What if my house has negative equity?

Asked by: Prof. Berneice White III  |  Last update: October 14, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (32 votes)

If you have to sell a home with negative equity, you would lose money on the deal. “If you have negative equity, you will have to bring money to the closing to pay off the mortgage (when you sell your home),” says Jay Zigmont, a certified financial planner and founder of Childfree Wealth.

What happens if you have negative equity in your home?

Nothing happens. Negative equity doesn't mean anything unless you sell or want to re-finance. After 5 years, your mortgage auto renews, equity in the home has no bearing on this.

Is it OK to have negative equity?

If total liabilities exceed total assets, the company will have negative shareholders' equity. A negative balance in shareholders' equity is generally a red flag for investors to dig deeper into the company's financials to assess the risk of holding or purchasing the stock.

How do I get out of paying negative equity?

You can just get rid of the negative equity by making at least double payments for a few years. Throw every single bonus and tax return and other extra money at this loan. There is no point in getting a lease. You need to just pay this loan down like a madman.

Can you refinance a house with negative equity?

Having negative equity can make it difficult to sell or refinance your home. You can't immediately reverse negative equity, but there are ways to emerge from it: increasing mortgage payments or upgrading your home as you wait for the market to improve.

How to Manage Negative Equity in Your Property [with Example Numbers]

36 related questions found

How much negative equity will a bank finance?

One thing to keep in mind is that there is no maximum amount you can finance when it comes to negative equity.

How to get out of an upside down mortgage?

If you find yourself underwater on your mortgage, you've got several options to consider.
  1. Stay in the home and build equity. ...
  2. Explore new financing. ...
  3. Consider a short sale. ...
  4. Walk away from your mortgage. ...
  5. Let the lender foreclose.

Will gap insurance cover negative equity?

Does GAP insurance cover negative equity? Yes. Negative equity (aka an upside-down loan) is another term for the gap between what you owe on your auto loan and the car's actual value. GAP insurance covers the difference between the two.

Will a dealership pay off negative equity?

Oftentimes, the dealership will finance the negative equity into your new loan. This decision can cost you even more when you consider the interest charges on the additional amount financed and the fact it will contribute to you being underwater on your new car too!

How does voluntary repossession work?

How does voluntary repossession work? Voluntarily surrendering a car involves informing your lender that you can no longer make payments and intend to return it. Empty your car of all personal items and arrange the time and place to drop off your car and hand over the keys.

Can you sell a house with negative equity?

If you have to sell a home with negative equity, you would lose money on the deal. “If you have negative equity, you will have to bring money to the closing to pay off the mortgage (when you sell your home),” says Jay Zigmont, a certified financial planner and founder of Childfree Wealth.

Does negative equity hurt your credit?

Consumers who financed negative equity had lower average credit scores, lower average household income, and longer average loan terms, and were more likely to have a co-borrower than consumers with no trade-in or a positive equity trade-in.

Can I refinance if my home value has dropped?

Yes, it is possible to refinance your home even if its value has dropped.

How many homeowners have negative equity?

In contrast, states like California (0.63%), Nevada (0.73%), Arizona (0.82%), Florida (1.04%), and Massachusetts (1.12%) boast the smallest percentages of homeowners with negative equity.

Can you refinance a home with no equity?

This means it will take longer to pay off your home entirely. You will have limited options. While most lenders will offer refinance loans to homeowners, they almost always have LTV requirements. If you have little or no equity in your home, you'll only be able to refinance through certain lenders or refi programs.

How to sell a house when you owe more than it's worth?

When a homeowner owes more on their mortgage loan than the home is worth, a sale of the home cannot generate enough money to pay off the mortgage. In such a situation, lenders allow the homeowner to sell the home without having to pay the mortgage in full. This is known as a short sale.

How much negative equity is too much?

How Much Negative Equity Is Too Much on a Car? The maximum negative equity that can be transferred to your new car is around 125% . It means your loan value should not be more than 125% of your car's actual worth. If it is more than 125% then your next car's loan would not be approved.

Will CarMax roll over negative equity?

In some cases, the negative equity can be included in your financing if you buy a CarMax car. If not, we'll calculate the difference between your payoff and our offer to you and you can pay CarMax directly. If the amount you owe is less than $250, we will accept a personal check.

How do you get rid of negative equity?

Refinancing the loan or selling the vehicle are two of the most commonly used ways to deal with negative equity. You may also consider trading in your vehicle for a different car, though that can lead to additional auto loan debt if you're rolling the original loan balance over.

How much will gap insurance pay?

When your loan amount is more than your vehicle is worth, gap insurance coverage pays the difference. For example, if you owe $25,000 on your loan and your car is only worth $20,000, your gap coverage covers the $5,000 gap, minus your deductible.

How do you settle negative equity?

There are options for managing negative equity, whether through making extra payments, refinancing the loan, or negotiating with the lender, to avoid being trapped in a cycle of financial difficulty.

Will dealerships roll over negative equity?

Some car dealers say you won't be responsible for the remaining balance on your old car loan when you trade in your old car. But that might not be true. Instead, some dealers just roll over the negative equity into your new car loan, so you still end up paying it.

Who pays off a reverse mortgage?

Anybody can pay off a reverse mortgage, including the borrower, their spouse, their heirs or other relatives. This is most common in scenarios where the last surviving borrower or eligible non-borrowing spouse dies, and the heirs choose to make the reverse mortgage payoff.

What happens if I owe more than my house is worth?

Negative equity won't technically stop you from selling your home, but a mortgage lender won't settle your loan until you've paid your entire outstanding loan balance. If you sell your home for less than your current mortgage, you must pay your lender the difference in cash.

Can I walk away from a mortgage?

Three of the most common methods of walking away from a mortgage are a short sale, a voluntary foreclosure, and an involuntary foreclosure. A short sale occurs when the borrower sells a property for less than the amount due on the mortgage.