Selling a home is a major financial decision, and understanding your home’s equity is an important part of the process. It can be beneficial as a seller to understand the basics of home equity, how to build it, and how much equity you should have in your home before selling. Additionally, it helps to know that sellers can get a guaranteed offer, regardless of how much equity they have in their home. However you choose to sell, understanding home equity is a great first step to a profitable transaction.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

What is Home Equity?

Home equity is simply the value of your home minus the amount you owe on your mortgage. It’s important to consider equity when selling a house because it can affect how much money you walk away with after closing. Home equity is built up over time as you pay down your mortgage balance and the home appreciates due to changes in the market. Home equity is a valuable asset for homeowners as it can be used for a variety of purposes, such as home renovations, paying off debts, or even as a down payment for a new home.

How Much Equity Do I Have in My Home?

Home equity refers to the current market value of a homeowner’s property minus the outstanding balance on any mortgages or loans secured by the property. With a little math, it’s easy to find out exactly how much equity you have in your home.

To calculate this figure, subtract the remaining loan balance from what a buyer would be willing to pay for it today. For example, the equity in a property with an outstanding loan balance of $150,000 and a current market value of $200,000 is calculated by subtracting the remaining debt from its worth – equating to $50,000.

How Much Equity Should I Have in My Home Before Selling?

The amount of equity you should have before selling your home can be dependent on multiple factors, such as the state of the market, the amount of inventory available, and your goals after the sale. Generally speaking, however, experts recommend having at least 20% equity when selling a home. This means that if your house is valued at $200k, then you would want to owe no more than $160k, or 80%, on any mortgages or liens against the property.

Having a higher amount of equity allows buyers to get better financing terms since they won’t be required to put down as large of a down payment when buying a new home. It also helps sellers avoid paying private mortgage insurance fees which can add thousands to closing costs when there isn’t enough cash available for an adequate down payment.

How to Build Home Equity

Although it can take time and money, there are several ways to build equity in your home including increasing your payment amount and allowing the home to appreciate. Here are some strategies for building equity:

Make a Larger Down Payment

Putting down a larger down payment when purchasing your home can help you build equity right from the start. This works because by putting more money down upfront, you decrease the amount of money that you need to borrow from a lender and increase the equity you have in your home.

Pay More Toward Your Mortgage

By paying more towards your mortgage each month, you can reduce the principal amount owed and build equity much more quickly. You can do this by making additional payments or increasing your monthly payments as you’re able. When paying toward your mortgage, remember every little bit counts towards your growing equity.

Make Home Improvements

Making upgrades to your home, such as kitchen renovations or adding a bathroom, can increase your home’s value and help you build equity. However, it’s important to ensure that your home improvements are cost-effective and add value to your home, as not all improvements will increase your home’s value. When selling a fixer-upper home that needs repairs, it pays to consider all of your options.

Refinance to a Shorter Term Loan

Similarly to paying toward your mortgage, if you currently have a 30-year mortgage, refinancing to a 15 or 20-year mortgage can help you build equity more quickly. While your monthly payments may be higher, you’ll be paying off your mortgage faster, which means you’ll build equity faster.

Let Your Home Appreciate Over Time

Over time, your home may appreciate in value due to changes in the local real estate market. By staying in your home for a longer period of time, you may be able to build equity just by letting your home appreciate.

Overall, building equity in your home is a long-term process, and it’s important to stay focused on your goals and make smart financial decisions to help build equity over time. However, if you can’t or don’t want to wait to sell your home, there is another option for getting a good price on your house no matter how much equity you have.

Getting a Cash Offer with Any Amount of Equity

For homeowners who are looking to sell without waiting months or years until they reach 20%+ worth of home equity first, cash offers are a great option. Selling with a cash offer allows those who want to sell immediately a profitable way to do so regardless of their equity. Additionally, cash offers give sellers the opportunity to skip fees associated with traditional sales, such as agent commissions. These unique deals can also help expedite the process when your house isn’t selling.

It’s also worth noting that getting a cash offer on your property comes with no obligation to accept. If you’re interested in selling your home quickly and easily for any reason, a great first step is to see what your home could be worth immediately. Cash offers not only allow you to bypass the lengthy home equity building process; you also avoid the trouble of listing your home with an agent and dealing with hassles like staging, showing, and identifying buyer red flags.

Understand Home Equity Before You Sell

Home equity is a valuable asset for homeowners and can be used for a variety of purposes. By understanding what home equity is, how to build it, and how much you should have before selling your home, you can make informed financial decisions that will help you maximize the profit from your home sale. On the other hand, if you need to sell your home quickly, you can sell to a cash buyer for a fair price regardless of the amount of equity you have in your home. However you choose to sell, understanding home equity is a great step in getting the most from your home sale.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.