How does Unison HomeBuyer work?
The Unison HomeBuyer program is a true partnership. They contribute up to 15% of the down payment by making a homeownership investment in your home. In return, they receive a share of any appreciation or depreciation in your home's price at the time it is sold. This is not a loan, so they do not charge interest, nor do they collect monthly payments. Instead, they hope to earn a profit when you sell your home, up to 30 years later. You can also elect to buy them out at any time after 3 years.
To learn more about our agreement, click here.
What is Unison’s business model?
Unison is a San Francisco-based company that is pioneering a smarter, better way to buy and own homes. They are a team committed to helping homebuyers get the home they want, and existing homeowners to finance their life needs without adding debt. When they can align the interests of homeowners with the source of their capital, they and their clients can all win together.
How is Unison's profit or loss calculated upon sale?
When you sell your home, you'll need to pay Unison back an amount equivalent to their original investment, plus or minus their share of your home's change in value.
If you choose to buy Unison out instead, they'll use an independent third-party appraisal to determine the fair market value of your property at the time. Unison's share depends on how much they invested in your home to begin with. If you buy them out, Unison does not share in any decrease in your home's value.
To learn more about their agreement, click here.
How is Unison HomeBuyer better than an alternative?
Here is how Unison HomeBuyer stacks up against a few alternatives:
- Unison vs. 90% mortgage with PMI: When you finance 90% of the value of the home, you will usually need to pay PMI and will have a higher monthly payment. If you choose Unison HomeBuyer, you could save up to several hundred dollars per month, which works out to about 15-20% off your monthly payment.
- Unison vs. 2nd mortgage: When you finance a traditional mortgage and a second mortgage, your monthly payments will usually be about 10% higher than if you chose Unison HomeBuyer. That could equal hundreds of dollars per month.
- Unison vs. FHA loan: The FHA loan usually comes with a smaller down payment and therefore you will have higher monthly payments than if you chose Unison HomeBuyer.
- Unison vs. Gift funds: While getting money from family or friends to pay for a home purchase can be a wonderful thing, it can also complicate your relationship with them. With Unison HomeBuyer, you partner with us to get the funds you need and you share a specific portion of any future change in the home's value with Unison.
- Unison vs. Retirement funds: Unison is not a financial advisor and does not provide financial advice. They recommend you consult with your financial advisor directly. Usually, liquidating or borrowing money from a retirement account is quite costly. Many people have found Unison HomeBuyer to be an attractive alternative.
What if I sell my home?
You are free to sell your home at any time. Whenever you choose to sell, you’ll need to notify Unison and send them copies of certain documents related to the sale, such as appraisals, inspections, title reports, etc. When the sale of your home closes, Unison gets paid from escrow. Remember, you don’t pay them, the house does.
Since Unison’s funding is not intended to be short-term financing, they do not share any loss in the value of the home if you sell it within the first three years.
What happens at the end of the agreement?
You can use the funds provided by Unison for up to 30 years. After 30 years, you will need to either sell your home or buy them out.
To buy them out, you would need to pay back their original investment plus or minus their share of your home's change in value. They use an independent third-party appraisal to determine the fair market value of your property at the time.
In some cases, after time has passed and your home has appreciated in value it might be possible to refinance your home and use the proceeds to buy out Unison's investment.
To learn more about our agreement, click here.
If I partner with Unison, who owns the home?
You own the home! You control the property and receive the benefits of home ownership, such as occupancy rights and income tax deductions.
Unison is not an owner and has no rights of occupancy. They only share a portion of the future change in value of the home, as an investor.
To learn more about our agreement, click here.
What if I make home improvements?
Unison believes that if you make improvements to your home which improve its value, you should get all the benefits. That’s why they use a tool called a Remodeling Adjustment
To use the Remodeling Adjustment, you need to work with licensed contractors and fully document the project. Unison will then use an independent appraiser to determine how the work changed the value of your home, making sure you receive full benefits. It's always a good first step to reach out to their team when you're thinking about a project, as not all improvements add value. It’s also important to note that the Remodeling Adjustment doesn’t apply to work done in the first five years of the agreement.
What’s the catch?
The short answer is that there is no catch:
With the Unison HomeBuyer program, they contribute part of the down payment for your new home.
They work with institutional investors like pension funds and endowments who want to make long-term investments in homes across the U.S. Both you and Unison benefit if the home increases in value, and they both lose if the home decreases in value. We see this as a win-win situation for both you and Unison.
How do I know if I can trust Unison?
Founded in 2004, Unison is A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau, they been featured in USA Today, Forbes, and other publications. And they have now helped people from California to Massachusetts as they are rapidly changing the way their clients finance their homes.
They are proud to work with numerous lenders across the United States and pride themselves on their education process which ensures that all their clients understand how a Unison home ownership investment works.
Information about Unison
Unison is a San Francisco-based company. They were founded in 2004 and since then they’ve been pioneering a new way to fund home purchases. For the first time, homeowners have access to funding that is not tied to monthly payments or interest charges.
They are a team of financial and real estate professionals who are committed to re-inventing homeownership to give Americans more opportunity and flexibility when it comes to buying and owning a home.
Their programs are based on partnership with you:
- Unison HomeBuyer
They provide up to 15% of your down payment, giving you more purchasing power and allowing you to reduce your monthly mortgage payment. - Unison HomeOwner
They unlock the equity in your home, allowing you to use the money for other expenses, with no payments to us for up to 30 years.
How much funding is available with Unison?
The most Unison can invest in a single home is $500,000, but most of their investments are less than that.
With the HomeBuyer program, they can provide up to 15% of the value of your home by matching your own down payment money.
Of course, the amount they can invest depends on your unique situation. Please contact us to find out exactly how much Unison can provide you.
Where does Unison’s funding come from? Who are your investors?
Their funding comes from institutional investors, including pension funds and university endowments.
