Selling a Home With an Active INFONAVIT Loan: Can You, and How?

One of the most common questions among people who bought their home with a worker's loan is whether they can sell the house while the loan is still active. The short answer is yes: you can sell a property with an active INFONAVIT loan, as long as the outstanding balance is settled as part of the transaction. In this guide we explain the most common options, the requirements and the general process, keeping in mind that details may vary depending on your case and the institute's current rules.

Can you sell with an active loan?

Yes. Having an active mortgage loan does not prevent you from selling, but the property carries a mortgage registered in favor of the creditor (in this case INFONAVIT) that must be canceled in order to transfer the property free of liens. In practice, the outstanding balance is paid off with the proceeds of the sale, and only the remainder goes to you as the seller. Every transaction must be formalized before a notary public (notario público).

Options for selling

1. Pay off the loan with the sale

This is the most common route. The buyer pays the agreed price; those funds are used to pay off the loan balance, and the mortgage is canceled before the notary. What remains after the balance and expenses is yours. It works well when the sale price comfortably exceeds the outstanding balance.

2. Buyer with their own loan

If the buyer purchases with their own mortgage loan (from a bank or from the institute itself), the buyer's lender usually pays off the seller's balance directly as part of the process, and the rest is delivered to you. This requires coordination between the notary's office and the institutions involved.

3. Substitution or assignment (specific cases)

In some situations there are mechanisms to transfer the debt or the loan. These options depend on the institute's current rules and the buyer's profile, so it is best to check them case by case directly with INFONAVIT.

General steps of the process

To estimate a suitable price, use our tool to calculate the value of your home and compare it with similar properties in your area.

Documents you will need

Review the complete checklist of papers for selling a house so nothing gets left out; with an active loan, the balance statement and the payoff letter are additional key documents.

Important precautions

Selling with an active loan involves handling money and sensitive paperwork. Take extra precautions: never cancel the lien or hand over the property until payment is confirmed, and make sure the loan payoff is verifiable and carried out within the notarial act. Be wary of schemes that promise informal "transfers" without a notary, as they are fertile ground for fraud. See our guide on how to avoid real estate fraud.

Frequently asked questions