First-Time Home Buyers in Myrtle Beach, SC

This page is general information, not legal, insurance, or lending advice. Loan programs and tax rules change, so please confirm what applies to you with your lender, your insurance agent, and the county. I am a real estate professional, and my part is helping you find the home and walk the process.

Homes here run from condos to single-family houses. A condo payment includes association dues that may cover the building's insurance and upkeep, so read the budget and the master policy before you compare it with a house. Horry mails tax notices October 1, due January 15, and your lender usually escrows for it. Lenders require flood insurance on a federally backed loan for a building in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and wind and hail coverage may be a separate policy near the ocean. I get quotes early so the monthly number is real.

Beyond the down payment, plan for earnest money, your inspection, the appraisal, the first year of insurance, and closing costs, including the closing attorney. Under the South Carolina REALTORS contract, ending the deal during the due diligence period takes written notice plus the termination fee the contract sets.

The order: pre-approval, our written buyer agreement (required by the National Association of REALTORS before touring since August 17, 2024), the search with comps on every property, the seller's disclosure before you sign, the offer, due diligence, the appraisal, and an attorney-supervised closing. I also run each address through Horry County Schools' "Find My School." Read buying a home in Myrtle Beach, then call me.