What if you didn’t have a mortgage payment on your next house? It may sound a little unrealistic. But for a number of homeowners, it’s actually doable.

Nearly 3 in 10 homes purchased today are bought in cash, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). That’s far more than the pre-pandemic norm (see graph below):

So, how are so many buyers pulling that off? The answer is simple: home equity.

Back in 2020-2021, mortgage rates and the number of homes for sale were both at all-time lows. And that combination pushed home prices up, fast.

If you owned a home during that time, it likely gained significant value – maybe even enough to buy your next house in cash. NAR explains:

“. . . rising home equity has armed many existing homeowners with the financial leverage to make cash offers, allowing them to convert years of price appreciation into immediate purchasing power.”

Here’s why you may want to go that route yourself, if you have enough equity to do it.

1. Your Offer Becomes More Attractive

Sellers value certainty. And an all-cash offer removes one of the biggest unknowns in a transaction: financing. As Rocket Mortgage explains:

“Cash offers are attractive to sellers. Sellers often prefer to work with cash buyers if they can because they don’t have to worry about a buyer’s financing falling through at the last minute.”

In many markets, an all-cash offer can give you a serious edge.

2. You Can Close Faster

And since you don’t have to worry about underwriting, lender approvals, and loan processing, the time it takes to close shrinks. Cotality puts it this way:

“Cash buyers have always enjoyed an edge over borrowers. They remove financing risk, reduce delays, and often close in days rather than weeks.”

If the owner of the house you’re buying is already under contract on their next home or they just need to move fast (like for a new job), that speed is a real draw.

3. You Won’t Have Monthly Mortgage Payments

When you buy in cash, you don’t have to finance your purchase. That means you don’t have to worry about what today’s mortgage rates are and you own the house outright from the day you close. And that’s a big deal.

No mortgage.

No monthly payment.

Full ownership.

That financial freedom opens the door for other big lifestyle benefits. Zillow explains:

“Paying in cash means you own your home outright. This eliminates the need for monthly mortgage payments, freeing up your finances for other priorities like savings, travel, or home improvements.”

4. You May Get a Better Deal

And here’s one more thing that surprises a lot of homeowners: cash buyers often pay less for the house.

According to Cotality, all-cash buyers tend to spend roughly 9% less on the house than buyers who use a mortgage. That’s because some sellers are willing to accept lower offers to get a deal done quickly, with more certainty of closing, and fewer financing hoops to jump through. As Cotality explains:

“From a seller’s point of view, a lower but reliable offer can feel preferable to a higher one that may collapse weeks later.”

And that advantage grows with each passing year (see graph below):

Is an All-Cash Move Realistic for You?

Not every homeowner will buy their next house outright in cash. And that’s okay.

But the bigger takeaway is this: the equity you’ve built may give you more options than you think. 

Whether that means downsizing and eliminating a mortgage entirely, or just relocating with stronger negotiating power, your current house may be what makes it possible.

Bottom Line

Before assuming you’ll need another traditional mortgage, it’s worth asking one simple question: How much equity do you really have? Because the answer might change what you thought your next move could look like.

Curious what your home equity could do for you? Ask a local real estate agent to run the numbers and see what kind of buying power you’re really sitting on.

Let’s be clear: selling your house is absolutely possible right now. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), roughly 11k homes sell every day in this country.

And the sellers who are making their moves happen all have one thing in common: they’ve adjusted their strategy to match today’s market. They’re realizing inventory has grown. Homebuyers are more selective. And buyer expectations are higher.

The sellers who struggle are usually approaching today’s market with yesterday’s expectations. Here are the three biggest mistakes they’re making – and how to avoid them.

1. Pricing Based on What Their Neighbor Got a Few Years Back

Setting your price is the most important decision you make when you sell – and the one that’s most often mishandled. Realtor.com data shows almost 1 out of 5 sellers in 2025 had to drop their price. Here’s what those sellers went wrong.

Buyers have more choice and more negotiating power now that inventory has grown. And house hunters will actively avoid your house is if feels like it’s priced too high. That’s why overpricing usually leads to:

• Fewer showings
• Less competitive (or lowball) offers
• Longer time on market

And all three of those side effects are things you don’t want to deal with.

What To Do Instead: The good news is the cure is simple. Just price for today’s buyer, not yesterday’s headlines. Lean on your agent’s knowledge of recent comparable sales, current competition, and local buyer behavior to land in the value “sweet spot” that drives traffic and urgency from day one.

2. Trying To Skip Repairs That Buyers Now Expect

A few years ago, you could sell as-is and still get well above asking. Today? Not so much. Right now, NAR says two-thirds of sellers are making at least some repairs.

And the reason why is simple. In a market with more inventory, buyers compare homes side by side. Homes that don’t show well (or feel dated) are going to lose attention quickly, even if the issues are minor. 

What To Do Instead: Ask your agent which high-impact, low-stress updates they’d recommend for your house. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s helping buyers see themselves moving in without a mental to-do list. Small investments in staging, repairs, and curb appeal can make a huge difference in how quickly offers come in – and how strong those offers are.

3. Playing Hardball When Buyers Try To Negotiate

Today’s buyers have housing affordability at the top of their minds. And since money is already tight, they’ll be pickier and will probably ask for some compromises from you. Whether that’s making repairs, giving them a credit at closing, or taking just a few thousand dollars off your asking price, negotiating is normal again.

So, if something pops up in the inspection, you’re going to need to be open to talking about it. If you’re not, you may very well see your buyer walk away. And some sellers are figuring this out the hard way. Redfin data shows one of the big reasons home sales fell thru in 2025 was inspection or repair issues. Odds are those homeowners weren’t willing to flex a bit to get the deal done.

What to Do Instead: Meet with your agent to make sure you understand what buyers in your area care the most about. Align your price with value, present the home clearly and confidently, and stay open to reasonable negotiations that keep deals moving forward.

Bottom Line

The sellers who succeed in this market aren’t doing anything extreme. They’re pricing their house right, making strategic repairs, getting local guidance, and making decisions based on how buyers actually behave today. Those small but mighty mindset shifts could make or break your sale.

Want a real plan tailored to your home and your neighborhood? Talk to a local agent.

For a lot of parents or grandparents, watching a family member struggle to buy their first home right now is hard. That’s because you saw firsthand how homeownership gave your life more stability and helped grow your net worth – and you want your loved ones to have those same opportunities.

But with all the affordability challenges in recent years, that can feel like an uphill battle – even though it’s slowly improving lately. Here’s what you may not realize. You may be in a unique position to help (thanks to the equity in your current house).

The Equity Advantage You May Not Be Thinking About

You’ve likely owned your home for years, maybe even decades. And during that time, two things happened:

• Home values rose
• Your mortgage balance shrank (or you paid it off entirely)

That combination has created substantial equity for many homeowners like you.

And while you may think of that equity as something you want to have in your pocket for retirement, it can also serve another purpose: helping the next generation clear the biggest hurdle in their way.

The #1 Thing Holding Young Buyers Back

When John Burns Research & Consulting (JBREC) asked renters what’s keeping them from buying, the top answer wasn’t mortgage rates or home prices. It was the upfront cost, particularly saving enough for their down payment (see graph below):

That’s where you may be able to make more of a difference than you realize. You can’t control rates or prices. But you may be able to use your equity to help with this upfront expense. And giving money to your loved one so they buy a home doesn’t mean putting your own future at risk.

Even a small portion of your equity can put them in a position to finally get the keys to their first place – and, if you’re strategic about it, you’d still have a lot leftover for when you retire.

With an estimated $68 and $84 trillion of wealth expected to transfer from older generations to younger ones over the next two decades, many families are already thinking differently about when and how that wealth will be passed down. Maybe it makes sense for your family to think about too.

Help from Loved Ones Is Making a Move Possible for Many First-Time Buyers

A growing share of young buyers are using gifts and loans from their loved ones to springboard into homeownership. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), nearly 1 in 5 first-time buyers use a cash gift from their family or loved ones for their down payment.

And other young buyers are using their inheritance or a loan from someone they know to finally break into the market (see charts below):

This Is About Opportunity, Not Obligation

Every family’s situation is different, and your decision should be made carefully. It’s just that, if you’ve built up a lot of equity, you may have more room to help than you think.

It’s not just a financial gift. It’s giving stability, security, and a foundation that could change their lives for the better – especially at a time when they may not be able to do it on their own.

Bottom Line

If you’re curious what your home equity could make possible, for you or for your loved ones, start with a simple conversation with a local real estate agent. Because sometimes the most meaningful investment you can make is for the next generation.