A “gift of equity” refers to a gift provided by the seller of a property to the buyer. The gift represents a portion of the seller's equity in the property, and is transferred to the buyer as a credit in the transaction.
Gifted equity requirements The letter should be signed by the buyer and the seller. Funds must also be properly documented through financial records. So, be prepared to provide copies of your recent bank statements, your donor's recent bank statements, and copies of cashier's checks.
Leverage the lifetime gift tax exemption. The lifetime gift tax exemption allows you to give away a substantial amount of property over your lifetime without paying taxes. For 2024, this exemption is set at $13.61 million per individual. This strategy can be particularly useful for transferring larger properties.
The seller must obtain an official home appraisal to ascertain fair market value and also sign a gift letter that describes the buyer-seller relationship and states that the equity is a gift the buyer is not obligated to repay. The buyer must follow the typical process for buying a home.
Gifts of equity, like other gifts, aren't taxable to the recipient. The seller might have to file a gift return. They're allowed to give $15,000 per person each year without having to file a gift return. So, if the gift of equity they gave you is less than $30,000, they don't have to file the return.