What is a Proof of Funds Letter for a Real Estate Purchase in NYC?
What exactly constitutes proof of funds when making an all cash offer on real estate? Can you get away with only submitting proof of funds or do you need to provide other documentation? We’ll go over everything you need to know about proof of funds for property purchases in NYC, and we’ll even show you a sample proof of funds letter from a bank!
What Is a Proof of Funds Letter for a Real Estate Purchase?
A proof of funds letter for a real estate purchase is an official document from a buyer’s financial institution certifying that the buyer has sufficient funds with the institution to cover the purchase. A proof of funds letter need not disclose the exact, total amount of funds that the buyer has with the bank or investment brokerage. It is perfectly acceptable to disclose that the buyer has funds in excess of a certain number, as long as that number covers the purchase price.
What Constitutes Proof of Funds?
A proof of funds letter from a bank is typically a formal, signed letter on company letterhead from a senior representative or officer of the bank. The representative from the bank signing the letter can be a regional or branch manager, or it can be the buyer’s private or personal banker as well.
Pro Tip: Most financial institutions will have stock proof of funds letter templates on file, so your banker will not need to manually write a letter on your behalf.
Why Do You Need Proof of Funds for a Cash Offer?
Buyers need to show proof of funds for a cash offer because sellers need some sort of verification that the buyer actually has the capability to do the deal.
Buyers who are financing a purchase do not need to provide proof of funds because they submit offers with a mortgage pre-approval letter from a bank, which essentially acts as a proof of capability to consummate the deal.
A buyer who is looking to purchase property in NYC all cash typically won’t go through the trouble of also getting a mortgage pre-approval letter. As a result, even if the buyer submits a REBNY Financial Statement, the seller doesn’t have any sort of document from a third party institution vouching for the buyer.
What Proof of Funds for Buying a House Is Acceptable?
Proof of funds for buying a house can be a letter from the buyer’s bank, mutual fund or investment brokerage confirming that the buyer has a certain amount of assets held at the financial institution.
Proceeds from Your Home Sale as Proof of Funds
Proof of funds for buying a house can also be a bank statement or investment account statement which shows that the buyer has enough funds to purchase the property all cash. If you are providing a bank or brokerage account statement, it’s acceptable to cross out the account numbers for your privacy.
If you need to sell an apartment before you can buy a home in NYC, then it may be acceptable to provide a signed purchase contract on your existing home as proof of funds.
If the expected amount of proceeds from your sale will only cover a down payment, then you’ll still need a mortgage pre-approval letter from your mortgage broker or bank.
If the proceeds from your sale will entirely cover the purchase price, then the signed purchase contract may be sufficient as long as you can also prove that there is no outstanding mortgage on your property.
However, many sellers will not agree to accept an offer that has a sale or Hubbard contingencyattached. That’s because the deal would be contingent on another sale closing which the seller has no control over, and such a deal will typically take longer and have a higher chance of falling through.
What Else to Provide Besides Proof of Funds
If you’re an all cash investor to looking purchase property in a LLC or foreign buyer of property in NYC, you may wish to provide as little information as possible to protect your personal privacy.
So can you get away with simply providing proof of funds for a real estate purchase?
Condo or Co op?
The answer depends on whether you are buying a condo or buying a coop in NYC. If you are buying a condo, then the listing agent and seller may be alright with simply an offer price and proof of funds for an all cash offer.
However, listing agents for coop apartments will still ask for a completed REBNY Financial Statement even if you intend to purchase all cash.
That’s because NYC coops have their own coop financial requirements that are sometimes stricter than those of banks! Coops will want to see that you have enough liquid assets post-closing, with some coops even asking to see 1.5x the purchase price in liquid assets post-closing!
Note: Even condo listing agents will sometimes ask all cash buyers to also submit a REBNY Financial Statement. While this can be negotiable, you should provide it if you really want to do the deal! It’s also nice to include a short biography (or home buyer offer letter) and your attorney’s contact information as well in the offer.
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Disclosure: Hauseit (https://www.hauseit.com) and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. The services marketed on Hauseit.com are provided by licensed real estate brokers and other third party professional service providers. Hauseit LLC is not a licensed real estate broker nor a member of any multiple listing service (MLS).
