Redwood Trust and home equity fintech lender Point have closed on a $139 million bond secured by 1,577 home equity investment (HEI) contracts. The two companies issued the first-ever securitization backed entirely by HEIs in 2021, a bet that rising home-price appreciation can benefit consumers in the short-term and investors in the long-term.

U.S. homeowners have more than $29.3 trillion in home equity–a 64% increase compared to the same time five years ago, yet many aren’t able to see these gains until they sell their homes. Homeowners have typically turned to traditional forms of financing, such as a cash-out refinance or a home equity line of credit (HELOC), to access their home equity for things like home renovations, starting businesses, or paying off higher-interest debt.

A novel way of helping Americans tap into their $32 trillion of home equity is gaining steam in the era of high rates. The method: Companies give owners cash up front in exchange for a stake in the appreciation of their homes. Homeowners don't make principal and interest payments, bypassing mortgage rates...

Rising real estate wealth juxtaposed by alarming inaccessibility - exploring the barriers keeping Americans from their home equity treasure trove.

Even a small shift in mortgage rates could make a big difference to home affordability

The past year hasn’t been particularly good for tech or housing. As a consequence, the number of real estate, mortgage and general housing tech firms to make the annual Inc. Magazine list of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies in America declined in 2023. In all, 37 companies made the cut this year, down from 53 a year ago.

For homeowners seeking alternative ways to access the equity in their homes without taking on additional debt, home equity sharing is a great option.

A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) offers homeowners a flexible, revolving source of funds based on their home equity, often with lower interest rates compared to other loans. While it allows for large sum borrowings and has extended draw and repayment periods, the variable interest rates tied to market conditions and potential negative impact on credit scores from maintaining high balances are notable drawbacks.

Investors are eying 2023 and 2024 as prime opportunities amid a market still finding its footing, Point co-founder Eddie Lim told Intel in an exclusive interview

If you’re thinking about finding a new place to call home this year, you’re not alone. According to home equity investment company Point, 22 percent of homeowners want to move before the end of 2023. And Redfin data from the fourth quarter of 2022 showed that a record 24.6 percent of its users were looking to relocate to a new city.

Due to industry-wide challenges in 2022, numerous proptech employees were laid off. As a new year approaches, these workers are seeking new opportunities. Insider has curated a list of promising proptech startups poised for future success.

The market isn't done falling but could soon stabilize, according to a survey of real estate executives and economists conducted by Point.

According to home equity investment company Point, 22 percent of homeowners want to move before the end of 2023. And Redfin data from the fourth quarter of 2022 showed that a record 24.6 percent of its users were looking to relocate to a new city.

Every year, Insider surfaces 100 leaders across 10 industries who are driving unprecedented change and innovation. Lim, the CEO and cofounder of Point, wants to make it easier for people to tap into that wealth. Lim’s company, which he founded alongside Eoin Matthews in 2015, offers homeowners lump sums of cash in exchange for a stake in their home.

The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 honors the most innovative, fastest-growing public and private companies from all over North America. Point placed #56 on their list for 2022. We are thrilled to see where this momentum will take us.

Point, a home equity-for-cash company, said it raised $115 million in Series C funding at an undisclosed valuation

A single mother in California who was sitting on about $300,000 in home equity, agreed to give Point a 25% stake in her home for $60,000

According to a recent survey from Point, a home equity investment platform, 29% of homeowners are considering tapping into their home equity despite historically high interest rates. “Homeowners cite a lack of other financing options,” as mortgage rates continue to flirt with 7%

As a consumer fintech startup helping homeowners tap into their home equity, Point keeps the human experience top of mind.

Point CEO and Founder Eddie Lim joins Yahoo Finance Live to discuss investing in the home equity market.

A Palo Alto, California-based fintech startup Point, which bills itself as allowing homeowners to tap into future home appreciation, closed on a $115 million Series C funding round, the company announced Tuesday. Point now says it has raised $170 million in equity capital.

Historically, homeowners could only tap into the equity of their homes by taking out a home equity loan or refinancing. But a new category of startups have emerged in recent years to give homeowners more options to cash in on their homes in exchange for a share of the future value of their homes.

Traditional methods of leveraging home equity to pay down debt or invest in home maintenance can lead to more financial strife for some homeowners. That’s why Point offers a different approach.

A technology startup that aims to revolutionize how U.S. homeowners access their housing wealth today raised $8.4 million in Series A funding, with one of the world’s largest private equity firms leading the way.

Point has raised $8.4 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz.

A fintech startup called Point is allowing consumers sell a piece of their home equity to investors, rather than borrowing against the value of their houses.

Point, claiming the title as the first financial technology platform that allows homeowners to unlock their home equity wealth without taking on new debt, announced today that it has raised $8.4 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz.

Unlike HELOC and home equity who only provide loans to people with good credit score and a steady flow of income, Point targets people who are optimizing for cashflow – the use of funds might be for debt payoff, small business investment, to help the homeowner bridge to a sale or refinance or to finance upgrades.

One company trying to make a difference in digital lending is Point. The Palo Alto-based lender wants to put borrowers and lenders on more even turf by better aligning incentives between them.

But there is a widespread, and not unfounded, sense these days that Debt Is Bad, and so people are constantly trying to think up ways for people to fund their lives with equity rather than debt.

Andreessen Horowitz led the $8.4 million A round for Point, which is offering an alternative to home-equity loans. But that doesn’t mean the VC firm could end up owning your house.

Startup financial firms battened down the hatches when industry leader Lending Club stumbled, quickly cutting costs, slashing staff and pulling back. Now they are emerging from their defensive crouch

With homeowners’ equity soaring to near-record levels, financial technology entrepreneurs — backed by deep-pocketed venture capital — are dreaming up sophisticated ways to help consumers access that equity without traditional interest payments.

The founders of a new financial startup were so frustrated with traditional methods that created more debt, that they developed an entirely new asset class through a new financing product called Point. But, unlike other financing options where homeowners retain 100 percent ownership of their homes, Point buys into a homeowner’s accumulated equity for an upfront payment to the homeowner.

This gives folks who can’t afford the monthly bills on a second mortgage, home equity loan, or credit line the chance to get cash on their residences while providing wealthy individuals, companies, and hedge funds (accredited investors only) something new to sink their money into.

There’s a lot of logic behind the idea of allowing homeowners to diversify. Nationally, home equity is closing in on its pre-crisis peak, and it’s highly concentrated among older Americans who’ve lived in their homes a long time.

Point, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based home equity investment platform, has raised $8.4 million in Series A funding led by return backer Andreessen Horowitz. Other investors include Ribbit Capital, Bloomberg Beta, Vikram Pandit and Laurence Tosi.

Raised $8.4 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz, bringing total funding to $15.4 million.

Instead of taking on debt to buy a house, Point provides equity funding. The startup can find the capital needed to finance your home and in return they get partial ownership.

Homeowners who want to tap their hard-to-access nest eggs have a new option. A fintech startup called Point is allowing consumers sell a piece of their home equity to investors, rather than borrowing against the value of their houses.

Point is promising to do something radical — changing how homeowners fund their mortgages and think about the value of their homes. Proponents say it could change the financial realities of millions of Americans.

It’s a win-win situation because it provides investors with a brand-new asset class to explore. This helps folks access their home equity wealth without a loan, monthly payments or a fixed interest rate. Homeowners sell a fraction of their residence to investors in exchange for a lump sum of capital without interest rates or monthly payments.

Some well-funded startups have an unusual pitch for homeowners strapped for cash: Let’s own this house together.

Americans have $18 trillion worth of equity in their homes, so the opportunity is as big as they come. For most homeowners the home is by far their biggest asset, with equity built up through years of mortgage payments. Historically options for unlocking that equity have been few.

Cofounder Eoin Matthews argues that selling a stake is better than taking a home equity loan, as the latter simply adds to the debt pile.

Atalaya Capital commits $150 million with Point to fund investments with homeowners. Equity sharing finance products are going mainstream.

With homeowners’ equity soaring to near-record levels, financial technology entrepreneurs — backed by deep-pocketed venture capital — are dreaming up sophisticated ways to help consumers access that equity without traditional interest payments.

Point provides a provisional offer to preapproved applicants for between 5 percent and 20 percent of their home’s current value, and schedules an in-person licensed appraiser visit (for which it charges $500 to $700) before finalizing an offer.

Point is one of a number of companies that are giving people new ways to tap into the value of a home, a car or even work they haven’t been paid for yet. Now, thanks in part to advances in software’s ability to quickly and accurately value assets, there are even more ways for consumers to extract cash from their assets, through equity deals like Point’s and new kinds of asset-backed loans.