California homeowners · Zero equity
Zero equity, but you want to sell.
Owing as much as it's worth doesn't mean you can't sell. It means the numbers have to be worked before the listing, not after. Below is what selling with no equity actually involves, and the free help you should use before anyone charges you a fee.
You are never charged for this, at any stage, whatever you decide.
Talk through your options
Tell us where things stand and roughly what's owed, as best you know it. No cost, no upfront fee, no obligation. If selling isn't your best move, we'll say so.
Request received
We'll review it and reach out within one business day. If you told us about a sale date, expect to hear from us sooner.
Selling with no equity
What selling looks like when you owe what it's worth.
Where you land depends on your numbers and your calendar. We work both with you before anything goes on the market.
A conventional sale, run tight
Even with thin or zero equity, a sale can close when the price covers the commission, escrow, title and payoff. We work that math with you first, so the decision is made on numbers rather than hope.
A buyer who takes over your loan
Some mortgages can be assumed: a qualified buyer steps into your loan and its rate, the sale closes without a payoff gap, and you're free to move. Whether yours allows it depends on the loan and the lender's approval; we'll look at it with you.
Bring it current, sell on your calendar
If payments have slipped, a reinstatement or repayment plan with your servicer can stop the clock, so you sell on your timeline instead of anyone else's. That conversation costs nothing to have.
When selling isn't the move
Sometimes the honest answer is a modification through your servicer, or a conversation with an attorney before any agent. If that's your situation, we'll say so. We do not offer loan modification services, and you should never pay anyone an upfront fee for them.
Where we stand
The rules we hold ourselves to, in writing.
What we do
- +Introduce you to an agent who has closed thin-equity sales, with tight numbers and real deadlines, and worked with servicers before.
- +Tell you plainly if selling is not your best move, even though a sale is the only way we get paid.
- +Point you to free HUD-approved housing counseling before you spend a dollar with anyone.
- +Move fast. If you have a recorded sale date, say so and we'll treat it that way.
What we never do
- ×Charge you an advance fee, a retainer, or any upfront cost. Ever. Under any label.
- ×Promise that a lender will approve anything, stop a sale date, or reduce what you owe.
- ×Ask you to sign over your deed, rent your home back, or transfer title to us or anyone we know.
- ×Tell you to stop paying your mortgage or to stop communicating with your servicer.
Free help exists and you should use it first. HUD-approved housing counselors are free, independent, and available in Spanish and English. Call the HOPE Hotline at (800) 569-4287, or find a counselor at hud.gov. We'd rather you call them and never call us.
Talk through my options