Access up to $500K of your home equity. No monthly payments. No interest. Free to check.
If your mortgage is locked in at a great rate and you need cash, the last thing you want to do is refinance and lose it. Unison solves exactly that. You get a lump sum today, keep your existing mortgage untouched, and pay nothing monthly. The tradeoff is simple: when your home eventually sells, Unison takes a share of the appreciation. If you plan to stay in your home and want cash without new debt, this is one of the smartest options available right now.
Pros
- No monthly payments or interest
- No credit report impact, no DTI effect
- Up to $500K available
- 30-year term, longest in the category
- Unison shares losses with you after year 3
- No early payoff penalty
Cons
- Fast-appreciating markets can cost more than a HELOC
- Lien placed on your home
- Their lien makes refinancing harder — do it before signing if that is on your radar
- No loss sharing if you sell within 3 years
- 3.9% transaction fee plus appraisal and closing costs
- Only available in about 25 states
I have reviewed a lot of financial products. The Unison rep I spoke with was one of the more knowledgeable people I have talked to in this space. No pressure, no pitch, just someone who actually understood the product and took the time to walk me through the numbers. The online portal worked well, the process moved fast, and I always knew where things stood. My only knock is that they are not available in every state yet, which limits who can actually use it.
Curious what you qualify for? The estimate is free and takes under 5 minutes.
See My Free Estimate →What Is Unison?
Unison (founded 2004, headquartered in San Francisco) is one of the oldest home equity sharing companies in the US. Instead of lending you money at interest, they invest in your home alongside you, giving you cash now in exchange for a share of your home's future change in value when you eventually sell.
Think of it like selling a small stake in your home's future appreciation without giving up any control today. You make no payments to Unison. You own the home. You decide when to sell. They just wait for their share at the end.
Unison's two products
Home Equity Sharing Agreement (HESA): The classic product. Zero monthly payments for up to 30 years. Unison gets paid purely from your home's future change in value at settlement.
Equity Sharing Home Loan: A newer hybrid. You get a lump sum but make low, interest-only monthly payments. The loan term is 10 years, and Unison also takes a share of appreciation at the end. Loan amounts run from $30,000 to $400,000 with a 3% origination fee.
How the Home Equity Sharing Agreement works
The math is straightforward once you understand the 4x rule: Unison invests a percentage of your home's value in cash upfront. In exchange, they receive approximately 4x that percentage of your home's future change in value. The max they invest is 15% of your home's value, meaning the most they could ever take is 60% of appreciation.
A HELOC at 8% on that same $40,000 over 10 years would cost roughly $21,800 in interest regardless of what your home does. With Unison, your cost is tied to how much your home actually grows. Slow appreciation? Unison wins for you. Hot market? The HELOC would have been cheaper. Know your market before you decide.
Run the real numbers on your home. No credit pull required.
Get My Estimate →The 5% risk adjustment
Unison trims your appraised value by 5% to establish what they call the Original Agreed Value. That is the starting line for measuring appreciation. It means your home needs to grow at least 5% before Unison sees any gain on their side. Below that threshold, the growth stays with you.
Fees and costs
| Transaction Fee | 3.9% |
| Appraisal Fee | $650 to $1,050 |
| Settlement Costs | $700 to $1,750 |
| Monthly Payments | $0 |
| Prepayment Penalty | None |
| Application Fee | None |
If you do not end up using Unison, you pay nothing. Fees are deducted from your proceeds at closing, not paid out of pocket.
Eligibility requirements
| Minimum Credit Score | 620 FICO (680+ preferred) |
| Max LTV (excellent credit) | 70 to 75% |
| Investment Range | $30,000 to $500,000 (up to 15% of home value) |
| Term Length | Up to 30 years |
| Occupancy | Owner-occupied (180+ days/year) |
| Minimum Stay | At least 5 years recommended |
| Property Types | Single-family, multi-family (up to 4 units), condos |
State availability
Unison is currently available in 25 states: AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, and WI. Not yet available in TX, GA, CT, MD, and several other states.
See how much equity you can unlock
Most homeowners qualify for more than they expect. Enter your address and get a real number in minutes.
Check My Free Estimate →My personal experience going through Unison
I went through the Unison process myself, though I did not end up closing on the agreement, so I can walk you through exactly what the experience looks like from start to finish.
I checked my eligibility online (took about 3 minutes)
I went to Unison's website and entered my address. No account needed, no credit pull. They just asked for basic info about my home and my rough credit score range. Within a couple minutes I had a pre-qualified estimate showing how much equity I could potentially unlock. Honestly I was surprised how fast it was.
They called me
This is the part I did not expect. Within a day of submitting my info, a Unison rep called me directly. Not a robocall, an actual person. They walked me through the whole agreement in plain English, answered every question I had, and made sure I actually understood what I was agreeing to before moving forward. That call made a big difference because the product is not a standard loan and it helps to have someone explain the numbers.
I submitted my application through their portal
Once I decided to move forward, they sent me a link to their online portal where I completed the full application. It was straightforward, similar to applying for a mortgage but lighter. They gave me a specific checklist of documents based on my situation. I uploaded everything right in the portal at my own pace.
The appraisal
A third-party appraiser came out to assess the property. Unison uses the appraisal to set your home's official value for the agreement. They then apply a 5% Risk Adjustment to arrive at the “Original Agreed Value.” This is the baseline they use to measure appreciation later. The Risk Adjustment accounts for the immediate costs of selling, like agent commissions and closing costs. Worth knowing upfront so it does not catch you off guard.
Offer letter and closing
After the appraisal came back, I got my final offer letter. I reviewed it, but did not move forward with closing. The whole process from the day I applied to receiving my final offer took about 30 days. Not instant, but not slow either for a product of this size.
Takes 3 minutes. No account needed, no credit pull. Just enter your address and see a real number.
Check My Estimate →Pros and cons: the full picture
Why Unison works
No monthly payments, period. Your existing mortgage payment stays the same. Unison adds nothing to it. Use the cash for renovations, debt payoff, or whatever else you need without touching your monthly cash flow.
Invisible to lenders. Because it is not classified as debt, it does not show up on your credit report and does not move your debt-to-income ratio. Your financial profile stays clean.
30 years to settle. Most equity sharing companies give you 10 years before you have to pay them back. Unison gives you 30. That is a major difference if you are not planning to sell anytime soon.
They share your losses. After three years, if your home loses value, Unison absorbs their percentage of that drop alongside you. No other monthly-payment lender does that.
Buy them out whenever you want. Changed your mind or came into money? You can settle the agreement at any point with no penalty. An appraisal sets the price and you are done.
Up to $500,000. For homeowners in high-value markets like DC, California, or New York, this is a number that actually moves the needle. Most HELOCs cap out well below this.
The honest tradeoffs
Appreciation cost can get expensive. If your home takes off in value, Unison's share of that growth can end up costing you more than a traditional HELOC would have. Run the numbers at a few different appreciation rates before you commit.
Lien on your home. Unison files a lien. You cannot sell or transfer the property without settling the agreement first. You also generally cannot turn it into a rental while the lien is active.
Refinancing gets harder. Unison sits as subordinate financing, which makes many conventional lenders uncomfortable. If you are thinking about refinancing at any point, do it before you sign with Unison.
The first 3 years, losses are yours alone. Unison only shares in depreciation after year three. Sell before that and any drop in value comes entirely out of your pocket, not theirs.
The 30-year clock. At some point you will need to settle. If you are older, plan ahead. If your financial situation changes and you cannot refinance or sell, the timeline can create real pressure.
Upfront fees are real. The 3.9% transaction fee plus appraisal and settlement costs can run $2,000 to $4,800 before you see a dollar. Factor that into your break-even math.
What real customers say
Trustpilot: Generally rated “Great,” with many customers praising the straightforward application process, responsive agents, and speed of funding.
BBB: A+ rated, but common complaints include appraisal disagreements, slow communication, and challenges during the payoff and exit process.
Consumer Affairs and TrustGuide: More critical reviews surface here, particularly around the exit process, remodeling value credit disputes, and complexity of contract terms.
Most homeowners are surprised by how much they qualify for. It is free to find out.
See My Number →Unison vs. competitors
I compared all three before going with Unison. Here is what the numbers actually look like side by side.
For homeowners with solid credit who want maximum time to settle and some protection if the market turns, Unison is the strongest option here. If your credit score is below 620, Hometap or Point may be worth a look instead.
Unison wins on term length and downside protection. See exactly how much you qualify for, free.
Check My Estimate →Is Unison right for you?
This works well if you…
- Plan to stay in your home 5+ years
- Have a 620+ credit score
- Need a large lump sum ($50K+)
- Want zero new monthly payments
- Own in a high-value market (DC, California, New York)
- Do not plan to refinance soon
Skip it if you…
- May sell or move in under 5 years
- Plan to refinance your mortgage
- Need a rental income option
- Have a credit score below 620
- Live in an unavailable state (TX, GA, etc.)
- Expect very high home appreciation
If you checked any box on the left, it is worth 5 minutes to see your number.
Check My Estimate →Frequently asked questions
No. You own the home completely. Unison secures their position with a lien, similar to how a HELOC lender would, but they have no say over how you use the property and no right to occupy it.
After 30 years, you settle the agreement. Either sell the home or have it appraised and buy Unison out at the current market value. If you are a younger homeowner this is a distant concern, but if you are in your 50s or 60s it is worth building into your plan.
Yes. You can sell your home or buy Unison out anytime with no penalty. Unison orders an appraisal, you pay them their share of the current value, and the lien is released. Worth knowing: if you end the agreement within the first three years, or if you buy Unison out at any time, they do not share in any losses. Loss sharing only applies if you sell after at least 3 years or reach the end of the 30-year term.
Yes, it can. Unison sits as a second lien, and a lot of conventional lenders, especially conforming loan lenders, will not refinance over it. If there is any chance you will want to refi in the next few years, do it first.
It depends on when and how the agreement ends. After three years, if you sell your home or wait until the 30-year term is up, Unison takes their proportional share of any decrease right alongside you. Before three years, they keep their principal regardless of what the market does. Also worth noting: if you buy Unison out early at any point, they do not share in any losses.
Plan for about 30 days from start to funded. Pre-approval is almost instant; the appraisal is what takes time. Once you sign the offer letter, funds typically hit within 3 business days.
Pre-approval takes minutes. See your estimate for free before you commit to anything.
Get Pre-Approved Free →
Unison Home Equity Sharing
Unlock up to $500,000 from your home equity with zero monthly payments and no interest charges. You share a portion of future appreciation instead. One of the most flexible equity-sharing products available in 2026.
My final take
I went into this skeptical. Giving up a share of your home's future change in value is a real cost and I wanted to make sure it actually made sense before recommending it. After going through the process myself, I think Unison is a legitimately good option for the right homeowner. The 30-year term, the zero monthly payment structure, and the downside sharing are things no HELOC or home equity loan gives you.
The honest tradeoff is this: if your home grows a lot in value, Unison profits handsomely. You are essentially giving them a share of your home's upside in exchange for cash today with no monthly obligation. Whether that is a good deal depends entirely on your market, your timeline, and how much you value keeping your monthly cash flow free.
If you are in a stable home, want cash without new debt, and plan to stay put for at least 5 years, I think it is worth getting the estimate. It is free, takes 5 minutes, and gives you an actual number to compare against your other options. That is the only way to know if it makes sense for your situation.
Advertiser Disclosure: My Millennial Guide may receive compensation when you click links to partner offers on this page. This does not influence our editorial content or ratings. All opinions are our own. Home equity sharing agreements involve significant financial decisions. Please consult a financial advisor before entering any agreement. Unison's terms, rates, and availability are subject to change.
The Unison Equity Sharing Agreement is offered by Unison Agreement Corp. and is not a loan. Available in select states only (see unison.com for current details and eligibility). No monthly payments or interest charges, but origination fees and standard third-party closing costs apply (title, escrow, appraisal fees vary by state). Initial estimate involves a soft credit check (no impact to your credit score). Full approval requires income verification, credit review (620+ mid-FICO welcome), property evaluation, and underwriting to ensure you can continue owning your home comfortably. Unison shares in your home's future change in value (appreciation or depreciation), not your existing equity, and both parties benefit if the home value rises or share in losses if it declines. Repayment occurs upon sale, buyout, refinance, or end of term. You can end the agreement anytime without penalty. Home values can fluctuate; consult a financial advisor. Terms subject to change.
