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Unlock Review

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Excellent
Reviews 1,225
Katy Ward
Mar. 05, 2025
2 min read
Katy Ward
Unlock Summary
Unlock is a real estate investor that enables homeowners to access their home equity without taking on a traditional loan. Rather than disbursing funds over time, Unlock provides a lump sum cash payment upfront—up to $500,000—in exchange for a share of the future value of your home.

Pros

  • No interest charges/monthly repayments
  • Independent appraisals
  • No income requirement

Cons

  • Not available in all 50 states
  • Homeowner must have a property valued at $175K or more to qualify

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Overview

Unlock provides customers with a portion of their home’s current value as a lump sum. In exchange, the homeowners can repay the proceeds from the future sale of their property. In a typical transaction, Unlock will provide homeowners with 10% of their property’s current value in exchange for 18% of its future worth, although these figures may vary depending on the terms of your agreement. The agreement is set for a 10-year term, during which homeowners have three options to settle: they can conclude the agreement when they sell the home, pay off the balance in full with available cash at any time, or make partial payments throughout the term.

Suitable For?

As Unlock’s offers aren’t based on income requirements, its services could be particularly suitable for homeowners who aren't high earners. However, you’ll typically need at least 30% equity in your home to qualify, which means Unlock may not be the right choice for those who have recently purchased their property.

Types of Loans/Products

Unlock offers a single service: lump-sum payments in exchange for a stake in a property’s future value. The main service features and requirements include:

  • A minimum FICO credit score of 500
  • No monthly repayments
  • No interest charges
  • 30% equity requirement

The Application Process

In order to qualify for and receive payment from Unlock, customers are required to create an account and enter your property details (amount of mortgage debt, property usage, how the title is held, outstanding liens, etc.). After Unlock reviews the application, it issues the preliminary terms of the deal and schedules a call to confirm the details. Finally, an independent valuation of the property will take place, for you to receive a closing statement containing the final terms.

Creating an account takes around 60 seconds and approximately 30 days to complete the entire process. However, the period will vary depending on the time it takes for your appraisal and inspection to be completed.

During the application process, you’ll normally need to provide:

  • Government-issued identification
  • Homeowners insurance declaration page(s)
  • Mortgage statement(s)/lease agreements
  • Trust documents

Be aware, Unlock currently only operates in the following states:

    Arizona

    California

    Florida

    Kentucky 

    Michigan

    New Jersey

    New Mexico 

    North Carolina

    South Carolina

    Ohio 

    Oregon

    Utah

    Tennessee

    Virginia

    Washington State

Rates and Terms

Unlock stipulates a 10-year term. At the end of this period, you’ll need to settle up with Unlock by selling your home or buying out its share in the property. You can make partial payments if you’d like to buy the company out earlier.

Help & Support

You can contact Unlock via email or phone. 

Call 1-800-560-3450 Monday – Friday: 9 AM to 8 PM E and Saturday: 11 AM to 7 PM ET

Email: hello@unlock.com

Summary

If you’re keen to access the equity in your home without the burden of making monthly repayments, taking out a lump-sum agreement with Unlock could prove an innovative solution. As long as you have a strategy for settling up at the end of your agreement term, the funds you receive—potentially up to $500,000—could help you pay off existing debts or support making a major purchase.

FAQs

What type of properties are eligible?

Unlock invests in the majority of residential properties, including single-family dwellings, condominiums, 2–4 unit properties, and townhouses. However, it won’t typically invest in tenancies-in-common, co-ops, raw land, or prefabricated homes.

Will Unlock run a credit check?

Unlock will run a soft credit check during the application process, but this will not affect your credit score.

Can I refinance my home?

Yes, although Unlock will require you to maintain at least 20% of the equity in your property.

Will I still own my home?

Yes. Although Unlock will place a lien on your home, you’ll retain ownership.

Physical Address

1230 W. Washington Street, Suite 310

Tempe, AZ 85288

Methodology

This review was compiled using information on the company’s website and by emailing its customer service team.

Disclaimer

AI was used in the generation of this content, along with human verification.

Katy Ward
Written by
Katy Ward
Katy Ward is an insurance expert at BestMoney.com, specializing in life and home insurance. Over her 15-year career, she has worked with major financial institutions like Barclays, Tandem Bank, and Yahoo! Finance. Katy enjoys identifying complex financial trends and translating them into engaging articles.

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