Your guide to selling a mortgaged house

by Pierre C. Rumpf 02/06/2023

Selling a mortgaged house is a common real estate transaction. If you want to move out of your home but still have outstanding mortgage payments, you have the option of selling and using the proceeds to cover the amount of your remaining balance.

Are you interested in selling your home with an outstanding mortgage? Here is a quick guide to the basics.

Contact your lender first

One of the first steps to selling a home with a mortgage is to find out how much you still owe. Your mortgage lender can provide you with the amount needed to pay off the loan at a specified deadline in a payoff quote. The amount will include both principal and interest, and a breakdown of any additional fees you might have to pay.

Find your home’s value

There are multiple ways to determine the value of your home. It’s a good idea to work with a real estate agent with extensive experience in your area to help figure out what amount to ask for in the sale. 

Knowing your home equity, which is the difference between market value and leftover mortgage balance, is crucial to this process. A real estate agent can help you determine both your earned equity and home investment equity for your property before the sale.

Choose a sale price

The selling price for your home should correspond to market expectations and reflect what buyers would likely pay. However, since the proceeds from the sale will pay off the mortgage and closing costs - including property taxes and any fees to the title company - you want to choose a price that will benefit you.

Your agent can provide a comparative analysis of your home's condition and help you decide on a price. The comparative analysis combines key information, such as sale prices and local trends, for the complete picture of the home.

What is a short sale?

Sometimes, it may be necessary to sell a property for a lower price than your outstanding mortgage balance. This strategy is called a short sale, and must be approved by your lender. However, if you’re facing financial difficulties and in danger of default, short selling is a better alternative to foreclosure. 

Many homeowners wish to move out of their home before their final mortgage payment. Luckily, selling your home with a mortgage balance is common practice that any great real estate agent can assist you with.

About the Author
Author

Pierre C. Rumpf

Broker Profile: Pierre comes from a diverse background. His adolescent and early adult years found him working for his father, a renowned structural engineer, and his brother, an architectural designer and general contractor. His knowledge of construction design (architectural & structural) and practices is significant. He coupled his construction background with his considerable sales experience, by becoming licensed to sell real estate in Massachusetts in 1986.

Pierre is also a licensed Attorney in the Commonwealth, who formerly worked for the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office as a litigator in the Victim & Witness Assistance Division of the Family & Community Crimes Bureau, litigating cases involving victims of violent crime, and since then has had his own legal practice.

For decades, Pierre has excelled in helping buyers of real estate find that condo, single-family, multi-family, lot of lands, or commercial property they desire to buy, or by effectively marketing his clients’ properties to sell their property for the most amount of money possible. His professional background embodies the ideal combination of construction, sales, negotiating, and contract drafting, which is essential to actualizing his clients’ goals and/or dreams. He does all of this with attention to detail, integrity, and success.

Since 1995, PCR Realty has helped buyers and sellers make their transactions as successful as possible. Using a consultative approach, PCR Realty approaches each experience as a unique opportunity for its clients. As a full-service real estate brokerage firm, PCR Realty provides leading-edge services for buyers & sellers.

When it comes to successfully navigating today’s complex real estate market, you need to work with someone who has the experience and commitment to see it done right. PCR Realty excels at matching buyers to sellers. From state-of-the-art marketing to an experienced broker, PCR Realty works diligently to far exceed your expectations. PCR Realty invites you to learn more.