What happens if you sell a house before paying it off?

Asked by: Miss Erna Konopelski IV  |  Last update: January 17, 2026
Score: 4.9/5 (30 votes)

You can sell your house even if you haven't fully paid off your mortgage. You're responsible for mortgage payments until the day of closing. The proceeds from the sale are used to pay off your existing mortgage at closing. Any remaining balance after paying off the mortgage and closing costs becomes your profit.

Can you sell a home before paying off the mortgage?

Yes. You don't need your mortgage to be fully paid off in order to sell your house. The important thing to remember is your home equity, which is the difference between your home's current market value and what you still owe on the mortgage.

What happens when you sell a house that isn't paid off?

If you sell it for more than you owe on it, the mortgage holder gets paid off first, the closing costs are deducted, and then you'd get a check for whatever was left. If you sold it for less than what you owed on it, you'd have to come up with the balance and pay it to the mortgage holder (bank, usually).

Why is it not good to pay off your mortgage early?

More Reasons Not To Pay Off Your Mortgage
  • 1) You lose your mortgage interest deduction.
  • 2) You lose a low borrowing cost.
  • 3) You tie up capital in an illiquid asset.
  • 4) You decrease your financial returns.
  • 5) You might start being less efficient with your time.
  • 6) A chance your credit score might take a hit.

Do I need to tell my mortgage company if I sell my house?

In summary, it is essential to notify your mortgage company when selling your home to ensure a seamless transaction and proper settlement of your loan. Your real estate agent and closing attorney can also help coordinate communication with your lender to facilitate a smooth home-selling experience.

Can I Sell A House That I Still Owe Money On?

34 related questions found

Can I sell my house and keep the money?

After you pay off any mortgages or liens on the house and pay the government for any capital gains or other taxes and pay off your realtors and lawyers (if any), you can do what you like with the remaining funds.

Can you transfer a mortgage to another person?

A transfer of mortgage lets a buyer take over the current homeowner's mortgage, assuming the same terms and conditions as they take over responsibility for payments. If your mortgage allows it, this strategy can help you avoid foreclosure, but it can have advantages for the new mortgage owner as well.

What is the 2% rule for mortgage payoff?

The 2% rule states that you should aim for a 2% lower interest rate in order to ensure that the savings generated by your new loan will offset the cost refinancing, provided you've lived in your home for two years and plan to stay for at least two more.

Does Dave Ramsey recommend paying off a mortgage?

Dave Ramsey, the renowned financial guru, has long been a proponent of financial discipline and savvy money management. This can include paying off your mortgage early, but only under specific financial circumstances.

Do your property taxes go up when you pay off your house?

A: You've asked some important questions, although we think you might be a bit confused about how your real estate tax and mortgage escrow accounts work. Let's start with a basic fact: Whether you carry a mortgage on your property has no impact on what you pay in real estate taxes.

Do you get all your money back when you sell your house?

You'll receive the cash from the sale of the house, minus selling costs. These are typically closing costs, real estate agent commission and outstanding bills related to the property and taxes.

How to calculate mortgage payoff when selling a home?

Outstanding mortgage–the amount of money that you still owe on your home is subtracted from the estimated home sale price. This provides a general idea of your home sale proceeds, excluding fees and taxes associated with selling a house.

Can you sell a house without paying it off first?

Yes, you can sell your house with an existing mortgage. Selling with a mortgage is actually very common since the average homeowner stays in their home for about 13 years. That means it's completely normal to pay off your mortgage by selling your home.

How long can you live in your house without paying a mortgage?

What is the foreclosure timeline? Generally, the legal foreclosure process can't start until you are at least 120 days behind on your mortgage. After that, once your servicer begins the legal process, the amount of time you have until an actual foreclosure sale varies by state.

What is the best alternative to foreclosure?

Your Options to Avoid Foreclosure
  • Reinstate Your Loan.
  • Enter Into a Repayment Plan.
  • Enter Into a Forbearance Agreement.
  • Work Out a Loan Modification.
  • Refinance.
  • File for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy.
  • Give Up Your House In a Short Sale or Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure.
  • Workouts for Government-Backed Mortgages.

What does Suze Orman say about paying off your mortgage early?

Orman's Cautions Against Paying Off Your Mortgage Early

Don't Drain Your Savings: Orman emphasizes that homeowners should not deplete their emergency savings or retirement savings to pay off their mortgage. These funds are crucial for financial stability and should not be sacrificed.

Do most millionaires pay off their mortgage?

In fact, the average millionaire pays off their house in just 10.2 years. But even though you're dead set on ditching your mortgage ahead of schedule, you probably have one major question on your mind: How do I pay off my mortgage faster?

How to pay off a 300k mortgage in 5 years?

Increasing your monthly payments, making bi-weekly payments, and making extra principal payments can help accelerate mortgage payoff. Cutting expenses, increasing income, and using windfalls to make lump sum payments can help pay off the mortgage faster.

What is the 3 7 3 rule in mortgage?

Timing Requirements – The “3/7/3 Rule”

The initial Truth in Lending Statement must be delivered to the consumer within 3 business days of the receipt of the loan application by the lender. The TILA statement is presumed to be delivered to the consumer 3 business days after it is mailed.

What happens if I pay an extra $200 a month on my mortgage?

If you pay $200 extra a month towards principal, you can cut your loan term by more than 8 years and reduce the interest paid by more than $44,000. Another way to pay down your mortgage in less time is to make half-monthly payments every 2 weeks, instead of 1 full monthly payment.

What is the golden rule of mortgage?

The 28% mortgage rule states that you should spend 28% or less of your monthly gross income on your mortgage payment (including principal, interest, taxes and insurance). To gauge how much you can afford using this rule, multiply your monthly gross income by 28%.

Can I pass my mortgage to my son?

You'll typically only be able to transfer your mortgage if your mortgage is assumable, and most conventional loans aren't. Some exceptions, such as the death of a borrower, may allow for the assumption of a conventional loan.

How to take over a mortgage from a seller?

Submit your application – The process of assuming a mortgage could look different from lender to lender, but in general, you'll need to fill out an application, provide proof of income and assets and submit to a credit check.

Can you buy someone out of a house without refinancing?

Typically, removing a name from a mortgage could require you to pay off the loan in full or refinance it with a new loan. But, there are alternatives where you can take over the loan without paying off it off or refinancing. These could include mortgage assumption, loan modification and bankruptcy.