One great option that isn’t well know but certainly becoming more prevalent than ever is to sell your house through seller financing. If you are one of the 30% of American homeowners that owns their home free and clear then selling your house through seller financing is definitely an option that at the very least, you’ll want to research. In today’s post we’ll do a quick overview of seller financing and discuss some the advantages this selling strategy offers so you can decide if this option aligns with priorities.
Here’s How Owner Financing Works
In a normal home-selling transaction, the buyer (who doesn’t have ALL of the money for a house) goes to a lender (such as a bank) and they pay a down payment and then make regular monthly mortgage payments until the borrowed amount is paid in full.
This is the way most people are familiar with buying and selling. But there’s another way to sell your house that you might not be aware of, and it involves owner financing.
With owner financing, everything is similar except this one thing – the seller of the house acts like the bank: the buyer pays a down payment to the seller and then makes regular payments (just like mortgage payments) to the seller until the house is paid in full. Then the ownership of the house transfers to the buyer.
Many Sellers Are Wondering, Is Owner Financing A Good Idea For The Seller In Chicago
Many sellers do find owner financing to be a great idea.
- They like that they have a larger group of potential buyers to sell to (including those who might not qualify for traditional bank financing)
- They like that they get monthly cash flow from financing payments
- They like that they still own the house and are protected, should the seller stop paying
- They like that there is no property management
- They like that if the buyer stops paying, they keep the down payment, monthly payments and take the house back
- They like that they can spread the tax liability out over time versus taking a big hit at once
- They like that the can sell the property as-is
What’s not to love? You get ongoing cash flow and protection, and you’re still able to sell your house. That’s a perfect recipe. Whether this is your primary residence that you’re looking to sell, or you’re a landlord who is ready to start selling some of your rental property, owner financing might be a great option for you.
If you’d prefer to spread out payments or to have more buyers trying to buy your house, owner financing might be a great option for you. If you’re serious about selling your house and want to explore all of your options, take a closer look at owner financing.