Unison HomeOwner Review

Unison HomeOwner is offered by Unison, a financial services company founded in 2006 and based in San Francisco, CA. Unison HomeOwner is available in 30 states (and Washington, DC).

• Large investments available. Unison HomeOwner will invest up to $500,000 in a home, which is more than what most shared equity companies offer.
• Long contract terms. Unison HomeOwner offers a contract term of 30 years, which provides homeowners with plenty of flexibility. Most home equity investors have a maximum term of 10 years.
• Share of home appreciation. Unlike most shared equity investors, Unison HomeOwner's return depends on your home's appreciation rather than the home's entire value. When the contract ends, the buyback cost will be the original investment plus 20% to 70% of the home's increase in value. If your home has lost value, Unison HomeOwner will also share in the loss.
• Cash-out only. Existing homeowners can access up to 17.5% of their property's value without taking on debt. Funds can be used for anything, from paying off debt, renovating or retirement.
• Available in most states. Unison HomeOwner is available in 30 states.
• Good credit required. You will need a credit score of at least 680 to qualify for Unison HomeOwner.

How does the Unison HomeOwner 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 Unison HomeOwner 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 Unison a monthly loan payment with interest. Instead, if your home goes up in value, Unison will share in the gain; if it goes down, they share in the loss.

How much will Unison invest into a shared equity agreement?

The Unison HomeOwner program offers equity investments that range from 5% up to 17.5% of a property's market value. As you might expect, Unison has a cap on the amount of funding they will invest in a single home. For the Unison HomeOwner program, the most Unison can invest in a single home is $500,000.

What are the costs associated with Unison HomeOwner?

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, Unison shares in the change in value of your property. If your property value goes up, Unison gets a share. If the value drops, Unison 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.

At the time your home is sold -- or when the term of the investment is up -- Unison will receive an amount that ranges from 20% up to 70% of any appreciation or depreciation in the home’s price.

The Unison HomeOwner program includes a transaction fee equal to 3% of their investment. The homeowner is also responsible for third-party costs such as appraisal and settlement costs.

What are the terms for a shared equity investment via Unison?

You can use the funds provided by Unison HomeOwner for up to 30 years. After 30 years, the agreement ends by either selling your home or buying Unison out. If you sell your home, you’ll need to pay back the amount of the original co-investment, plus or minus Unison’s share of the home’s change in value. To buy them out, you would need to pay the amount of the original co-investment plus their share of your home’s change in value, which is calculated by an independent third- party appraisal to determine the fair market value of your property at the time. Unison will not share in a loss if you choose to buy them out.

How long does it take to close a deal with Unison?

Homeowners can receive funding from Unison in as little as 21 days -- depending on their pace and responsiveness during the investment due diligence process.

What types of property does Unison consider?

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

• Primary home
• Secondary homes and vacation properties.