If you’re a Staten Island homeowner, you might be torn on whether or not to sell your house right now. Maybe that’s because you don’t want to take on a higher mortgage rate on your next home. If that’s your biggest hurdle, understanding your equity may be exactly what you need to help you feel more comfortable making your move.

What Equity Is and How It Works

Equity is the current value of your home minus what you owe on the loan. And recently, that equity has been growing far faster than you may expect.

Over the last few years, home prices rose dramatically, and that gave your equity a big boost very quickly. While the market has started to normalize, there’s still an imbalance between the number of homes available for sale and the number of buyers looking to make a purchase. And it’s because homes are in such high demand that prices are back on the rise today.

Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, a property data provider, explains:

“Equity levels were high even during the recent downturn, and now they are going back up and better than ever.”

How Equity Benefits You in Today’s Market

With today’s affordability challenges, that equity can be a game changer when you move.

Here’s why: Based on data from ATTOM and the Census, nearly two-thirds (68.7 percent) of homeowners have either paid off their mortgages or have at least 50 percent equity (see chart below):

That means roughly 70 percent have a tremendous amount of equity right now.

Once you sell your house, you can use your equity to help with your next purchase. It could be some (if not all) of what you’ll need for your next down payment. It may even be enough to allow you to put a considerably larger down payment on your next home, so you don’t have to finance quite as much. And, if you’ve been in your current house for years, you may have even built up enough equity to pay in all cash. If that’s true for you, you’d be able to avoid borrowing altogether, so you wouldn’t have to worry about today’s mortgage rates.

How To Find Out How Much Equity You Have

The best way to learn how much equity you have in your Staten Island home is to reach out to a trusted real estate agent, a Realtor subscriber of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS), for a Professional Equity Assessment Report (PEAR).

Bottom Line

If you’re planning to make a move, the equity you’ve gained can make a big impact. To find out just how much equity you have in your current home and how you can use it to fuel your next purchase, connect with a Staten Island real estate professional, a Realtor subscriber of the Staten Island MLS.

The information contain­­ed, and the opinions expressed in articles, videos, or infographics posted or shared by the Staten Island Board of Realtors® (SIBOR) and/or the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS) are not intended to be construed as investment advice. SIBOR and SIMLS do not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. You should always conduct your own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. SIBOR and SIMLS will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on the information or opinions contained herein.