VA Loans in Charleston, SC
The Lowcountry is a military town, and VA is the loan I talk about most with buyers connected to Joint Base Charleston. My office is in North Charleston near Park Circle, on the same side of the Cooper River as the Air Base, so I know the commute questions as well as the loan ones. Charleston's prices make VA's no-limit, $0 down structure especially valuable here, and coastal insurance makes careful planning just as important.
Rather talk now? Call (480) 636-6573 or text Keith. Reviewed by Keith Lopez, NMLS #2814077 · Updated September 2026
Quick answer
Can I buy in Charleston with a VA loan and $0 down?
Yes, if you are eligible. With full entitlement there is no VA loan limit, so $0 down can reach Charleston's roughly $640,000 median as long as you qualify for the payment. There is no monthly mortgage insurance, and the one-time funding fee is waived for veterans receiving VA disability compensation.
VA in Charleston, by the numbers.
Last reviewed: September 2026
- VA loan limit with full entitlement
- None
- You still need to qualify for the payment.
- 2026 conforming limit, Charleston County
- $832,750
- Shapes your $0 down maximum if part of your entitlement is in use.
- Charleston median sale price
- $640,000
- Redfin, August 2026.
- First-use funding fee, under 5% down
- 2.15%
- About $13,760 on a $640,000 loan. Waived if you receive VA disability compensation.
- Seller concession cap
- 4% of reasonable value
- Normal closing costs paid by the seller do not count toward it.
Limits, fees, and market figures come from the sources listed below as of the date shown and change over time. Down payment figures are estimates, not a loan offer.
What is different about VA in Charleston.
Why full entitlement matters at Charleston prices
Charleston's median is far above most of South Carolina. A 3% down conventional loan would need about $19,200 on the $640,000 median, and FHA's 3.5% about $22,400. With full VA entitlement, the down payment can be $0 at that price, because there is no VA loan limit, only your ability to qualify for the payment.
PCS moves complicate this. If you still own a home with a VA loan from a previous duty station, part of your entitlement is in use, and the $832,750 county conforming limit helps set how much you can borrow with $0 down. Keeping the old home as a rental can still work. I run the entitlement math from your Certificate of Eligibility before you shop.
Joint Base Charleston and where buyers look
Joint Base Charleston has two main footprints: the Air Base side in North Charleston and the Weapons Station side near Goose Creek and Hanahan. Buyers stationed at either one often compare North Charleston, Summerville, West Ashley, and Goose Creek alongside the city of Charleston itself, trading commute time against price and HOA dues.
PCS timelines are tight, so I like to see your COE and orders early. A VA appraisal checks value and minimum property requirements, and if value comes in low there is a formal reconsideration process. Your South Carolina closing attorney then handles the settlement.
Flood zones, insurance, and residual income
Much of the peninsula and the islands sit in or near FEMA flood zones, and any home in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs flood insurance with a mortgage. Wind coverage adds to the cost near the coast. VA underwriting counts those premiums in your payment and in residual income, the money left each month after housing, debts, and estimated living costs.
Older peninsula homes also need to meet VA minimum property requirements, and exterior changes in Charleston's historic districts go through the Board of Architectural Review. I get insurance quotes and property details in front of you before you write an offer, not after.
Help that can pair with VA in Charleston
VA is already $0 down for most eligible buyers, so the extra help in Charleston usually goes toward closing costs and prepaid items rather than the down payment.
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Chenoa Fund (FHA down payment assistance)
The Chenoa Fund, from CBC Mortgage Agency, is the down payment assistance I can place, but it pairs only with an FHA 30-year fixed first mortgage, so it applies here only if FHA ends up fitting you better than VA. It covers 3.5% or 5% of the sales price or appraised value, whichever is less, with no income limits, and its forgivable option is forgiven after three years of on-time payments. In South Carolina, the minimum assistance amount is $5,000. Program terms and availability change with market conditions, so I confirm current terms for your file before you count on it.
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Palmetto Home Advantage (SC Housing)
SC Housing offers 0%, 3%, or 4% of the total first mortgage, including a financed VA funding fee, as a 10-year forgivable second mortgage with no monthly payment. It works with VA loans, has no first-time buyer requirement and no sales price limit, and requires a 640 score and borrower income under $140,000. With VA, the assistance usually covers closing costs and prepaids. It cannot be used for an appraisal gap. It is offered only through participating lenders, so I confirm whether one of my wholesale lenders participates before recommending it.
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Seller-paid costs under VA rules
VA.gov says sellers can cover some or all of your normal closing costs, and separately allows seller concessions (such as paying the funding fee, prepaid insurance, or paying off debts) up to 4% of the home's reasonable value. In a market with a median of 68 days on market, that is a real negotiating tool.
Learn more →
Assistance programs are run by state agencies, local governments, and program sponsors like CBC Mortgage Agency (the Chenoa Fund), and their amounts, limits, and funding can change or pause without notice. State agency programs are offered only through participating lenders, and I confirm participation for your file before recommending one. See the full South Carolina down payment assistance guide .
How I help Charleston buyers with VA.
I request your Certificate of Eligibility, confirm your funding fee status, and run the entitlement math first, especially if you are carrying a VA loan from a previous station. Then we look at the full payment with realistic flood and wind insurance for the neighborhoods you are considering, so your budget holds up after the quote comes in.
Because I work through NEXA Mortgage with access to 300+ lenders, I can shop VA pricing and credit overlays instead of taking one bank's answer. And since my office is right here in North Charleston, I am easy to reach when your PCS clock is running.
Keith Lopez, NMLS #2814077
VA Loans in Charleston, answered straight.
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Is there a VA loan limit in Charleston County?
Not with full entitlement. You can borrow what you qualify for with $0 down. If part of your entitlement is tied up in another VA loan, the 2026 Charleston County conforming limit of $832,750 helps determine your $0 down maximum.
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How much is the VA funding fee on a Charleston home?
Per VA.gov, 2.15% of the loan on first use with less than 5% down, 3.3% after first use, 1.5% with 5% or more down, and 1.25% with 10% or more. On a $640,000 first-use loan with $0 down, that is about $13,760, which can be financed. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation, and certain others, are exempt.
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Can I keep my current home and buy in Charleston with a VA loan?
Sometimes. If you have remaining entitlement, you may be able to buy with a second VA loan while keeping the first home, and the county conforming limit shapes how much you can borrow with $0 down. I calculate it from your COE.
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Do disabled veterans pay property tax on a Charleston home?
South Carolina exempts the home and up to five acres of a veteran who is totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability, per the SC Department of Revenue. You first need the 4% legal residence approval from the county assessor, then a certificate of total and permanent disability from the VA or your county veterans service officer. A VA rating decision letter alone does not meet the requirement.
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Can I use SC Housing assistance with a VA loan?
Palmetto Home Advantage offers VA options, and with VA's $0 down the 3% or 4% assistance usually goes toward closing costs and prepaid items. It needs a 640 score and is a 10-year forgivable second mortgage. It is offered only through participating lenders, so I confirm whether one of my wholesale lenders participates before recommending it.
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Can the seller pay my closing costs on a VA loan?
Yes. VA does not limit seller credits for normal closing costs, and it allows additional seller concessions up to 4% of the home's reasonable value for things like the funding fee or prepaid insurance.
Official sources
- VA.gov: VA funding fee and loan closing costs (funding fee chart, exemptions, 4% seller concession cap)
- FHFA: Conforming loan limits (2026 conforming limit)
- SC Department of Revenue: Veterans property tax exemptions (home and up to five acres for totally and permanently disabled veterans)
- Chenoa Fund (CBC Mortgage Agency) (official program site; I confirm current terms for your file)
- SC Housing: Palmetto Home Advantage (0%, 3%, or 4% assistance with conventional, FHA, VA, or USDA)
- Redfin: Charleston housing market (median sale price, August 2026)
Related guides and tools
Articles on VA for Charleston buyers
- Loan Programs Modular Home Loans in South Carolina: FHA, USDA, VA, and Conventional Options Explained Modular homes in South Carolina are built to state building code and financed like site-built homes. Here is how FHA, USDA, VA, and conventional programs approach modular construction, from completed homes to construction-to-permanent loans.
- Loan Programs Manufactured Home Loans in NC and SC: FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional Financing Explained Financing a manufactured home in North Carolina or South Carolina involves specific rules around foundations, HUD tags, and property titling. Here is how FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional programs approach manufactured housing.
- Loan Programs VA Loan Entitlement in South Carolina: What First-Time Buyers Need to Know VA loan entitlement lets eligible South Carolina veterans buy a home with no down payment and no VA-imposed loan limit. Here is how it works for first-time buyers in Charleston and Greenville.
Ready to talk through VA for your Charleston purchase?
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Call (480) 636-6573 · Text Keith
Program eligibility, guidelines, and pricing are set by the applicable investor, agency, or program and are subject to change without notice. Not all applicants will qualify. This information is for educational purposes only and is not a commitment to lend.
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Keith Lopez, NMLS #2814077 | NEXA Mortgage, LLC, NMLS #1660690 | Licensed in NC, SC & GA | Equal Housing Opportunity