- $30,000 to $500,000, up to 15% of your home's current value
- No monthly payments for up to 30 years
- Unison shares in the change in your home's value, up or down
- Applicants generally need a mid-FICO score of at least 620
- 3.9% transaction fee, deducted at closing
- Available in 22 states and Washington, D.C.
| Settlement | The amount you received, plus or minus Unison's share of the change in your home's value |
|---|---|
| Funding amount | $30,000 to $500,000, up to 15% of your home's current value |
| Unison's share | Typically four times the percentage it invests. Receive 10% of your home's value and Unison shares in 40% of the change. |
| Starting value | Your appraised value minus a 5% Risk Adjustment |
| Term | Up to 30 years, with no monthly payments |
| Credit | Applicants generally need a mid-FICO score of at least 620 |
| Occupancy | Typically a home you live in as your primary residence |
| Unison's fee | 3.9% transaction fee, deducted at closing, plus appraisal, inspection and settlement costs |
| State availability | Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. |
| Estimate | Get a cash estimate from Unison. Unison says a quote takes 2 minutes and has zero impact on your credit score. |
Our take: Unison prices its agreement differently from most companies in this market. It shares in how much your home's value changes, not in the whole value, so a home that gains little costs you little and a home that gains a lot costs you a lot. It suits an owner with good credit who lives in the home, plans to stay at least five years and wants up to 30 years with no payments. It is the wrong fit for scores under 620, rentals and anyone likely to move soon.
What is Unison?
Unison is a home equity company that says it was founded in 2006 and is based in San Francisco and Omaha. Its product is the Unison Equity Sharing Agreement. Unison gives you a lump sum of cash today, and in exchange it shares in the future change in your home's value. There are no monthly payments for up to 30 years, and Unison says it charges no interest. You settle once, when you sell the home, buy Unison out or reach the end of the term.
The company behind the name is Real Estate Equity Exchange, Inc., doing business as Unison. Its site lists Unison Agreement Corporation and Unison Investment Management, LLC as separate operating subsidiaries, and says more than 17,000 people have used the product. Unison says its funding comes mainly from institutional investors such as pension funds and university endowments. It records a lien on your property to secure the agreement, in second position if you have a mortgage.
You will also see this kind of product called a home equity agreement or a home equity investment. Our home equity hub covers the other ways to use the equity in your home.
Where is Unison available?
Unison lists 22 states and Washington, D.C. on its site today:
- Arizona
- California
- Delaware
- Florida
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Washington, D.C.
Homes in the other 28 states are not eligible today. Seven states have no home equity agreement company at all among the six we compare (Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota and West Virginia), and in Texas only Nada lists the state. A HELOC or home equity loan is usually the practical route in all eight.
How does Unison work?
At a glance: Unison invests up to 15% of your home's current value, from $30,000 to $500,000. When the agreement ends you return that amount, plus or minus Unison's share of how much the home's value has changed. The term is up to 30 years and there are no monthly payments.
You start with an estimate, which Unison says is free, takes minutes and does not affect your credit. If you go ahead, you apply online or with one of its home equity specialists, and Unison arranges an independent appraisal through an appraisal management company. It uses a soft credit pull to review your credit report.
The appraisal sets the starting point. Unison reduces the appraised value by a 5% Risk Adjustment to get what it calls the Original Agreed Value. On a home appraised at $500,000, that is $475,000. Every later gain or loss is measured from that lower number.
During the term you keep living in the home and stay responsible for your mortgage, taxes, insurance and upkeep. Unison sets a Maximum Authorized Debt Limit, which caps the total debt secured by the home, and it warns that refinancing could be harder because some lenders will not lend behind an agreement that shares in appreciation. If you expect to refinance soon, Unison suggests doing it first.
Get a cash estimate from Unison to see how much you could receive and the percentage Unison would share in.
Eligibility requirements
Unison evaluates your credit, your income and your property. These are its published starting points, and meeting them does not mean you will be approved.
| Detail | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Location | A home in one of the 22 states Unison lists, or Washington, D.C. |
| Credit score | Generally a mid-FICO score of at least 620 |
| Loan-to-value | Applicants with excellent credit could have a maximum loan-to-value of 70%. Unison says the allowable loan-to-value and debt-to-income go down as the credit score goes down. |
| Occupancy | Typically your owner-occupied primary residence. You must live there at least 180 days of every 365 and never be away for 60 days in a row. |
| Property type | Single-family homes, townhouses and condominiums. Unison says it invests in second homes or rentals only in some cases. |
| Investment amount | $30,000 to $500,000, and no more than 15% of the home's current value |
| Title and other financing | Typically homes held by individuals or joint tenants. Homes in certain trusts and LLCs may not be eligible. Not compatible with reverse mortgages, interest-only loans or shared appreciation loans. |
More: Home equity options by credit score
Unison pricing and fees
Unison charges one fee of its own and passes through third-party costs. Its site says you owe nothing if you decide not to go ahead, and that Unison pays for the credit report.
| Fee | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 3.9% | Unison's own fee, deducted from your payment at closing |
| Appraisal | $450 to $1,250 | A third-party valuation of your home |
| Home inspection | $650 to $1,050 | A third-party inspection. Unison says it will consider a recent one you already have. |
| Settlement costs | $700 to $1,750 | Title, state taxes and recording fees, depending on your area |
Ranges are the ones Unison publishes. It says your exact costs are provided before closing.
Example: on a $50,000 payment, the 3.9% transaction fee is $1,950. Add third-party costs at the low and high ends of Unison's ranges ($1,800 to $4,050) and the total is roughly $3,750 to $6,000.
How settlement works
When the agreement ends, Unison sets an Ending Agreed Value, which is typically the sale price. You return the Initial Payment, plus or minus Unison's Investor Percentage of the difference between the Original Agreed Value and the Ending Agreed Value. Unison says its percentage is typically four times the percentage it invested. If it invests 10% of your home's current value, it shares in 40% of the change.
Illustration: a $50,000 payment on a $500,000 home
Unison's site gives the formula but no full worked example, so this one is ours. It applies Unison's published terms to round numbers and is not a quote. The assumptions: a $500,000 appraisal, an Original Agreed Value of $475,000 after the 5% Risk Adjustment, a $50,000 payment equal to 10% of the appraised value, an Investor Percentage of exactly 40%, a sale after the first five years, and no remodeling or maintenance adjustments.
| Sale price | Change from $475,000 | Unison's 40% share | What you pay Unison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sale at $425,000 | Down $50,000 | Minus $20,000 | $30,000 |
| Sale at $500,000 | Up $25,000 | $10,000 | $60,000 |
| Sale at $600,000 | Up $125,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Sale at $700,000 | Up $225,000 | $90,000 | $140,000 |
Illustration only. What you pay is the $50,000 you received plus or minus the 40% share. Your own percentage, values and adjustments are set in your agreement.
Two things stand out. If the home sells for exactly what it appraised for, you still owe $10,000 more than you received, because the change is measured from the risk-adjusted $475,000. And the cost climbs quickly with appreciation: if the home sells for $700,000, you return $140,000, nearly three times the $50,000 you received.
The restriction period
Unison describes its product as long-term funding and says it is not right for you unless you plan to stay at least five years. If you sell during the restriction period, which its FAQ describes as the first five years and elsewhere as typically three to five, Unison does not share in a loss, so you owe at least the amount you received plus its share of the Risk Adjustment. An Equity Appreciation Limit caps Unison's return in that period, but its site does not publish the rate.
Buying Unison out without selling works the same way at any point: an independent appraisal sets the value, and Unison does not share in any decrease. In the illustration above, a buyout would cost at least $60,000 even if the home had lost value.
Remodeling and maintenance adjustments
If you improve the home with licensed contractors and document the work, a Remodeling Adjustment keeps the value you added out of Unison's share. It is not available if you end the agreement in the first three years. The reverse also applies: if the home has lost value because of neglected upkeep, a Deferred Maintenance Adjustment assigns that loss to you.
Get a cash estimate from Unison to see your own payment and percentage before you run the numbers.
Unison pros and cons
Pros
- No monthly payments. Nothing is due to Unison until you sell, buy it out or reach the end of the term.
- A 30-year term. Three times as long as the 10-year terms at several other companies.
- Cost tied to the change in value. If the home gains little, you return little more than you received.
- Shares in a loss. After the restriction period, a sale at a lower value could mean you owe less than you received.
- Credit for improvements. A Remodeling Adjustment keeps documented improvements out of Unison's share after year three.
- A soft credit pull. Unison says applying does not affect your credit score.
Cons
- Strong appreciation is expensive. Unison says its share of the growth could exceed the total interest you might have paid on a loan.
- The 5% Risk Adjustment. A home that sells for its original appraised value still costs you more than you received.
- Limits in the first five years. No loss sharing if you sell in the restriction period, and none on a buyout at any time.
- A higher credit bar. Generally a mid-FICO score of at least 620, and Unison reviews income as well.
- Smaller amounts. No more than 15% of the home's value.
- Refinancing could be harder. Some lenders decline to lend on a home with an agreement that shares in appreciation.
Get a cash estimate from Unison. Unison says a quote takes 2 minutes, and looking does not commit you to anything.
Is Unison legit?
Unison is an established company, not a scam. It says it has operated since 2006, the Better Business Bureau has accredited it since August 2013 and gives it an A+ grade, and its site reports more than 17,000 customers. Legitimate is not the same as right for you, so read the next section before you decide.
We could not find a license list or an NMLS ID on Unison's site today, and we did not verify a license record ourselves.
Unison reviews from customers
| Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4.7 out of 5 | 257 |
| Better Business Bureau customer reviews | 2.86 out of 5 | 21 |
Ratings as shown on each site on October 6, 2026.
The two sources point in different directions, and the Better Business Bureau sample is small. Trustpilot's own summary of recent reviews says customers praise the staff and their responsiveness during the application. The Better Business Bureau lists 11 complaints in the last three years, two of them closed in the last 12 months, and the most recent customer review we read there, from May 2026, was a dispute over a payoff amount. Reviews written at funding say little about what settling is like years later.
Unison vs. other home equity agreement companies
Unison asks for the highest credit score of the six companies we compare and does not generally take rentals. Here is how it lines up against two that publish lower minimums, using the figures each company publishes on its own website.
Unison is the only one of the three with a 30-year term and the only one that shares in the change in value. Hometap and Unlock each earn a share of the home's whole value at settlement and use a 10-year term.
If your score is under 620, those two are the ones to check: Hometap publishes a minimum FICO score of 575 and Unlock a minimum credit score of 500. Unlock also invests in second homes and rental properties. Our Hometap review and Unlock review cover each in full.
More: Best home equity agreement companies
How to apply for a Unison equity sharing agreement
- Get your estimate. Enter your address for a free quote. Unison says it takes minutes and has no impact on your credit.
- Submit your application. Apply online or with one of Unison's home equity specialists.
- Appraise your home. Unison schedules an independent appraisal to set the home's fair market value.
- Receive your cash. You decide how much cash to receive, and Unison deducts its 3.9% fee at closing.
- Settle. When you sell, when you buy Unison out, or at the end of the 30-year term.
What if Unison turns you down?
A decline usually traces back to one of the published requirements: the state, the credit score, how much is already owed on the home, or how the home is used. What to do next depends on which one it was.
If your credit score is the issue, Unlock publishes a minimum credit score of 500 and Hometap a minimum FICO score of 575.
If the home is a rental or a second home, Unlock invests in both. If you owe too much on the home, paying down your mortgage or waiting for the home to appreciate could change the answer, and a home equity calculator shows where you stand today.
If your state is the issue, each company has a different list, and in a state with no agreement company a HELOC or home equity loan is usually the practical route.
More: HEI vs HELOC: costs, requirements and how to choose
Unison review: the bottom line
Unison offers something the 10-year products do not: up to 30 years with no payments, and a cost that follows the change in your home's value. If the home gains little, the agreement is cheap. If it gains a lot, Unison's 40% share of that gain on a 10% payment adds up fast, and the 5% Risk Adjustment means you start slightly behind.
It asks more of you than most companies in this market: a mid-FICO score of at least 620 in general, a home you live in, and a plan to stay five years or longer. Compare at least one other offer before you sign.
Unison could make sense if you have good credit, live in the home, expect to stay at least five years and would rather share a slice of future growth than add a monthly payment.
Unison FAQ
Unison invests $30,000 to $500,000, and no more than 15% of your home's current value. The exact amount depends on your home, your credit and what you already owe. The quickest way to see your own number is a cash estimate from Unison, which the company says takes 2 minutes.
Unison says applicants generally need a mid-FICO score of at least 620. It also looks at loan-to-value and debt-to-income, and says the allowable levels go down as the credit score goes down.
Unison is an established company that says it was founded in 2006, and the Better Business Bureau gives it an A+ grade.
In Unison's own words, if your home gains a lot of value, its share of that growth can exceed the total interest you might have paid on a loan. The starting value is also set 5% below your appraisal, and Unison does not share in a loss if you sell in the restriction period or buy it out.
If you sell after the restriction period, Unison shares in the loss, so you could owe less than you received. If you sell in the first five years or buy Unison out at any time, it does not share in the decrease.
If you still own the home, you need to buy Unison out or sell. Unison says a refinance to fund the buyout might be possible but is not guaranteed.
How we reviewed Unison
This review is the editorial view of Smarts, built from primary sources read on October 6, 2026. We read Unison's home page, its Equity Sharing Agreement page and its FAQ answers on eligibility, costs, settlement, the restriction period and the company. We opened its estimate page and read its profiles on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau. Figures for the two other companies come from their own websites.
We did not give Unison a star score of our own. The stars at the top of this page are its customer rating on Trustpilot. In place of a score, here is what we looked at and what we found.
| What we looked at | What we found |
|---|---|
| Access to cash | $30,000 to $500,000, up to 15% of home value |
| Who could qualify | Generally a mid-FICO score of at least 620, an owner-occupied home, 22 states plus Washington, D.C. |
| Cost to start | A 3.9% transaction fee plus appraisal, inspection and settlement costs |
| Cost to settle | The amount received plus or minus typically four times the invested percentage of the change in value, measured from a starting value 5% below the appraisal |
| Flexibility | Up to 30 years, with limits on loss sharing in the first five years and on buyouts |
| Transparency | The formula and fee ranges are published. A full worked example, the Equity Appreciation Limit rate and a license list are not. |
| Customer feedback | Trustpilot 4.7 (257 reviews). Better Business Bureau A+ grade, customer reviews 2.86 (21), 11 complaints in three years. |
Sources
- Unison: home page, Equity Sharing Agreement page and FAQs (unison.com)
- Trustpilot: Unison reviews
- Better Business Bureau: Unison business profile
- Hometap: FAQs (hometap.com). Unlock: FAQs and What It Costs (unlock.com)
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See what Unison could offer you.
$30,000 to $500,000. No monthly payments for up to 30 years. Applicants generally need a mid-FICO score of at least 620.
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Terms, pricing and availability change. Confirm the current terms on Unison's site before you apply.
