GROW WITH LIBERTAS & EXP REALTY
By Tim & Julie Harris · October 21, 2026
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Hi {{first_name|there}},
Rates are over 7%, and your buyer just told you they’re going to wait. But somewhere in your market there’s a homeowner sitting on a 2.75% VA loan, and they have no idea that their low rate could be the most valuable thing about their house.
A buyer can take that loan over. The rate, the payment, all of it. And most agents don’t know how to find these homes or how to put the deal together. That’s your opportunity.
More buyers are taking over sellers’ old low-rate loans
HUD data reported by ResiClub shows FHA loan assumptions more than doubled in two years, from 2,578 in fiscal 2022 to 5,861 in fiscal 2024. Fewer than one in six outstanding mortgages are potentially assumable, but in a 7% market, those loans are gold.
Most agents still don’t know how to do these deals, so the agents who learn now have the field to themselves.
A 3% loan is worth real money right now
Freddie Mac’s weekly average 30-year rate held at 7.40% on October 15, near its highest level in almost three years.
On a $350,000 balance, a 3% loan is about $1,476 a month in principal and interest, compared with about $2,329 at 7%. That’s more than $850 a month back in your buyer’s pocket.
“What if I told you there are homes in our area where you could take over the seller’s 3% mortgage?”
Then watch their face.
eXp sellers can now get up to $50,000 to get ready to list
At eXpcon, eXp launched eXp Ready, which gives sellers up to $50,000 for pre-listing work like painting, staging and landscaping. It’s repaid from the closing proceeds, with a one-time fee and low fixed-rate interest. The application doesn’t affect credit, and sellers can use any vendor. eXp also announced a new mortgage joint venture with Newrez, expected in early 2027.
“We can’t afford to fix it up first” is one of the most common reasons a listing stalls. If you’re with eXp, bring eXp Ready to every listing appointment where the house needs work. If you’re not, ask your broker what pre-listing funding options you have. (Our opinions are our own. We’re proud to be with eXp.)
What’s an assumable mortgage?
The buyer takes over the seller’s existing loan, with the same rate, the same balance and the same payment. VA, FHA and USDA loans are generally assumable, and most conventional loans are not. The buyer has to qualify with the loan servicer, and they don’t need military service to assume a VA loan.
The closing costs are lower, too. No new loan is being made, so there’s no origination fee and fewer lender fees. On a VA assumption, the buyer pays a 0.5% assumption fee on the remaining balance instead of a funding fee that’s often 1.25% to 3.3% on a new VA loan. FHA caps the servicer’s processing fee. On an $800,000 home, AssumeList’s example shows a $3,800 VA assumption fee compared with $12,540 on a new VA loan.
Know the watch-outs:
The cash gap. The buyer has to cover the difference between the price and the loan balance, with cash, a second mortgage or carefully structured seller financing. Line up a second-mortgage lender early.
Time. Servicers often take 45 to 90 days. Set expectations up front.
The VA seller’s entitlement. If the buyer isn’t a veteran substituting their own entitlement, the seller’s VA entitlement stays tied to that loan. Make sure your seller understands that and asks for a release of liability.
The tool that finds them for you
AssumeList searches homes with assumable VA, FHA and USDA loans. It says every home in it has a rate under 5%, and most are at 3% or lower. You can filter by rate, monthly payment and cash gap.
If you’re with eXp, it’s free. Attend one live training session, get your access code and register with your eXp email.
If you’re not with eXp, the agent plan costs $79 a month if you pay month to month. If you pay for a full year up front, it works out to $66 a month, about $792 a year.
It covers 25 states, so check whether yours is one of them.
The balances and rates are estimates. Always verify with the servicer.
Listing agents: if your seller has an assumable loan, tell the world
With your seller’s permission, and after you confirm the loan is assumable and get the balance from the servicer:
Check the “assumable” box in your MLS if your MLS has one, so buyer agents who search for assumables find your listing.
Put it in the first line of your public remarks: “Assumable 2.75% VA loan to a qualified buyer, subject to lender approval.” Check your MLS rules and your broker first, because advertising a specific rate can trigger federal Truth in Lending ad rules, and states and MLSs have their own.
Put the details in your agent remarks: the loan type, rate, approximate balance and servicer, plus “Ask us for a payment comparison.”
Add it to your flyer, your social posts and your sign rider. You’re marketing a payment, not just a house.
Four calls to make this week
1. Your buyer leads who are waiting on rates.
“Hi Mike, I know rates have you on pause. I found a few homes in your price range where you could take over the seller’s mortgage at around 3%. Want me to send them over and get my lender to run the numbers?”
2. Your past clients and sphere who might have FHA or VA loans.
“Hi Jennifer, quick question. Is your mortgage FHA or VA? Here’s why I’m asking. With rates over 7%, a low-rate loan that a buyer can take over could be the best feature of your home. It could mean more buyers and a faster sale. If you’ve ever thought about moving, I’d love to show you what that could look like.”
3. The veterans in your database.
“As a veteran, you have options most buyers don’t, both when you buy and when you sell. Can I take 10 minutes and show you how assumable VA loans work?”
4. Homeowners who aren’t on the market yet, but have a low-rate loan a buyer could take over. AssumeList shows you homes in your farm that aren’t for sale but have an assumable VA, FHA or USDA loan at a low rate, and it can look up the owner’s phone number for you.
“Your 2.75% loan could help your home sell faster and for more. Have you thought about what your home is worth right now?”
That’s a brand-new spoke in the wheel of lead generation.
When your past client asks, “Why does my loan matter?”
“Because right now, that rate might be worth more than your granite countertops. A buyer could take over your loan and have a payment hundreds of dollars a month lower than with a new loan. That means more buyers can afford your home, and more buyers means a stronger offer. Before we do anything, I’d want you to talk with the VA and your servicer about your entitlement. On a scale of 1 to 10, how interested are you in seeing what your home could sell for with that loan as the headline?”
The moral of the story: the agent who knows about the loan gets the listing.
Do you have to be a veteran to assume a VA loan?
No. This is the one most agents get wrong. Anyone can assume a VA loan if they qualify with the loan servicer. Credit, income and the cash to cover the seller’s equity still matter.
The catch is for the seller. If the buyer isn’t a veteran who substitutes their own VA entitlement, the seller’s entitlement stays tied to that loan until it’s paid off, which can limit the seller’s ability to use a VA loan again. Talk to both sides up front:
“Mr. Seller, a non-veteran buyer can take over your loan, but your VA entitlement would stay with it. Let’s get you clear on what that means before we accept an offer.”
And make sure the seller asks for a release of liability.
Your challenge this week: Call 25 people from your database and ask one question: “Is your mortgage FHA or VA?” Every yes is a conversation about what their home is really worth.
Want someone in your corner holding you to it? Join Premier Coaching at PremierCoaching.com. Try it for 7 days for just $1.
Tim and Julie Harris are internationally recognized real estate coaches, best-selling authors and the voices behind Real Estate Coaching Radio, the nation’s #1 daily podcast for real estate professionals.
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— Tim & Julie Harris
Founders of Tim & Julie Harris Real Estate Coaching | Publishers of Harris Real Estate Daily | Hosts of PowerHouseTalk | eXp Realty Sponsors at Libertas
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