Two rebate programs are converging on Horry County homeowners this year, and both are worth knowing about whether you’re buying, selling, or just planning to stay put and upgrade. South Carolina’s new state HOME rebate program, backed by more than $68 million in federal funding, is rolling out statewide, and Santee Cooper’s Smart Energy Existing Homes rebate is open now through November 30, 2026. Together, they’re one of the more meaningful windows for offsetting the cost of home efficiency upgrades this state has seen in years.
What Horry County Homeowners Should Actually Do With These Programs
The state HOME rebate program. Funded through federal dollars and administered by the state, this program is designed to offset the cost of qualifying home energy upgrades for South Carolina homeowners. Because rollout details eligibility, income requirements, and which upgrades qualify are still being finalized in places. The most reliable move is to check current status directly at energy.sc.gov before assuming a specific rebate applies to your project.
Santee Cooper’s Smart Energy Existing Homes rebate. This utility-specific program runs from December last year through November this year and offers rebates for qualifying efficiency upgrades to existing homes. Because it’s tied to a specific window rather than being open-ended, timing matters an upgrade planned for early 2027 may fall outside this cycle entirely.
What you’ll need to apply. Most rebate programs require documentation before and after the fact contractor licensing information, itemized receipts, and sometimes a pre and post upgrade energy audit. Gathering this paperwork as you go, rather than after the fact, saves a scramble later if you decide to apply.
For sellers. If you’ve been holding off on an efficiency upgrade, a rebate that offsets part of the cost changes the math on whether it’s worth doing before you list. An upgrade paired with a rebate is also easier to justify highlighting in a listing description, since it’s not just an expense it’s a documented improvement with a paper trail.
For buyers. If you’re closing on a home that could use efficiency upgrades, it’s worth checking whether the work you’re already planning new insulation, a heat pump, and updated windows might qualify for a rebate before you schedule it. Rolling a rebate-eligible project into your first year of ownership can meaningfully reduce the out-of-pocket cost of settling into a new home.
A quick caution. Rebate programs like these are genuinely useful, but details change as funding rolls out and demand fluctuates. Treat any specific dollar figure you read including the ones in this article as a starting point for a conversation with Santee Cooper or a check of energy.sc.gov, not a guarantee.
Programs like these don’t come around often, and the overlap between the state and utility rebates this year makes 2026 a genuinely good time to plan efficiency upgrades around real financial support.
Stay tuned for market updates to stay ahead of program changes, reach out and let’s connect if you’d like help thinking through timing around a purchase or sale.
Sources:
energy.sc.gov/rebates; Santee Cooper Smart Energy Existing Homes (SEEH) Rebate Program
