You own a property in South Carolina you don’t want anymore. Or you represent someone who does.
Maybe it’s a rental and the tenant just called about the water heater for the third time this year. Maybe it’s a house your dad left you in Orangeburg and you live in Charlotte. Maybe you’re an agent and your seller just told you, “I am not fixing one more thing.”
Whatever brought you here, you want the same thing everyone wants: a buyer who says what they mean and shows up at closing. I’m Ben Lovro, a direct buyer based in Lexington. I buy from four kinds of people, and each one works a little differently.
1. Property owners selling directly
This is the simplest version. You’re on the deed. You decide.
Owners usually come to me because the traditional route doesn’t fit. The house needs too much work to list. There’s a tenant situation. They’re relocating. They’re tired. Whatever the reason, they’d rather trade some of the top-line number for certainty, speed and no repairs.
What I need from you: the address, who’s on the deed, the condition as you know it, occupancy and your timeline. The full checklist is on the how to submit page.
What you should ask me: Am I buying it myself? (Yes.) Will I take title? (Yes.) Who’s the closing attorney? (A South Carolina closing attorney, and you’re welcome to call them.) Ask every buyer the same questions. If anyone hedges, that tells you something. My seller’s guide on SC wholesaling goes deeper on how to protect yourself.
2. Licensed agents with an investor-grade listing
Agents are one of my favorite sources, and in South Carolina they’re the clearest channel. A licensed agent is allowed to market property. That’s their job.
The listings I want from agents are the ones that don’t sell to a retail buyer: estate condition, as-is, tenant-occupied, foundation or roof issues, small multifamily, rural land, land with a mobile home. The listings that make a first-time homebuyer’s lender nervous.
What you get from me: a fast answer, a clean contract, a buyer who respects your role and keeps your seller informed through you, and an attorney closing. I don’t go around listing agents. Ever.
Agents have their own section of the network at agents.benlovro.com, including the types of listings I buy.
3. Investors who already own the property
You bought it. Maybe you meant to rehab it and life got in the way. Maybe you’ve been renting it for years and you’re done being a landlord. Maybe you’re selling off a few doors to simplify, or you inherited a rental from a partner.
You hold title, so you can sell. I’ve been on your side of the table. I know what it feels like to own a project that’s stalled or a rental that’s become a second job.
What I need from you: the property details, what work you’ve already done and what’s left, and if it’s rented, the leases and payment history you’re comfortable sharing. Half-finished rehabs are fine. Just tell me which permits are open.
A note for investors who don’t hold title yet: if you have a property under contract but haven’t closed on it, read the next section before you send it to me or anyone else.
4. Estates and personal representatives
Inherited property is some of the most common real estate in South Carolina. It’s also some of the most emotional.
Usually there’s a house full of belongings, siblings in three different states, and a personal representative who’s never done this before and is trying to do right by everyone. I’m patient. I work with the estate’s attorney. I don’t push families to make decisions before they’re ready.
What I need: the property details, who has authority to sign (that’s often the personal representative, but the attorney will confirm), where the estate is in the probate process, and whether all the heirs are on board. If you’re not sure about any of it, tell me what you know and let the attorney fill in the rest.
What I can take off your plate: cleaning it out, repairs, showings. We buy as-is. Leave what nobody wants.
If you’re curious how investors approach probate generally, the probate investing guide explains it from the other side.
The South Carolina 2024 law note for unlicensed intermediaries
This is the part people skip, so I’ll be blunt.
In May 2024, South Carolina’s revised Real Estate Practice Act took effect with a definition of “wholesaling.” In plain English: having a contract to buy residential property from an owner, and then marketing that property to a different buyer before you take legal ownership. The law treats advertising or marketing someone else’s property with an expectation of compensation as broker activity that requires a license.
The Real Estate Commission’s November 2024 advisory opinion added detail. It says assigning a contract isn’t automatically wholesaling, but it can be when the other elements are present: a contractual interest, marketing before ownership, an expectation of getting paid, and a legal instrument like an assignment. It also reads marketing broadly. MLS, social media, Facebook groups, private email lists and verbal communication all count.
So if you’re not the owner, not licensed, and you have a contract on a South Carolina property, here’s what I’ll tell you:
- I’m not able to take that property from you as a marketed deal.
- Read the plain-English walk-through of the law I wrote.
- Talk to a South Carolina real estate attorney about your specific situation before you market that contract to anyone.
- If the owner still wants to sell, the owner or their licensed agent can reach out to me directly.
I’m not your lawyer, and this isn’t legal advice. It’s where I stand. I sign as the buyer, I take title, I do what my attorney tells me, and I’ve walked away from deals that would have required me to bend that.
What every seller gets from me, no matter who you are
- A real answer, usually within 24 business hours of a complete submission
- An offer I can explain line by line, or an honest “not for me”
- A clean purchase agreement
- An attorney-supervised South Carolina closing
- No pressure, no fake deadlines
I can’t promise I’ll buy every property. I can’t promise a price before I’ve done the work. Anyone who does either is guessing, and guessing is how deals fall apart at the closing table.
Where I buy
My core area is the Midlands within roughly an hour of Lexington, plus Sumter, the Upstate, Lancaster and Rock Hill. The full list of towns and property types is on the buy box page. If you want the investor’s view of the state as a whole, see the South Carolina field guide.
Send it over
If you’re an owner, an agent, an investor who holds title or someone handling an estate, send the property through benlovro.com/submit-deal. Tell me who you are, what it is, and what you need. I’ll take it from there.
Want the bigger picture first? Start at the main page for South Carolina sellers and agents.
Questions people ask
Can I sell an inherited house in South Carolina before probate is finished?
It depends on the estate and the authority the personal representative has. Some sales can happen during probate and some have to wait. The estate’s attorney is the person to ask, and I’m glad to work on their timeline.
Can I sell my rental property with tenants still living there?
Yes. Tenant-occupied rentals are part of what I buy. I’ll want to see the leases, know who pays what, and understand any deposits or late rent before closing.
I'm an investor who owns the property. Can I advertise it to buyers?
Generally an owner can market property they own. What changed in 2024 is marketing property you don’t own yet. If you’re unsure which side of that you’re on, talk to a South Carolina real estate attorney.