Need $$ for Downpayment? Think About . . . (3 of 4)

Option 3: Owner Financing

Owner financing means exactly that: the owner (or seller) finances a portion of your home purchase. For example, you might borrow 80% of the value of a home from a lending institution, and "borrow" the other 20% from the owner. In this situation, the owner "carries back" a second mortgage. Owner financing can be advantageous, especially to investors who buy up properties and then rent them out. For the average homebuyer, however, owner financing is difficult to find and requires some tricky negotiating. Even after successfully negotiating a deal, it requires some detailed work by qualified attorneys in order to protect the interests of all parties involved. While you shouldn’t rule out owner financing, keep in mind that by looking for someone who is willing to help finance your purchase, you severely limit your choices. There are a lot of houses for sale today, but not a lot where owner financing is an option.