Hilton Head Island, SC Mortgages

Hilton Head Island, SC Mortgages

Hilton Head Island is one of the highest-end residential markets in the Southeast — a luxury and vacation market where the median home trades comfortably above $800,000 and waterfront homes in Sea Pines, Long Cove, and Wexford push deep into multimillion-dollar jumbo territory. OpenKey Mortgage Advisors works as an independent broker shopping 50+ wholesale lenders, which matters in Hilton Head because the right jumbo program saves real money on a $1.5M loan.

Hilton Head Mortgage Programs at a Glance

• Jumbo Loans — by far the most-used Hilton Head program. Most homes on the Island require jumbo financing above the high-cost conforming limit. Up to $2.5M+ loan amounts available.
• Self-Employed Home Loans — particularly the asset-depletion program for retirees with significant investments but no W-2 income. Used heavily by HHI's retiree population.
• DSCR & Investor Loans — for buyers building a Hilton Head/Bluffton short-term rental portfolio. Qualify on rental income, title in an LLC.
• Two-Property Mortgage — used by Hilton Head buyers keeping their primary residence elsewhere while buying a vacation home on the Island.
• First Lien HELOC — popular with high-net-worth HHI homeowners; combine mortgage with line of credit and a checking account that pays down balance daily.
• Conventional Loans — for properties under the conforming limit, often in newer Bluffton and off-island developments.
• Refinancing — cash-out refinances are popular for owners pulling equity from strong appreciation.

Hilton Head Real Estate Snapshot

• Median home price: approximately $800,000–$1,500,000+ depending on submarket
• FHA loan limit (2026): $645,000 (Beaufort County is designated high-cost)
• Conforming loan limit (2026): $806,500 (anything above is jumbo)
• Submarkets: Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Long Cove, Wexford, Hilton Head Plantation, Shipyard, Bluffton (Belfair, Berkeley Hall, Old Town Bluffton)

Why Asset Depletion Loans Matter on Hilton Head

Hilton Head's retiree-heavy buyer pool means many buyers don't have W-2 income at all — they have substantial investment portfolios, IRAs, and other retirement assets. Traditional lenders struggle to qualify these buyers. Asset depletion loans use your assets as income, dividing the qualifying portion by a set number of months. A retired couple with $1.5M in investments and Social Security can qualify for a $1M+ jumbo without showing W-2 income.

Talk to a Hilton Head Mortgage Broker

Whether you're a retiree relocating to Sea Pines, an investor building a Bluffton short-term rental portfolio, or a multi-state buyer with complex income, OpenKey models every program across 50+ wholesale lenders to find the lowest-cost solution for your situation.

Call or text Samantha Payne at (864) 387-8964, email Samantha@openkeymortgage.com, or visit openkeymortgageadvisors.com. OpenKey Mortgage Advisors LLC. NMLS Company ID 2812158. Samantha Payne, NMLS #2743877. Licensed in South Carolina and North Carolina. Equal Housing Opportunity.