Seller Financing: Everything You Need To Know 

While many homeowners will go through a traditional lender to finance their home, it’s not the only option available. Seller financing can provide potential benefits to home buyers and sellers alike.

Seller financing, or owner financing, is a home buying process that lets the potential home buyer buy directly from the current homeowner. Seller financing cuts out the traditional mortgage lender and can potentially eliminate some closing costs. Though there are some drawbacks to this process, in some instances, it’s worth considering.

If you are looking to buy or sell a home and are considering a seller financing arrangement, it’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks these arrangements can provide. In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about seller financing and help you decide whether a seller financing arrangement makes sense for you.

What Is Seller Financing?

Seller financing describes a real estate transaction where the home buyer pays the seller directly (usually in a series of installments) rather than financing the home through a traditional mortgage lender. 

With a seller-financed property, the buyer still has a mortgage in the traditional sense, but the seller remains responsible for managing all components of the mortgage process.

The seller financing process can be used to give both parties more flexibility. As long as both the seller and buyer agree to terms – and sign a contract outlining these terms – they can modify the financing arrangement to meet their specific needs.

How Does Seller Financing Work?

The seller financing process can resemble the traditional mortgage lending process, but there are important differences. The most obvious difference is this process omits a mortgage lender, which means the structural benefits (and some costs) of working with a lender will also be omitted.

The first part of the seller financing process is finding a buyer interested in seller financing and ensuring the seller is free to finance the transaction. Typically, this means the seller has either paid their previous mortgage in full or has received permission from their current lender to finance the transaction.

Like any real estate transaction, the two parties will also need to agree upon financing terms. Typically, this means agreeing on an interest rate and mortgage payment structure. In most cases, these terms will be outlined with a promissory note, allowing both parties to understand their current rights and responsibilities.

How is seller financing structured?

Compared to traditional mortgages, seller-financed contracts are structured a bit differently. For example, the term length of the mortgage is usually much shorter than traditional 30- and 15-year contracts. Buyers can typically expect to secure a lower interest rate or higher borrowing capacity, which is why these arrangements can be appealing. 

Additionally, the contract might include a balloon payment structure that involves making a large payment at the end of the agreed term (such as 5 or 10 years). This balloon payment, which might occur after market conditions change or the borrower’s lendability has improved, is then often refinanced into a traditional mortgage.

What Are the Types of Seller Financing Arrangement?

There are different types of seller financing arrangements both buyers and sellers might consider using. A few of the most common include:

• A seller-financed mortgage
• A lease-option agreement
• A lease-purchase agreement
• Land contracts

As long as both parties can agree to the terms being proposed, these arrangements can be adjusted to address unique financial situations.

Seller-financed mortgage

A seller-financed mortgage most closely resembles a traditional mortgage. The buyer agrees to make monthly payments to the seller on a predetermined schedule.

The structure of the seller-financed mortgage will often depend on the current status of the seller’s ownership. 

• Free and clear: When a property is “free and clear,” the seller owns the property outright and can dictate which terms are acceptable. The buyer will then be able to accept, reject or negotiate.
• Seller carryback financing: If the seller doesn’t own their home “free and clear,” it may be necessary to use an all-inclusive trust deed. Essentially, these deeds – also known as a seller carry or wraparound mortgage – combine the owner’s existing mortgage with the buyer’s new mortgage. This form of secondary financing will not be allowed by all lenders, so it’s important to confirm this is a possible option.
• Junior mortgage: The junior mortgage is a specific type of second mortgage. When using a junior mortgage, the owner will be able to access cash – using their home as collateral – while also receiving payments from the new buyer. This strategy lets homeowners tap into the equity they’ve built without immediately surrendering ownership rights.

Lease-option agreements

A lease-option agreement is a form of rent to own home financing. Instead of gaining immediate ownership, the buyer will lease the home at an agreed rate for a predetermined amount of time. 

Once this time is up, the lessee will then have the option to buy the property, which is then converted to a traditional mortgage. This enables buyers some time to save up for a larger down payment and see if they want to live in the home long-term.

Lease-purchase agreement

A lease-purchase agreement is similar to a lease option agreement. However, the key difference is the buyer must purchase the property at the end of the lease, as long as all predetermined conditions have been met. These conditions might include the ability to obtain credit, the state of the property and others.

Land contracts

A land contract involves the buyer borrowing money (effectively borrowing equity) from the current owner and paying them back on an agreed schedule. Once the property has been paid for in full, ownership will be transferred to the buyer. These contracts often involve balloon payments and lump-sum payments. Despite the name, the property can be developed and include more than just raw land.

What Are the Benefits of Seller Financing?

When done right, seller financing agreements can benefit both sellers and buyers. Here are a few reasons these processes are used as an alternative to traditional home financing:

Benefits for buyers

From a buyer’s perspective, the main reason to pursue a seller financing arrangement is that these agreements can help them qualify for a home that might otherwise be out of reach. This makes seller financing particularly appealing to buyers with lower credit scores or a sudden loss of income. And if their credit score is good, buyers still might be able to qualify with better terms and a lower interest rate.

Benefits for sellers

Ultimately, sellers decide whether or not they want to create any sort of seller financing arrangement. One of the most common reasons sellers use these arrangements is to help avoid some of the costs that come with closing on a home. By minimizing closing costs, they can make more money from their final sale.

Additionally, the seller financing process is often faster than the traditional alternative, which can be beneficial if the seller needs to sell their home quickly. They might also use these arrangements – such as a leasing arrangement – to generate passive income.

What Are the Disadvantages of Seller Financing?

Of course, there are also some disadvantages to seller financing. If you are considering a seller financing arrangement, be sure to keep these disadvantages in mind:

Disadvantages for buyers

The structure of seller financing arrangements – particularly balloon payments – can put buyers at risk of living in a home they won’t be able to afford. Just because a buyer can qualify for one of these loans doesn’t mean it will be in their best interest to accept it. Buyers need to be careful when considering their options.

Disadvantages for sellers

Sellers who finance the loan directly also assume the risk of lending money. This means that if the buyer were to default, the seller would be responsible for paying back any part of the mortgage owed to another party. And because sellers frequently use these arrangements with buyers that have poor credit, the risk of a potential default should not be overlooked.

Is Seller Financing Right for You?

Whether seller financing is a good or bad decision will depend on several factors. This process is used somewhat sparingly and for good reason. If both the buyer and the seller want to complete a “standard” sale – and are able to do so – they might want to consider working with a traditional lender. But if the situation is pressing, such as the seller needing to sell or the buyer being unable to qualify, then seller financing is an option worth considering.

There’s More Than One Way To Buy or Sell a House

Seller financing can create potential risks for both the buyer and the seller, which is why this process is only used for a fraction of all mortgages. If either party is unfamiliar with how the process works, hiring a real estate attorney can be very beneficial. Still, under the right circumstances and when executed correctly, the process can be mutually beneficial for both parties.