Updated November 2026. For South Carolina owners selling without a listing agent who need a sound FSBO contract and a closing attorney.
To sell a house by owner in South Carolina, you sign a written FSBO contract with your buyer, deliver the state disclosure statement before signing, and close with a SC-licensed attorney. As of November 2026, the seller also pays the deed recording fee: $1.85 per $500 of value, or $1,480 on a $400,000 sale.
Want buyer’s agents to find you? A Beycome listing in South Carolina puts your home on the major home search sites and the MLS, from $99 in most states (see your state page), with SC forms and e-signature in your dashboard.
Jump to: 🏠 Selling steps · 🪜 What goes in it · 📍 SC disclosure · 🤝 Closing attorney · 💲 Deed fees · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- SC sellers must deliver the state disclosure statement before the contract is signed (SC Code 27-50-50).
- Knowingly false or misleading answers can make you liable for the buyer’s actual damages (27-50-65).
- The SC Supreme Court requires a SC-licensed lawyer to perform or supervise each step of a residential closing.
- The deed recording fee is $1.85 per $500 of value ($1.30 state plus $0.55 county), so $1,480 on a $400,000 sale, paid by the seller.
In most South Carolina sales, the buyer’s side writes the first offer and you answer it. Selling by owner, you check each term yourself and lean on the closing attorney for the legal parts. Here’s where the contract fits, then what to look for.
How do you sell a house by owner in South Carolina?
Six steps, and the contract is the hinge in the middle. Pick the closing attorney early, because SC law puts a lawyer at the closing table anyway.
- Price the home from recent nearby sales. Our home value calculator is a free first check.
- Fill out the Real Estate Commission’s disclosure statement.
- List the home on your local MLS, free sites, or both, and book showings.
- Give the buyer the disclosure, then sign the FSBO contract.
- Send the signed contract and earnest money to your closing attorney.
- Sign the deed at closing; the attorney records it and pays out the funds.
The full process, from pricing to showings in Greenville, Columbia or Charleston, is in our guide on how to sell a house by owner in South Carolina. Weighing an agent? See South Carolina commission rates first.
Who writes a for sale by owner contract in South Carolina?
Usually the buyer or the buyer’s agent drafts the offer. If the buyer has no agent, either of you can start from a standard South Carolina purchase form, or ask the closing attorney to prepare one. Many owners pick the closing attorney first, so the same office reviews the contract and closes the sale. For the money side, see what a Columbia, SC seller pays at closing.
Skip blank templates built for other states. They can miss South Carolina steps, like the disclosure timing. Our guide to the real estate contract for sale by owner explains each clause in general terms.
What goes into a South Carolina buy-sell agreement?
| Term | What to check |
|---|---|
| Price and earnest money | The amount, the due date, and who holds it, often the closing attorney. |
| Financing | Cash or loan, the loan type, and the deadline for approval. |
| Due diligence or inspection | How long the buyer has to inspect and whether they can cancel in that time. |
| Appraisal | What happens if the appraisal comes in low. |
| Disclosure receipt | A line confirming the buyer got the condition disclosure before signing. |
| Closing attorney | Who picks the attorney, and the closing date. |
| What stays | Appliances, fixtures and anything else that goes with the home. |
| Possession | When the buyer gets the keys. |
Counteroffers
You can change any term and send it back. Keep each version in writing, dated. Once both of you sign the final version, it’s binding. A spoken yes isn’t enough for real estate.
What must a South Carolina seller disclose?
Under SC Code Title 27, Chapter 50, the owner must give the buyer a written disclosure statement on the form set by the Real Estate Commission. It covers the water supply and sewer or septic, the roof, foundation and other structure, the plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and wood-destroying insects, among other items.
Section 27-50-50 says you deliver it before the contract is signed, or as the contract otherwise provides. Missing it doesn’t void the deal or cloud the title. But section 27-50-65 says an owner who knowingly gives false, incomplete or misleading information is liable for the buyer’s actual damages and court costs.
Some transfers are exempt under section 27-50-30, such as court-ordered sales, foreclosures, and transfers by an estate fiduciary. Homes built before 1978 also need the federal lead paint disclosure, per the EPA.
For the rest of the file, see our list of paperwork to sell your home without an agent.
Can you sell as-is by owner in South Carolina?
Yes. An as-is contract says you won’t make repairs. The buyer can still inspect, and most contracts still let them cancel during the inspection or due diligence period.
As-is doesn’t replace the disclosure statement. You still deliver it and answer it truthfully. If you know the crawl space floods, say so in writing.
Do you need a closing attorney in South Carolina?
For the closing, yes. In Boone v. Quicken Loans (2017), the South Carolina Supreme Court confirmed that each step of a residential real estate transaction is the practice of law. That covers the title search, preparing the deed and other papers, the closing, and recording and paying out funds. Each step must be done or supervised by a SC-licensed lawyer, as the SC Bar’s Ethics Opinion 26-01 summarizes.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →So the closing attorney isn’t optional. Whether you also use an agent to sell is a separate choice. Your South Carolina property tax ID helps the attorney start the title search. Selling in Greenville, Charleston or Columbia? Ask two or three local closing attorneys for a flat quote, and ask if the fee covers the deed and the title work.
What does it cost to close a South Carolina FSBO sale?
| Cost | Rule or price | On a $400,000 sale |
|---|---|---|
| State deed recording fee | $1.85 per $500 of value, paid by the seller | $1,480 |
| County deed fee | Set by the county | Ask your closing attorney |
| Closing attorney and title | Varies by firm | Ask for a flat quote |
| Beycome Basic MLS listing | From $99 in most states (see your state page) | $0 at closing |
The state fee comes from SC Code 12-24-10, and section 12-24-20 makes it the grantor’s (seller’s) liability. Read October 22, 2026.
What are common SC FSBO contract mistakes?
- Signing before the buyer has the disclosure statement in hand.
- Leaving the due diligence period or loan deadline without a date.
- Holding earnest money yourself instead of with the closing attorney.
- Agreeing to repairs by text without adding them to the contract.
- Not naming the closing attorney or the closing date.
What about the buyer’s agent?
If the buyer has an agent, that agent may ask you to pay their fee. It’s your choice, and the amount is negotiable. NAR’s settlement page for sellers says such offers can no longer be shown on the MLS. If you agree, sign a separate written agreement with that agent and make sure the purchase contract matches. Beycome’s dashboard has a free template for it.
About 36% of Beycome sales closed in 2026 so far had a buyer with no agent (Beycome internal data, 2026). In those deals, you and the buyer work straight through the closing attorney.
How does Beycome help with a South Carolina FSBO sale?
With a flat fee MLS listing, your home goes on the major home search sites and the MLS. Basic is from $99 in most states (see your state page), with $0 at closing. Beycome lists on Greater Greenville MLS, Charleston Trident MLS, Coastal Carolinas MLS, Canopy MLS, Consolidated MLS, Western Upstate MLS, Aiken MLS and My State MLS South Carolina (Beycome internal data, October 2026). See which multiple listing service covers your part of South Carolina. State forms are in your dashboard, and offers come in with e-signature and help from the Artur AI assistant.
Want a person to negotiate with you? With Beycome Concierge (see current price), experts work with you from listing to closing, whenever you need them, and you stay in control of every decision.
For the whole selling process, read how to sell your South Carolina home without a realtor. Comparing listing options? See our flat fee MLS rankings for Greenville and Charleston. Buying after you sell? The Beycome buyer program is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents (the commission credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers) with no upfront fee.
Frequently asked questions
How do I sell my house by owner in South Carolina?
Price it, give the buyer the state disclosure statement, sign a written FSBO contract, and close with a SC-licensed attorney, who records the deed.
What is a FSBO contract?
The purchase agreement between an owner selling without a listing agent and the buyer. It sets the price, earnest money, due diligence period, financing and closing date.
Do I need a lawyer to sell my house by owner in South Carolina?
For the closing, yes. A SC-licensed lawyer must do or supervise each step of a residential closing. An agent is optional; it’s your choice.
What is a buy-sell agreement in South Carolina?
It’s the purchase contract: the signed agreement that sets the price, deadlines and terms of the sale.
When must a SC seller give the disclosure statement?
Before the contract is signed, or as the contract provides, under SC Code 27-50-50.
Who pays the deed recording fee in South Carolina?
The seller. The total fee is $1.85 per $500 of value ($1.30 state plus $0.55 county), so $1,480 on $400,000.
Can I use an as-is contract for FSBO in South Carolina?
Yes. It limits repairs, but you still give the disclosure statement and answer it truthfully.
How do I find a closing attorney in Greenville, SC?
Ask two or three local real estate attorneys for a flat quote, and check that it covers the title work and the deed.
Prices and fees as of November 2026 and subject to change. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; deed recording fees, attorney and title fees, taxes and any buyer-agent compensation you agree to still apply. Basic: from $99 in most states (see your state page). Concierge: see current price. Basic and Enhanced get offer help from the Artur AI assistant, not a person. General information, not legal advice; have a South Carolina attorney review your contract.
Sources
- SC Code Title 27, Chapter 50, residential property condition disclosure, read October 22, 2026.
- SC Code Title 12, Chapter 24, deed recording fee, read October 22, 2026.
- SC Bar, Ethics Opinion 26-01, citing Boone v. Quicken Loans (2017), read October 22, 2026.
- EPA, real estate lead disclosures, read October 22, 2026.
- NAR, what the settlement means for home sellers, read October 22, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features and MLS coverage, October 2026.
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