Your Equity Could Make a Move Possible

Many homeowners looking to sell feel like they’re stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. Today’s mortgage rates are higher than the ones they currently have, making it harder to want to sell and make a move. Maybe you’re in the same boat.

But what if there was a way to offset these higher borrowing costs? There is. The money you need probably already exists in your current home in the form of equity.

What Is Equity?

Think of equity as a simple math equation. Freddie Mac explains:

“. . . your home’s equity is the difference between how much your home is worth and how much you owe on your mortgage.”

Your equity grows as you pay down your loan over time and as home prices climb. Thanks to the rapid home price appreciation in recent years, you probably have a lot more equity than you realize.

The latest data from the Census and ATTOM shows that more than two out of three homeowners have either completely paid off their mortgages or have at least 50% equity:

This means the majority of homeowners have a game-changing amount of equity right now.

How Your Equity Can Help Fuel Your Move

After you sell your house, that equity can help you move without worrying as much about today’s mortgage rates. As Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for Realtor.com, says:

“A consideration today's homeowners should review is what their home equity picture looks like. With the typical home listing price up 40% from just five years ago, many home sellers are sitting on a healthy equity cushion. This means they are likely to walk away from a home sale with proceeds that they can use to offset the amount of borrowing needed for their next home purchase.”

Here are a few ways you can use equity to buy your next home:

• Be an all-cash buyer: If you’ve been living in your current home for a long time, you might have enough equity to buy your next home without taking out a loan. If that’s the case, you won’t need to borrow any money or worry about mortgage rates.
• Make a larger down payment: Your equity could be used toward your next down payment. It might even be enough to let you put a larger amount down, so you won’t have to borrow as much at today’s rates.

The First Step: Determine How Much Equity You Have in Your Home

To find out how much equity you have, you’ll need two things:

• The current mortgage balance on your home
• The current value of your home

You can probably find the mortgage balance on your monthly mortgage statement. To understand the current market value of your house, you can pay for an appraisal, or you can contact a local real estate agent who can provide you with a professional equity assessment report (PEAR) at no charge.

Once you’ve connected with a trusted local agent and run the numbers, you’re one step closer to making a move you may not have thought was realistic – all thanks to your equity.

Bottom Line

If you want to find out how much equity you have and talk more about how it can make your next move possible, let’s connect.

6-14-2024