For Agents
How to Win Listings When Nothing Is Selling
By David Golovin · September 12, 2026 · 3 min read
Home sales just hit their slowest pace since the 2008 crash. Sellers are frozen, buyers are priced out, and listing appointments are harder to win. The agents still winning them are selling something the market rate cannot touch: the seller’s own loan.
Source: NAR Existing-Home Sales
3.98M
Annualized sales pace in August, slowest since the 2008-10 crash
6.76%
30-year fixed rate as of September 12, a high for the year
4.83%
Average estimated rate across 20,000+ active assumable listings on Roots
Pitch the rate, not the house
If the seller has an FHA or VA loan, their rate is transferable. That turns a listing pitch into something no other agent at the kitchen table is offering: a marketing plan built around a below-market payment. Tell a seller their 3% loan is a sellable asset, and they will list with the agent who said it first.
Price to the payment
Buyers in this market shop monthly payment, not list price. A home with an assumable loan at an estimated 4.83% competes against homes financed at 6.76%, which means the effective affordability gap does the negotiating for you. Run the payment comparison in every listing presentation.
Put the listing where assumption buyers already look
Buyers searching for low-rate homes are already on Roots. Listing agents can get their listing verified so it shows a confirmed rate instead of an estimate, and verified listings stand out to the buyers actively filtering for assumable loans.
FAQ
How do I market a listing with an assumable loan?
Lead with the payment, not the price. Put the assumable rate in the MLS remarks, the flyer, and every ad. A buyer assuming an estimated 4.83% rate instead of financing at 6.76% saves hundreds per month, and that number wins the showing.
Do assumable listings sell faster in a slow market?
They attract a buyer pool that other listings cannot reach: buyers priced out at market rates. In a market where sales are at their slowest pace since 2008, a below-market payment is the strongest differentiator a listing can have.
How do I find out if a seller’s loan is assumable?
FHA and VA loans are generally assumable. Check the loan type on the mortgage statement or ask the seller for their servicer paperwork. Roots surfaces assumable listings with estimated rates, downpayments, and monthly payments.