Are you considering selling your home with owner financing? Generally when you are offering owner financing as a means of buy for your home, you can commend top dollar and a fantastic interest rate. Here are six techniques you can use to lower your risk.
1. Collect a large cash down payment of at least 10%.
2. Seek additional security. If the buyer has part of the down payment and you feel comfortable that the buyer can pay the payments, as for additional security such as a car title that can be released after a small period of time, for example 2 or 3 years, if payments are made as agreed.
3. Check the buyers credit. Don’t take the buyers word for it; get a copy of their credit report. Get the buyer to provide you with a copy of their credit report. They can get one on the internet from Equifax or one of the other major national providers.
4. Trust yourself. If something doesn’t feel right about the transaction, it likely isn’t right. You are entering into a long term relationship that shouldn’t be taken likely. You need to be 100% comfortable with the deal before you go forward.
5. Look at the huge picture. The buyer has found a lender that is willing to give them a mortgage for 90% of the homes value. They have agreed to allow the buyer to place 5% down if you hold a 5% second mortgage on the house. The huge picture is you’ll receive 95% of the buy price up front and the remainder in payments over say 5 years. Worst case scenario, you never get paid and foreclose on a home you were paid 95% on already.
6. Speak to a lawyer. The courts in your area may take as long as two years to get a foreclosure on a mortgage, but only six months to foreclose on a contract for sale. Determining all the options up front can help you make a wise choice.
Offering seller financing makes it simpler to sell, and to get a higher price. Just be safe about it. Have a real estate lawyer review your paperwork, and use the tips here.
Hubert Miles is the founder of Waterfront Houses USA, an online advertising service that offers River Land For Sale and Coast Real Estate For Sale in the US and Canada.