Your Myrtle Beach Mortgage Lender

I’m Travis Buis, a loan officer with Elite Home Lending here in Myrtle Beach. I’m licensed across South Carolina, and I spend my time on the coast.

So whether you’re buying your first place in Carolina Forest, moving up to something bigger in Murrells Inlet, refinancing a home you’ve owned for years, or looking at a rental in North Myrtle Beach, I’ll walk you through what the loan actually looks like before you commit to anything.

Elite Home Lending is an education-based mortgage company, and that shapes how I work. Because of that, I’d rather you understand the numbers than take my word for them.

What home loans can I get in Myrtle Beach?

As a rule, most buyers here land in one of a handful of programs. First, conventional and FHA loans cover the bulk of purchases. Then there are VA loans, which matter a lot here because so many veterans retire to the coast.

USDA loans also work in parts of Horry County that are closer in than people expect — Aynor, Loris, and stretches around Conway.

If your income is seasonal or you work for yourself, which describes a lot of the Grand Strand, then a bank statement program can qualify you on deposits instead of tax returns. Buying a rental instead? In that case a DSCR loan qualifies on the property’s rent rather than your personal income. Either way, you’ll find all of it on the loan options page.

What makes financing a home on the Grand Strand different?

In particular, three things come up here that don’t come up inland.

Condos. A lot of Myrtle Beach buildings aren’t warrantable, meaning Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won’t buy a loan against them. Usually that’s because of rental ratios, budget reserves, or open litigation. So I check the building before you write the offer, not after. Here’s how condo financing works in Myrtle Beach.

Insurance. Wind and hail deductibles and flood zones aren’t an afterthought here. In fact, they’re part of the qualifying math, so they change what you can afford. For that reason, it’s worth reading how coastal insurance affects what you qualify for before you shop.

Taxes. South Carolina assesses a primary residence at 4% and a second home at 6%. However, you have to actually file for the lower one. Plenty of people never do, and as a result it costs them every year.

Can you help me if I’m buying from out of state?

Yes. In short, what decides the loan is where the property sits, not where you’re sitting when you sign. So if you’re buying in South Carolina, I can finance it, whether you’re driving down from North Carolina, flying in from Ohio, or relocating from the Northeast.

What it does change is timing. Because appraisals, inspections and insurance quotes all take longer to coordinate when you’re not local, the earlier you start, the less of it lands on top of your closing date.

How do I get started?

Get pre-qualified and we’ll talk it through. After a short conversation, you’ll know what you can buy, what your payment looks like, and what to tighten up if anything needs it. And if another lender already handed you a quote, I’ll give it a second look and tell you straight whether it’s a good one.