Where we finance

Hard Money Loans in South Carolina

Apex Capital Advisors arranges hard money and other business-purpose financing for real estate investors across South Carolina, from Charleston single houses and Greenville mill houses to Columbia bungalows. We offer fix and flip, DSCR rental, bridge and new construction loans, with a term sheet within 12 to 24 hours.

Discuss your deal All 36 states and Washington, D.C.

Fix & Flip
DSCR Rental
Bridge
New Construction

The lay of the land

Investing in South Carolina

South Carolina runs from the Upstate foothills through the Midlands to the Lowcountry coast, and investors work each region differently. The Upstate grew up on textile mills, and Greenville and Spartanburg still have whole mill villages of small frame houses. Manufacturing now drives the economy, from BMW's plant in Greer to Michelin's North American headquarters in Greenville.

In the Midlands, Columbia holds the state government, the University of South Carolina and Fort Jackson, so investors buy student rentals near campus and houses leased to military families near the post. On the coast, the Port of Charleston, Joint Base Charleston and Boeing's Dreamliner plant anchor the Charleston economy, and the Grand Strand around Myrtle Beach is lined with vacation rentals.

Storm wind, flood zones, termites and damp crawl spaces are common concerns in older South Carolina houses. Inspect for them before you apply for hard money financing, because each one shapes your rehab budget and your exit.

Loan programs

Loan Programs in South Carolina

Four ways to finance an investment property in South Carolina, each sized to the deal rather than a fixed product.

Short-term project capital

Fix and Flip Loans in South Carolina

South Carolina flips usually start with an older house: a mill house in Greenville, a bungalow in Columbia's Rosewood, a cottage in North Charleston's Park Circle, or a postwar brick ranch in West Ashley. Check for termites and moisture under the house before you set the budget.

Our hard money fix and flip loans fund up to 92.50% of total cost and up to 100% of the rehab budget, with draws released as inspections clear. First-time investors are welcome. The minimum FICO is 650, with lower scores considered case by case.

Newbies are welcome
Up to 92.50% Loan to Cost (LTC)
Up to 100% of rehab budget

Fix and flip loan details

Long-term rental financing

DSCR Rental Loans in South Carolina

South Carolina rentals include houses leased to military families near Fort Jackson and Joint Base Charleston, student rentals near the University of South Carolina and Clemson, and beach houses and condos along the Grand Strand.

Our DSCR loans qualify on the property's cash flow, with no traditional employment verification. Loan amounts run from $100K to $3M+, with 30-year fixed and ARM options, ratios as low as 0.75x and cash-out refinances up to 80% LTV. Reaching the full 80% takes a stronger DSCR and credit score than the program minimums, so leverage on each file is set by its DSCR and credit. Short-term rentals are eligible, but check local rules: the City of Charleston generally limits them to an owner's primary residence.

Qualified on the property's cash flow, not your personal income
No traditional employment or personal-income verification
Cash-out refinance LTV up to 80%

DSCR rental loan details

Interim financing

Bridge Loans in South Carolina

A hard money bridge loan usually solves a timing problem. A Columbia or Greenville investor may need to close on the next house before the last one sells. A buyer may take on a vacant duplex in the Upstate that needs repairs and tenants before a long-term lender will consider it.

The bridge runs until a sale or a DSCR loan pays it off, with terms set deal by deal for experienced and first-time sponsors alike. South Carolina residential closings are attorney-supervised, so line up closing counsel early when a contract deadline is tight.

Structured for transactions that cannot wait
Property in transition, lease-up or repositioning
Terms set deal by deal rather than to a fixed product

Bridge loan details

Ground-up construction

New Construction Loans in South Carolina

South Carolina investors build spec homes in suburbs such as Summerville and Goose Creek outside Charleston, Lexington and Blythewood near Columbia, and Simpsonville near Greenville. Others build infill houses on teardown lots, or raised homes in coastal flood zones.

Our new construction loans fund up to 100% of the construction budget and release money in stages against progress. Approved plans are needed before closing, permits before the first draw, and a licensed general contractor is typically required. Check beachfront and marsh-front lots against state setback and permit rules before you buy.

Up to 100% of the construction budget
Land or lot cost and build budget assessed together
Capital released in stages against construction progress

New construction loan details

Program terms are general guidelines, not a quote or commitment. Every loan is subject to underwriting and approval and is for business purposes only.

Local markets

Where We Finance in South Carolina

Apex offers loans statewide. These markets are a starting point, not a limit.

Charleston

Charleston's peninsula holds the city's historic districts, where the signature form is the Charleston single house: narrow, gable end to the street, with side porches called piazzas. Exterior work visible from the street there is reviewed by the Board of Architectural Review or its staff, and board agendas fill up, so allow time. The Medical University of South Carolina, the College of Charleston and The Citadel bring staff and student renters. Tidal flooding reaches low parts of the peninsula. West Ashley has postwar ranch neighborhoods such as Byrnes Downs that suit rehabs.

Columbia

Columbia is the state capital and home to the University of South Carolina, Fort Jackson and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. Shandon, Rosewood and Melrose Heights have early bungalows and cottages that suit flips, and rentals near campus draw students. Cottontown and Elmwood Park have older homes near downtown that suit full renovations, and Olympia grew up as a mill village around its mill. East of downtown toward Fort Jackson, subdivisions are leased to military families, and Lexington, Irmo and West Columbia add suburban houses that fit a DSCR refinance.

North Charleston

North Charleston is the region's industrial, port and transportation center. Boeing assembles Dreamliners here, Joint Base Charleston shares its runways with Charleston International Airport, and a port container terminal now sits on part of the former Charleston Naval Base. Park Circle, laid out around a central circular park, has bungalows and mid-century cottages that suit full rehabs. Older neighborhoods near the former base, such as Chicora-Cherokee and Union Heights, have small frame houses that fit a long-term rental plan, and newer subdivisions toward Summerville suit a rent and refinance strategy.

Greenville

Greenville grew up on textile mills and now anchors the Upstate's manufacturing economy. Michelin's North American headquarters and GE Vernova's gas turbine plant are here, and BMW's plant is nearby in Greer. Downtown's Main Street and Falls Park on the Reedy River draw buyers to older neighborhoods such as North Main, Augusta Road and Hampton-Pinckney, which suit larger renovations and infill builds. Mill villages on the west side, including Brandon, Judson and Monaghan, have small frame houses that suit full rehabs, and Simpsonville and Mauldin add newer subdivisions for long-term rentals.

Before you buy

What Investors Should Know About South Carolina

Courts handle foreclosure

A sale under a South Carolina mortgage is not valid unless a court first establishes the debt or the borrower later consents in writing to the amount. A county master-in-equity typically holds the sale and signs the deed. Unless the lender waives a deficiency judgment, bidding stays open after sale day.

Attorneys supervise closings

The South Carolina Supreme Court requires attorney supervision of residential real estate loan closings, including the deed and loan documents, the title search, the closing and the recording. Doing those steps without an attorney is the unauthorized practice of law, and a lender that skips supervision cannot rely on equitable remedies. Pick a closing attorney early.

Investors pay a higher tax ratio

South Carolina assesses an owner-occupied legal residence at a lower ratio and exempts it from school operating taxes. Rentals, flips and second homes fall in the general class for real property, so the seller's bill is a poor guide to yours. Reassessment caps do not cover new improvements or a sale.

Licensed builders and lien rights

Residential building and remodeling above a set project cost needs a builder or specialty contractor licensed or registered with the state. The owner-builder exemption does not cover homes built for sale or rent. Unpaid contractors can claim a mechanics' lien within a limited time after their last work, so collect lien waivers with every draw.

Beachfront and marsh rules

State law bars new construction seaward of the beachfront baseline, apart from walkways and small decks. Between the baseline and the setback line, new homes and additions face size and placement limits. Beaches, dunes and tidelands, which include marsh, are critical areas, and using one for a new purpose needs a state permit.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Laws and rates change; confirm the details with a licensed attorney or tax professional in South Carolina.

Questions

South Carolina Hard Money Loan FAQs

Not answered here? Call +1(551) 321-5995 or read the full FAQ.

Do you offer hard money loans to first-time flippers in South Carolina?

Yes. First-time investors are welcome on our fix and flip loans, which fund up to 92.50% of total cost and up to 100% of the rehab budget. The minimum FICO is 650, with lower scores considered case by case. Qualified deals with complete documents can fund in as fast as 15 days.

Does a Charleston historic-district house need design approval to rehab?

Often, yes. In the historic districts, the Board of Architectural Review reviews new construction and alterations visible from the public right-of-way, while minor work such as painting and repairs is usually handled by city staff. Confirm your scope before you close and allow for the review time.

Can I run a short-term rental on an investment property in Charleston?

Generally not inside the City of Charleston. Its ordinance limits residential short-term rentals to an owner's primary residence, with an exception for commercially zoned property in the short-term rental overlay. Our DSCR loans accept short-term rentals, so confirm the property can legally operate as one.

Does South Carolina have rent control?

No. State law bars counties and cities from regulating the rent charged on privately owned residential or commercial rental property. Landlords still must keep a rental fit and habitable and itemize deposit deductions in writing under the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

Do you finance older mill houses and bungalows in South Carolina?

Yes, subject to underwriting. Fix and flip financing covers single-family houses, multifamily, condominiums, townhomes and mixed-use property. On an older house we look at the purchase, the scope of the renovation, the finished value and your exit. A mill house or bungalow is a normal candidate.

Beyond the state line

Nearby States We Serve

Investing on both sides of the border? The same programs and the same team cover the states around South Carolina.

All 36 states and Washington, D.C.

Next step

Financing a Property in South Carolina?

Send us the property, the plan and the timeline. We will tell you what is realistic and what we need to issue a term sheet.

Discuss your deal +1(551) 321-5995