Mortgage Rates at 6.37% Are Keeping SC Buyers in Contract Longer — Here's What That Costs Realtors
Elevated rates mean longer financing contingency periods, more appraisal gaps, and a wider commission cash flow window for SC agents
The 30-year mortgage rate in SC sits at 6.37% as of May 2026 — more than double where rates were in 2021
Elevated rates extend financing contingency periods as buyers shop lenders and lock rates — adding days to the contract-to-close timeline
Higher rates increase the chance of appraisal gaps when buyers' purchasing power is squeezed — renegotiations delay closing further
SC's DTC has risen 16% since April 2024 — the same period during which rates have remained persistently elevated
Mortgage rates and Days to Close (DTC) move together. When rates rise, buyers take longer to secure financing. Lenders require more documentation. Appraisals come in low and deals get renegotiated. Every one of these steps adds days between contract signing and the closing table — and days between contract signing and when the agent gets paid.
This is not speculation. SC's statewide DTC rose from 67 days in April 2024 to 78 days in April 2026 — an 11-day increase over the same period that rates have stayed above 6%. The correlation is clear. As long as rates stay elevated, DTC will stay elevated too.
Rates are not going back to 3% anytime soon. That means SC agents should plan for 78-day-plus DTC as the new normal — not a temporary blip. Commission Express of South Carolina was built for exactly this environment. Your contract is signed. Your commission is earned. The 78-day wait is a financing problem, not your problem. We fund you in 1–2 business days so you can move to the next deal.
High rates changed the SC market. Commission advances are how the most productive SC agents have adapted.