorial Hospital employees can receive up to $10,000 in forgivable assistance after six months of full-time employment, with the loan forgiven over five years. Both programs are administered by CommunityWorks.

How does the Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry program work?+

Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry builds new homes for families earning between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income in Beaufort and Jasper counties. Homeowners receive a zero-interest mortgage with payments set at 30% or less of household income. Applicants must complete at least 300 hours of sweat equity and attend homeownership classes. Contact Lowcountry Habitat at (843) 681-5864 for current application information.

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