Facing Foreclosure in Charleston? Know Your Options
If you're behind on payments, you have options, and selling is only one of them. Here's how South Carolina's foreclosure process works, who to call first, and how a cash sale fits in if selling is right for you.
Get My Cash Offer Call (727) 300-6656Start here: call your lender and a free counselor
If you're behind on payments, you have options, and selling is only one of them. Talk to your lender and a free HUD-approved housing counselor (888-995-4673) first. We can't stop a foreclosure and we never charge fees. If selling makes sense for you, we can make a cash offer and, when the title allows, aim to close before the sale date. We will never ask you to sign your deed over before closing at an attorney's office, or to make mortgage payments to us.
Find a counselor through HUD at answers.hud.gov/housingcounseling or through the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/find-a-housing-counselor. If your loan is with SC Housing, its loss mitigation line is 800-476-0412, option 5.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Foreclosure rules and deadlines turn on the facts of your loan. Speak with a South Carolina attorney and a HUD-approved counselor about your situation.
How foreclosure works in South Carolina
South Carolina forecloses through the courts. In Charleston County, the case usually goes to the Master-in-Equity (or a Special Referee), who hears it and conducts the sale. The county's primer describes these steps; it's dated, so confirm current practice with an attorney:
Complaint and lis pendens
The lender files suit and records a notice that the property is in litigation.
Reference and hearing
The case is referred to the Master-in-Equity or a Special Referee, and a judgment is entered after a hearing.
Notice of sale
The sale is advertised once a week for three weeks before sale day (SC Code §15-39-650).
Sale and Master's deed
The property is auctioned, a report on the sale is filed and the Master's deed is issued.
Master-in-Equity sale days
The regular judicial sale day is the first Monday of the month, or the Tuesday after if Monday is a holiday (§15-39-680). Charleston County's Master-in-Equity, at the Judicial Center at 100 Broad St., posts a running list of sales and its bidding rules. Berkeley and Dorchester counties have their own Masters-in-Equity and schedules, so check the county where the house is. The high bidder typically puts down a deposit of up to 5% of the bid (§15-39-740).
The 30-day bidding rule
If the lender asks for a deficiency judgment, bidding stays open until the thirtieth day after the sale (§15-39-720), so sale day isn't the end. If the complaint waives a deficiency judgment, bidding closes on sale day (§15-39-760).
Where a cash sale can fit
You generally keep title until the foreclosure sale and the Master's deed, so a sale that pays the loan off can often close before then. That has to be coordinated with the lender's attorney, including the payoff figure and any postponement, and you should confirm it with your own SC attorney.
Time is the issue. Listing a house in the Charleston Trident region took a median 55 days from listing to contract in September 2026, and often another month to close (Charleston Trident Association of Realtors MLS data, September 2026). If your sale date is closer than that, an as-is cash sale may be one option to talk over with your counselor.
- A written cash offer within 24–48 hours of seeing the house or getting the details we need.
- Close in as little as 7–14 days when the title is clear. You pick the closing date, and later is fine too.
- No fees or commissions, and we pay the closing costs. You still pay off your own mortgage, liens, past-due taxes and HOA balances from the sale proceeds, and property taxes are prorated at closing.
- We buy as-is: no repairs, no cleaning, and you leave what you don't want.
We're the buyer. We don't put your house under contract and shop it to someone else. South Carolina requires a licensed attorney to handle or supervise the title search, closing and recording, and you may bring your own attorney. Our guide to attorney closings in SC explains what happens at the table, and SC's wholesaling law explains why it matters who the buyer is.
Warning signs of foreclosure rescue scams
The FTC and the SC Department of Consumer Affairs warn about companies that promise relief and take money or equity instead. Walk away from anyone who:
- Asks for a fee upfront before doing anything.
- Guarantees they can stop your foreclosure "no matter what."
- Asks you to sign your deed over to them before a closing at an attorney's office.
- Offers to let you "rent it back" or rent-to-own after you hand over title.
- Tells you not to talk to your lender, your attorney or a housing counselor.
- Asks you to make your mortgage payments to them instead of your lender.
- Claims a connection to a government program.
You can report a suspected scam to the SC Department of Consumer Affairs at (800) 922-1594. A real buyer closes with a South Carolina attorney and pays off your loan at closing.
How we price a house in foreclosure
We price from the as-is condition, our repair estimate, comparable sales and what we need to resell. Our cash offer will usually be less than what you might get listing with an agent after repairs. That's the trade for speed, certainty, no repairs and no fees. Use our cash offer vs. listing calculator to compare, and feel free to get an agent's opinion too.
Your mortgage payoff and other liens come out of the proceeds first. If the numbers don't work, we'll say so. Behind on taxes as well? See selling when you're behind on property taxes. Going through a separation at the same time? Read selling a house during a divorce. Our how it works page covers each step.
We buy houses across the Charleston area, including:
Foreclosure questions
Can I sell my house if foreclosure has already started in South Carolina?
Often you can, because you generally keep title until the Master-in-Equity sale and deed. A sale that pays off the loan in full may be able to close before the sale date, but timing and any postponement have to be worked out with the lender's attorney. Talk to your lender, a HUD-approved counselor and an SC attorney about your case.
When is the foreclosure sale day in Charleston County?
South Carolina's regular judicial sale day is the first Monday of the month, or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday, and the sale is advertised for three weeks beforehand. Each county's Master-in-Equity posts its own running sale list and bidding rules, so check Charleston, Berkeley or Dorchester County's list for your case.
What does the 30-day bidding rule mean for me?
If the lender asked for a deficiency judgment, bidding stays open until the thirtieth day after the sale, so the sale isn't final on sale day. If the complaint waived a deficiency, bidding closes on sale day. Your foreclosure papers show which applies. Ask an SC attorney how it affects your timeline and options.
Do you charge a fee to help with my foreclosure?
No. We never charge fees, and we can't stop a foreclosure. We are simply a cash buyer. If selling makes sense, we make a written offer and close at an attorney's office. Be wary of anyone who asks for money upfront, wants your deed signed over early, or tells you to send your mortgage payments to them.
Ready for a no-obligation cash offer?
Tell us about the house. We usually reply the same day, and you choose the closing date.