If your parents sell you their home for $100,000 and it's worth $300,000, their gift of equity equals $200,000, the difference between what they're selling the home for and how much it is actually worth. A gift of equity is valuable.
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.
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.
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.
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.