Last Updated: 02/19/2026
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Highlights
Community Rating
Strongly recommended
Credit Score Range
Starting at 660
Funding Range $
$35,000 - $250,000
Funding Range %
Up to 15%
Disclaimer popup with additional information
Contract Term
15
Number of Reviews
Aspire HEI Review
Aspire is offered by Redwood Trust, a nonbank financial services provider focused on housing accessibility. Founded in 1994 and based in Mill Valley, CA, Aspire is currently available in 9 states and Washington DC.
Key Takeaways
- Fair credit accepted. If you have a credit score of 660 or higher, you may qualify for a home equity agreement with Aspire HEI.
- Share of the home's change in value. Aspire gets paid a share of the home's ‘change in value’ at the end of the agreement. Aspire is only participating in the amount that the home goes up (or down) from the starting value of the home when the agreement is signed.
- Access existing equity only. Existing homeowners can access up to 15% of their property's value. Funds can be used for anything, from paying off debt to renovating or retirement.
- No income requirements. Income and debt-to-income ratio (DTI) are not considered during the Home Equity Investment application process.
- Maximum investment of $250,000. Your actual offer will depend on your home's value and how much equity you have in the property.
- Long contract terms. Aspire HEI offers contract terms of up to 15 years, which provides homeowners with plenty of flexibility.
- Home improvement credit. Redwood Trust recognizes money you invest in eligible home improvements and adjusts the ending value so it doesn’t take a share of the value you added.
- Cash-out only. Existing homeowners can access up to 15% of their property's value.
- Only available in select states. Aspire HEI is currently available in a limited number of states.
Aspire HEI Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Aspire HEI FAQ
How does the Aspire HEI product work?
A home equity agreement, also known as a home equity investment or HEI, is essentially a way to sell a portion of the equity in your home to an investment company.The Aspire HEI allows you to tap into the equity in your home without the monthly payments that come from a traditional home equity loan or line of credit. This product is designed for homeowners who need cash for reasons such as home improvement project or to eliminate debt, but don’t want the associated monthly payment which comes along with it.
Aspire HEI will have a lien on the property (just like a mortgage does), but since it's not a loan you won't be paying Aspire HEI a monthly payment. Instead Aspire HEI gets paid a share of your home's change in value when the contract ends, which typically occurs when you decide to sell your home or buy Aspire HEI out through a refinance or another source of fund. For example, Aspire HEI might provide you with a cash investment today equal to 10% of your home's current value in exchange for 30% of your home's change in value (the difference between the value of your home when you signed the agreement and the value of your home when you end the agreement. Actual share amount will depend on the % of your home’s value you receive in funding, when you terminate the agreement.
How much will Redwood Trust invest?
Redwood Trust offers equity investments of up to 15% of a property's value. The maximum investment in a single home is $250,000.
While Aspire HEI is not a traditional loan, the maximum lien-to-value ratio is 75%. This means the total of the investment return plus any existing mortgage balance cannot exceed that percentage of the property’s value.
| Term | Amount |
| Investment Amount | $35,000 – $250,000 |
What are the costs associated with Aspire HEI?
Unlike loans, the cost associated with an Aspire HEI is not based on an interest rate. There are no monthly payments or accrued interest. Instead, Aspire shares in the change in value of your property. Unlike lenders, who typically receive monthly principal and interest payments in return for the money they provide up front in order to make a return on the money they gave the homeowner, Aspire receives a share of the change in value of your property at the end of the agreement. It’s this share of the change in value at the end of the agreement which allows them to make a return on their funding provided to the homeowner.
The percentage of your home’s value that Redwood Trust shares when the contract ends is larger than the percentage of Redwood Trust 's investment in your home. Therefore, Redwood Trust will make a profit if your home’s value does not change. If your home’s value increases, Redwood Trust will make a larger profit. If the value drops, Redwood Trust will make a smaller profit, or might incur a loss.
The Aspire program includes a closing fee equal to 3% of their investment, and is taken out of the funding amount at closing.
| Description | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closing Costs (%) | 3.25% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share of Home Appreciation | Up to 48.75% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
What are the terms for a shared equity agreement?
You can use the funds for up to 15 years.
When the term ends, you must settle the agreement by returning the investment, selling the home, refinancing, or partnering with the investor for another term.
Settlement is based on the original investment plus or minus the investor’s share of the home’s change in value.
How long does it take to close?
Funding typically occurs within 14 days.
What types of property are eligible?
Intended Use- Primary home
- Secondary home
Is Redwood Trust a legit company?
Redwood Trust was founded in 1994, it is a well-established company that has been in business for 32 years. Based on their "strongly recommended" SuperMoney community rating, they appear to be a very reputable company.
SuperMoney Disclosure: SuperMoney.com is an independent, advertising-supported service. The owner of this website may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. Read more...
Editorial Disclaimer: Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not provided or commissioned by the issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone and have not been approved or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution, including those that are advertising partners.
Contact
Headquarters
Hours of Operation
Sunday
Closed
Monday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Tuesday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Wednesday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Thursday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Friday
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Saturday
Closed
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Learn MoreSuperMoney Net Recommendation Score
SuperMoney users strongly recommend this product, giving it a user recommendation score of +100, or 5 on a 5-point rating scale.
+100
-1000+100
No one recommends
Everyone recommends
Aspire HEI Community Reviews
Would you recommend Aspire HEI to your friends?
U
Anonymous
Jan 24, 2026
May or may not recommend
It was a great success for me to learn about ASPIRE HEI and get in touch with one of its representatives, Veronica Gonzalez, a very professional, responsible and deeply decent person!
From the very first days, a reliable and fast contact with Veronica was established. My every request to contact me was always answered on the same day, usually within 15-20 minutes. During the consultation, I could ask Veronica ...Show More
KM
Kimberley M.
Dec 27, 2025
May or may not recommend
I had a really positive experience with Aspire HEI. Their team was clear, professional, and never pushy, which made the whole process feel comfortable. Being able to access my home equity without monthly payments was a huge weight off my shoulders.
LK
Les K.
Dec 22, 2025
May or may not recommend
Outstanding service start to finish. Highest quality customer care and personal communication. Easy and expeditious processing time. Couldn't recommend Veronica and her team more highly. Entire experience above reproach.
U
Anonymous
Oct 27, 2025
May or may not recommend
It was a pleasure working with their team. The fees are not cheap but it's a great way to access your equity without having to make monthly payments or sell.
U
Anonymous
Oct 24, 2025
May or may not recommend
With a professional and knowledgeable staff, I was impressed and appreciated for the process of this matter. Especially to Veronica. 👍
DG
David G.
Apr 11, 2025
May or may not recommend
Veronica was top of the line from start to finish.
It only took two weeks from start to finish.
I would recommend Aspire to all.
MM
Michael M.
Apr 7, 2025
May or may not recommend
When I was searching for options of Companies who offer Home Equity Investments, I was comparing 4-5 other choices that some offer even a bigger percentage of the market value to up to 25% and smaller fees to close. But what eventually really made me decide to focus on and submit an application to Aspire is when I read the great reviews of previous clients and the fact that it ...Show More
BG
Bob G.
Apr 1, 2025
May or may not recommend
A HEI was completely new to me as I began to research alternatives to HELOC's. My goal was to eliminate credit card debt and update my home. I did a fair amount of research and read the reviews. Being new to what a HEI was I took the plunge and called Aspire. Veronica Gonzalez was my initial point of contact and summarized the uniqueness of an HEI. I was ...Show More
BG
Bob G.
Apr 1, 2025
May or may not recommend
A HEI was completely new to me as I began to research alternatives to HELOC's. My goal was to eliminate credit card debt and update my home. I did a fair amount of research and read the reviews. Being new to what a HEI was I took the plunge and called Aspire. Veronica Gonzalez was my initial point of contact and summarized the uniqueness of an HEI. I was ...Show More
ZV
Zaida V.
Jan 27, 2025
May or may not recommend
I was very impressed with the level of customer service by my representative, Veronica Gonzalez. She explained all the details clearly and completely. She made it easy to understand a process that was new to me. I was skeptical and had many questions. She allowed me to take my time. She was always patient and understanding, never condescending, nor pushy.
Aspire was the first company I tried. I ...Show More
DA
Doug A.
Nov 23, 2024
May or may not recommend
The process was professional and smooth all they way through. A big thanks to Veronica and Julieta for working with us from the beginning to the end. The product is a unique offering that met the financial needs were looking for. I did quite a bit of research before reaching out and I am glad I chose Aspire to take care of us.
DD
Damon D.
Oct 28, 2024
May or may not recommend
Excellent. Veronica was very helpful in explaining the program along with pros and cons. Very delightful experience.
DD
Damon D.
Oct 28, 2024
May or may not recommend
Excellent. Veronica was very helpful in explaining the program along with pros and cons. Very delightful experience.
U
Anonymous
Oct 11, 2024
May or may not recommend
Veronica was very articulate which I appreciated. She answered all my questions so far. I'm pleased, and hope that her company has a solution for me.
U
Anonymous
Oct 4, 2024
May or may not recommend
Aspire is an amazing company ,With an awesome opportunity to change your life.
Aspire staff was so wonderful to work with ,They made everything so easy ,And were so professional in every way possible. With no hesitation I definitely Recommend Aspire,And have already.
Thank you so much Aspire.
U
Anonymous
Oct 2, 2024
May or may not recommend
Aspire HEI was an exceptional way for me to consolidate some significant debt.
Veronica Gonzalez was extremely helpful with every step of the process. She explained everything in terms that were understandable and always answered any questions that I may have had. She was professional, considerate, and always available. My emails were answered in a timely manner.
I feel as if a burden has been lifted off my shoulders and can breathe ...Show More
Showing 16 of 16 reviews
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