Can I Sell My House After Equity Release?

home equity loan concept

Equity release comes in handy when you need to unlock the value tied up in your property to cater to a financial emergency or take advantage of a great investment opportunity while it is still viable. This approach grants you access to funds without increasing your monthly obligations or having to sell the house.

The deal is especially appealing when you don’t have a consistent source of income, and you will find yourself pondering whether you will be able to retain your financial flexibility after signing in. If you can sell the house before you either pass away, have to be taken to long-term care, or will be stuck with it for the rest of your life.

Don’t worry; you can sell your house after equity release without becoming a slave to it. You need to meet certain criteria. Or you also have the option of selling your house for cash. The selling price should cover the equity release amount and any interest payable and related charges at the point of sale. 

This will convince the lender to approve the sale. If this is insufficient, you should demonstrate the ability to come up with the shortfall from savings or other sources.

Lenders accept payment for equity release products through all means and at any point in the loan’s lifetime, so they should be easy to settle without infringing on the agreement.

Today we will talk about selling the house after the equity release.

The amount you are granted as equity release will typically not exceed the house’s market value. The lender often ensures this by getting the house appraised before approving your application. This is one of the key considerations on which they base their offer.

It gives them the peace of mind to know that the amount a borrower will eventually need to pay will not exceed the home’s total value. This means they can realize the whole amount of their loan from the proceeds of selling the house.

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Challenges of Selling a House After Equity Release

As much as the house can be sold after equity release, it is not always the soundest financial move. You need to figure out a few things about your particular circumstances to determine if it is the right move for you. 

It is recommended only when improving your financial position, catering to critical needs without alternatives, or addressing goals you may have set for the future.

Equity release is designed for people who don’t foresee moving in the future, so moving or selling a house after equity release can be complicated. 

If you are still earning a regular income that can afford a monthly payment, a traditional mortgage or remortgage might be a better option when you need funds against your equity.

Some lenders apply early repayment charges, which can be substantial, depending on how they are applied and the house’s value. 

Make a point of going through the fine print when signing up for equity release and seek advice from an equity release mortgage specialist whenever in doubt. You don’t want to be stuck in a situation where all your options are harsh in case circumstances change later.

calculating house equity
open house

Ways to Sell Your House After Equity Release

Paying Off the Equity Release Obligations Before Selling

This is the least complicated way to sell a house after a home equity release. It might not be the most common approach because it requires access to funds that most people targeted for equity release don’t usually have at hand.

Lenders accept part or full payment of what was borrowed under the equity release program. You may come upon liquidity you had not anticipated, like lottery wins, cash inheritances or proceeds from asset sales. They will allow you to settle your equity release loan, freeing up the house for all your prospective buyers.

All you need to look out for are those early payment charges levied by some lenders. A good number of these agreements allow you to pay up to forty percent of the amount you were granted as equity release per year without penalties. Weigh all your options against the urgency of the sale to determine the one that makes the most economic sense.

Because you don’t have to comply with third-party regulations from the mortgage lender as you close the deal, you can minimize closing costs, maximizing returns from the sale.

Selling the House As Is With a Running Equity Release Loan

This option comes in handy when you don’t have the funds to settle the equity release facility before the transaction. The proceeds from the sale are used to settle the mortgage loan with the lender. The sale is different from your regular property sale because the lender has to be notified of the intention to sell.

The mortgage lender will also require an appraisal of the property’s value before closing; they often work out what is currently due to them based on the value of the property and the equity loan balance at the time of sale. Consider transferring these costs to the buyer’s closing costs by including them in your asking price.

The house’s fair market value fluctuates with market demands, and because equity release is intended to be a long-term product, lenders prefer to use the current market price to establish the worth of their portion of the house’s equity. 

You might also have used the funds to make vital improvements to the house, adding value to the house in the process. They like to get a share of this gain as well.

The balance of the sale value after the lender has recovered what is due to them goes to the homeowner. This can be used as a mortgage down payment for the next house—it is typically credited to their estate if they have passed on when the house sale closes. You can sell your house as is to a cash home buyer.

Transferring the Equity Release Plan to Another House

This is the best approach when you sell the house to buy another. Most equity release plan providers will allow you to transfer the loan to another property when you need to move. However, the replacement property should meet their prevailing lending structure, which is the most common reason for declines.

For instance, many lenders will not allow you to downsize to a cheaper property. Even the ones who accept this type of relocation will only approve the application after you have paid off a huge chunk of the equity release.

These financers also tend to be selective about the type of property they allow you to transfer the equity release to. They typically stay away from mobile homes, houseboats, studio apartments, farms, and other properties deemed hard to sell.

Therefore, you should talk with your equity release provider before you start the hunt for a new house if you are planning to transfer the equity release. They will offer guidance on the criteria they use to qualify houses.

These criteria are revised regularly, based on law reviews and market trends. The best time to familiarize yourself with them is just before the sale so that you will be assured you are using updated and current information.

Downsizing Protection

This feature is included in some equity release plans but is not a requirement, so you might miss it, which is why we needed to include it in this article. It protects you from early payment charges should you decide to repay your equity release in full before it is due.

This makes it possible to move to a cheaper home, which will otherwise not be legally possible with an equity release plan.

Downsizing protection s applicable whether you are clearing the equity release loan in advance, selling the house with the loan or transferring the loan to your new house. It usually has a timescale, after which the protection expires that you should be aware of as you decide to use it.

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Your Solution to Selling a House After Equity Release.

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