Local loan officers, mortgage brokers, and bank lenders — the people who actually answer the phone on a Saturday when a deal needs a pre-approval letter by Monday.
For competitive offers in Charleston, a known local lender often wins — listing agents trust their pre-approvals and their closing dates. Big banks can compete on rate but the speed and accountability of a local LO is hard to beat.
When should I get pre-approved?
Before you tour your second house. Pre-approval takes a few days, makes your offer credible, and locks in a rate timeline. Pre-qualification is not the same — listing agents discount it.
What about down payment in Charleston?
Conventional 20% is still the default but not the only path: SC Housing's down-payment assistance, VA loans (huge in Charleston given the bases), FHA, and physician/professional loans are all common locally.
