South Carolina sells on a first Monday. Then two thirty-day windows open.
Every foreclosure here goes through court, usually before a master-in-equity, and the auction lands on the first Monday of a month. There is no redemption afterwards, but bidding stays open 30 days after the sale unless the lender waived a shortfall, and you get 30 days to force an appraisal that can wipe a shortfall out.
Not sure what date to put in? Tell us which paper you were sent and we will work the timeline out backwards from it.
Each is a different statute.
When you first fell behind.
Local pace is the variable.
Past steps fade out.
FHA and VA add steps.
A tenant gets 90 days under federal law.
Three dates decide a South Carolina case. Thirty days after you are served, the deadline to answer. The first Monday sale. And thirty days after the sale, when both the open bidding period and the appraisal petition close.
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Make the call.
Call your mortgage servicer (the number is on your statement) before the next payment is due, or today if you are already behind. Servicers have programs for people who lose a job, get sick or hit a rough patch, but they only start when you ask. A foreclosure costs them money too.
“I’ve had a hardship and I want to keep my home. Please send me a loss mitigation application and tell me every option for my loan.” If your loan is FHA, VA or USDA, ask about that program’s options by name.
Your latest mortgage statement, recent pay stubs or unemployment letter, two months of bank statements, last year’s tax return, and a short hardship letter. Expect a lot of paperwork. Send all of it, because a complete application is what protects you.
Date, time, who you spoke to and what they said. Keep copies and proof of when you sent your papers. A complete application more than 37 days before a sale stops that sale while they decide.
Don’t want to call alone? A free HUD-approved counselor will help: 1-800-569-4287. And if the home is ever sold at auction, ask about surplus funds: money left over after the debt is paid can belong to you, but you usually have to claim it.
What South Carolina gives you
Rights that exist because the property is in South Carolina, whatever a servicer tells you on the phone.
Where to get real help, free
Regional legal aid programs take foreclosure cases at no cost if you qualify by income. Start at LawHelp.org, which lists free legal aid programs state by state.
HUD-approved housing counselors are free in every state — 1-800-569-4287. Some states, courts and counties run foreclosure mediation or counseling programs; ask your servicer or a HUD-approved counselor whether yours does.
Anyone who contacts you first, guarantees they can stop the sale for a fee paid up front, or asks you to sign the deed over is running a scam. Never sign a deed to someone promising to save your home.
Checked against the statutes cited beside each step. Every legal claim on this page is registered with its citation and was checked against official sources and then reviewed again by an independent checker. Dates marked as estimates are estimates. Appellate case law was not independently verified, and laws change, so have a South Carolina foreclosure attorney confirm anything that matters before you act.
Questions people ask about South Carolina foreclosure
Short answers, each one sourced to the statute cited on this page.
How long does foreclosure take in South Carolina?
With no delays or disputes, a South Carolina foreclosure runs roughly 337 days from the first missed payment to the sale. Every case goes through court, usually before a master-in-equity, and the auction is held on the first Monday of the month. S.C. Code 15-39-680.
Does South Carolina still have foreclosure mediation?
No. The South Carolina Supreme Court rescinded the foreclosure intervention administrative orders effective 17 May 2023, and federal servicing rules now govern. Many websites still describe the old programme as current.
Is there a redemption period after foreclosure in South Carolina?
No. There is no right to buy the home back after a mortgage foreclosure sale. The closest thing is the 30 day open bidding period after the sale (S.C. Code 15-39-720), which does not apply if the lender waived any deficiency (15-39-760).
Can I reduce a deficiency judgment in South Carolina?
Yes. Within 30 days of the sale you may petition for an appraisal by three licensed or certified appraisers. If the appraised value beats the sale price by at least the shortfall, the deficiency is extinguished; otherwise it is reduced. In a foreclosure of a dwelling place or a consumer credit loan that right cannot be waived. S.C. Code 29-3-680 and 29-3-740.
How long do I have to redeem after a South Carolina tax sale?
Twelve months from the sale, paying taxes, costs and interest that rises from 3% to 12% across the year. S.C. Code 12-51-90.
What happens to money above the taxes at a South Carolina tax sale?
After any municipal tax liens are paid, that overage belongs to the owner of record and can be claimed for five years from the auction. S.C. Code 12-51-130.
Last verified: October 18, 2026. Every deadline and citation on this page was checked against South Carolina law and the federal rules it cites. Laws change during the year, so if something here looks out of date or wrong, tell us and we will check it against the law.