Updated October 2026. South Carolina Code sections and court rulings checked on October 20, 2026.
Yes, you can sell a house by owner in South Carolina. As of October 2026, you’ll give the buyer the state’s disclosure statement before the contract is signed, pay a deed recording fee of $1.85 per $500 ($1,126.65 on a $304,300 home), and close under a lawyer’s supervision. To reach buyers’ agents, a flat fee broker can list you on the MLS: Beycome Basic is $99 upfront and $0 at closing.
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South Carolina key takeaways
- The typical home value in South Carolina was $304,300 in September 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index), 0.9% over the year. A 3% listing fee on it is $9,129.00.
- You, the seller, are liable for the deed recording fee. On a typical $304,300 home it’s $1,126.65.
- The state’s Supreme Court requires a lawyer to supervise the closing, recording and payout.
How do you sell a house by owner in South Carolina?
The steps are familiar, but two South Carolina rules shape the order: the disclosure comes before the contract, and a lawyer runs the closing. Here’s how we’d plan it.
- Pick a closing attorney and ask for a fee quote. You’ll need one either way.
- Download the Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement from the Real Estate Commission and fill it in from your records.
- Price from recent nearby sales. Our home value calculator gives you a range to start from.
- List on your regional MLS so buyers’ agents and the big portals see your home.
- Give the disclosure to the buyer before either of you signs a contract.
- Agree on price, earnest money, inspection terms and a closing date in writing.
- Your attorney orders the title work, prepares the deed and handles the closing.
- At closing, the deed is recorded, the fee is paid and the funds go out under the attorney’s supervision.
Want the contract side in more detail? Our South Carolina FSBO contract guide covers the clauses buyers ask about.
How much does it cost to sell a house in South Carolina?
Here’s what a by-owner seller typically pays, worked out on $304,300, the typical South Carolina home value in September 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index). Your attorney’s settlement statement will have the final numbers.
| Seller cost | On a typical $304,300 home | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MLS listing | $99 with Beycome Basic | $0 at closing; a 3% listing fee would be $9,129.00 |
| Deed recording fee | $1,126.65 | $1.85 per $500 or part of $500 |
| Closing attorney | Varies | Ask for a written quote up front |
| Property tax proration | Your share of the year | Credited to the buyer at closing |
| Loan payoff | Per your lender | Paid from your proceeds |
| Buyer’s agent pay | Only if you agree | Negotiable; not on the MLS since August 17, 2024 |
The recording fee is two fees in one, under S.C. Code 12-24-90: a $1.30 state fee and a $0.55 county fee, each per $500. Section 12-24-20 makes the grantor, meaning you, liable for it. The buyer is only secondarily liable. On $304,300, that’s 609 units of $500, so $1,126.65.
Section 12-24-40 lists exemptions, such as some transfers into a corporation, partnership or trust you belong to. A normal sale to an outside buyer pays the fee. Your attorney will check your deed.
What does South Carolina law require from a seller?
The disclosure statement
Under S.C. Code 27-50-40, you give the buyer a written disclosure on the form the South Carolina Real Estate Commission sets. The current Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement was updated in June 2025. It covers homes with one to four dwelling units.
Section 27-50-50 says to deliver it before the contract is signed, or as the contract says. If you skip it, the deal isn’t void. But section 27-50-65 makes an owner who knowingly breaks these rules, or knowingly gives false information, liable for the buyer’s actual damages and court costs. A court can add legal fees too.
There’s one exit. Section 27-50-30 lets you and the buyer agree in writing not to complete a disclosure statement. Even then, don’t hide a defect you know about. That can still expose you to a claim.
Lead paint for older homes
Homes built before 1978 also need the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet. Buyers get a 10-day window to test, unless they agree in writing to waive it.
A lawyer supervises the closing
South Carolina’s Supreme Court has held since 1987 that real estate closings “should be conducted only under the supervision of attorneys.” It repeated that in Doe v. McMaster in 2003. The state bar’s ethics committee lists five steps that need a lawyer’s supervision: abstracting title, preparing documents, closing, recording and disbursing.
So a flat fee listing gets you on the MLS, but an attorney still runs the closing. If you’d like a person to manage the deal with your attorney, Beycome Concierge is $999 for a limited time (list price $1,399), with $0 at closing.
Which MLS should you list on in South Carolina?
South Carolina has several regional MLSs. Beycome lists on eight of them (Beycome internal data, October 2026):
- Greater Greenville MLS.
- Charleston Trident MLS.
- Coastal Carolinas MLS (CCAR).
- Canopy MLS, for the South Carolina side of the Charlotte market.
- Consolidated MLS, for Columbia and the Midlands.
- Western Upstate MLS.
- Aiken MLS.
- My State MLS South Carolina, a statewide option.
Hilton Head and Beaufort County MLSs aren’t on our list. If your home is there, ask any company which MLS it will actually use before you pay. For local pricing, see our flat fee comparisons for Greenville and Charleston, or the statewide South Carolina comparison.
How do you sell land privately in South Carolina?
This one gets a lot of searches, and the rules are lighter than for a house. The disclosure statement law covers homes with one to four dwelling units, so a vacant lot doesn’t need that form. The deed recording fee still applies, and so does the attorney-supervised closing.
What land buyers want to see is different. Have the survey, the deed and any easements ready. Know the zoning and whether water, sewer or septic is possible. If the land is in a flood zone, say so. A clear packet up front saves weeks of back-and-forth.
Sell smarter
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Buy any home with a Beycome agent and receive a rebate of up to 2% of the purchase price — paid to you at closing.
Buy a home →Reach matters more with land, since the buyer pool is smaller. Your property tax ID helps buyers and their lenders look it up; here’s how to find your South Carolina property tax ID.
Can you sell a house as is in South Carolina?
Yes. You can price the home as is and say in the contract that you won’t make repairs. That doesn’t remove the disclosure duty. You still deliver the form, unless you and the buyer agree in writing to skip it, and you still can’t knowingly hide a defect.
On Beycome Basic, our Artur AI assistant helps you read and answer offers, including repair requests. You also get e-signature, unlimited listing changes and ShowingTime where your MLS offers it. Selling a home just over the state line too? Our North Carolina by-owner guide explains the due diligence fee there. Ready to list? Start on our South Carolina flat fee MLS page.
If this is your first sale by owner, read how selling by owner works, from pricing to closing.
South Carolina FSBO questions
Can I sell my house without a realtor in South Carolina?
Yes. Owners can sell their own homes. You still owe the buyer the disclosure statement, and a lawyer supervises the closing.
Do I need an attorney to sell my house in South Carolina?
For the closing, yes. The state Supreme Court requires attorney supervision of title work, documents, the closing, recording and disbursing funds.
What does it cost to sell a house in South Carolina?
On a $304,300 home: the deed recording fee of $1,126.65, your attorney’s fee, the tax proration and your loan payoff. Listing on the MLS with Beycome is $99, with $0 at closing.
Who pays the deed recording fee in South Carolina?
The seller. S.C. Code 12-24-20 makes the grantor liable, at $1.85 per $500 of value. The buyer is only secondarily liable.
When do I give the buyer the disclosure statement?
Before the contract is signed, or as the contract says. You can both agree in writing to skip it, but you can’t knowingly hide a defect.
Can I list my South Carolina home on the MLS without an agent?
Yes, through a flat fee broker. Beycome lists on eight South Carolina MLSs, from Greenville to Charleston and the Coastal Carolinas, for $99 with $0 at closing.
Do I have to pay the buyer’s agent in South Carolina?
No. It’s your choice and fully negotiable. Since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be posted on the MLS.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, licensed real estate brokerage (SC #24080). Licenses: beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Commission figures are examples only. Real estate commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any compensation to a buyer’s agent, and how much; since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
Prices are as of October 2026 and may change. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing. Other closing costs, taxes, attorney fees and any buyer’s agent pay you agree to still apply.
* Cancel free: no Beycome cancellation fee (Georgia MLS charges $25). Listings under contract can’t be canceled. No refund once the listing is live.
** Listing term is the maximum the state and MLS allow: 24 months, or 12 months in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules vary by state and by MLS, so check with a South Carolina real estate attorney for your situation.
Sources
- S.C. Code, title 12, chapter 24 (deed recording fee): scstatehouse.gov.
- S.C. Code, title 27, chapter 50 (disclosure statements): scstatehouse.gov.
- S.C. Real Estate Commission, Residential Property Condition Disclosure Statement (updated 6/2025): llr.sc.gov.
- S.C. Supreme Court, Doe v. McMaster (2003), Opinion 25508: sccourts.org.
- South Carolina Bar, Ethics Advisory Opinion 09-01: scbar.org.
- EPA, Real Estate Disclosures About Potential Lead Hazards: epa.gov.
- NAR, Settlement FAQs: nar.realtor.
- Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index (September 2026): zillow.com.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
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