Unlock Your Equity to Make Your Move in San Francisco
Many homeowners today feel trapped by higher mortgage rates, making the idea of selling and moving less appealing. You might be in the same boat, hesitant to trade your current mortgage for a higher one. But there’s a way to offset those higher borrowing costs – by leveraging the equity in your home.
Understanding Equity
Equity is the difference between what your home is worth and how much you owe on your mortgage. As Freddie Mac explains, it’s a simple math equation:
"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 and as home prices increase. Thanks to recent rapid home price appreciation, you probably have more equity than you realize.
The Power of Your Equity
Recent data from the Census and ATTOM shows that over two-thirds of homeowners have either completely paid off their mortgages or have at least 50% equity in their homes. This means many homeowners have a significant amount of equity to use towards their next home purchase.
How Equity Can Facilitate Your Move
When you sell your house, the equity can help ease the burden of today’s mortgage rates. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for Realtor.com, highlights this advantage:
"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 some ways to use your equity:
- Be an all-cash buyer: If you’ve built up significant equity, you might be able to purchase your next home without needing a loan, eliminating the worry about mortgage rates.
- Make a larger down payment: Use your equity to make a larger down payment on your next home, reducing the amount you need to borrow and minimizing your exposure to higher rates.
Determining Your Equity
To find out how much equity you have, you’ll need:
- The current mortgage balance on your home
- The current value of your home
You can find your mortgage balance on your monthly mortgage statement. To understand the current market value of your house, you can either pay for an appraisal or contact a local real estate agent for a professional equity assessment report (PEAR) at no charge.
Once you have this information, you’ll be one step closer to making a move you might not have thought possible, all thanks to your equity.
To find out how much equity you have and to explore how it can make your next move possible, connect with a local real estate professional. They can provide you with a detailed equity assessment and guide you through the process.
MAKE YOUR SAN FRANCISCO REAL ESTATE DREAMS A REALITY
When it comes to buying or selling in areas like San Francisco (Marina, Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow), Charles Jacob is your trusted partner. With expert market knowledge and a commitment to exceptional service, he can help you find answers to all your questions. Get in touch with Charles Jacob today to step into the exciting San Francisco market.
