Haus Review

Haus is offered by Haus Services Inc., a financial services company founded in 2015 and based in San Francisco, CA. Haus is available in 3 states across the USA.

• Discounted monthly payments. Instead of mortgage payments, you make a discounted monthly payment to Haus.
• 10-year term. The investment has a contract term of 10 years, at which time you'll need to settle up with Haus Services Inc.. You can do so by paying them in cash, getting cash-out refinancing, selling your home, or partnering with Haus Services Inc. for another term.
• Cash-out only. Existing homeowners can access up to 80% of their property's value without taking on debt. Funds can be used for anything, from paying off debt, renovating or retirement.
• Only available in select states. Haus is currently available in 3 states.
• Fair credit accepted. If you have a credit score of 650 or higher, you may qualify for a shared equity agreement with Haus.

How does the Haus product work?

A shared equity agreement (also called a shared appreciation agreement or shared equity contract) is essentially a way to sell a small fraction of the equity in your home to an investment company.

As a home equity loan alternative, the Haus product 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 especially useful for those that have significant home equity available and are looking for a flexible way to access cash for uses such as a home improvement project or to eliminate debt.

The transaction is secured like a loan but you won't be paying Haus Services Inc. a monthly loan payment with interest. Instead, if your home goes up in value, Haus Services Inc. will share in the gain; if it goes down, they share in the loss.

How much will Haus Services Inc. invest into a shared equity agreement?

The Haus program offers equity investments that range from 0% up to 80% of a property's market value. As you might expect, Haus Services Inc. has a cap on the amount of funding they will invest in a single home.

What are the costs associated with Haus?

Unlike loans, the costs associated with shared equity investments are not based on an interest rate. There are no monthly payments or accrued interest. Instead, Haus Services Inc. shares in the change in value of your property. If your property value goes up, Haus Services Inc. gets a share. If the value drops, Haus Services Inc. shares in the losses. They get their money back when you sell your home or the contract term ends – and they typically only make a profit if you also make a profit.

What are the terms for a shared equity investment via Haus Services Inc.?

You can use the funds provided by Haus for up to 10 years. After 10 years, you will need to either return the investment, sell, refinance, or try to partner with Haus Services Inc. for another term. Once the contract term ends you can return the remaining investment, sell, refinance, or partner with Haus Services Inc. for another term.

To buy Haus Services Inc. out, you would need to pay back their original investment plus or minus their share of your home’s change in value.

How long does it take to close a deal with Haus Services Inc.?

Haus does not disclose how long it typically takes to approve and fund a shared equity agreement.

What types of property does Haus Services Inc. consider?

Shared equity investors often have restrictions on the type of properties they will invest in. Haus will consider shared equity agreements secured by the following property types:

• Primary home