At a glance
| What they call it | Home Equity Agreement (HEA) |
|---|---|
| How you repay | Share of your home's future value, set with an exchange rate |
| Cash available | $15K to $500K |
| Max share of home value | Not published |
| Equity you must keep | 30% after funding |
| Fee | Up to 4.9% Exchange rate and cap from a third-party review |
| Cost cap | 19.9% a year |
| Term | 10 years |
| Minimum credit score | 500 |
| Shares losses if value falls | Yes, you owe a share of a lower value |
How Unlock's agreement works
Unlock expresses your investment as a percentage of your home's starting value, then multiplies it by an exchange rate, often around 2.0, to set its share of your home's future value.
Its annual return is capped at 19.9%, according to LendEDU.
The agreement runs 10 years. Unlock requires at least 30% equity and a home worth $175,000 or more, and accepts credit scores from 500.
Unlock allows partial buyouts with its approval, so you can shrink its stake over time instead of settling all at once.
What Unlock costs
Effective annual cost for $100,000 against a $750,000 home with a $300,000 mortgage. Rows are yearly home appreciation; columns are when you settle.
| Growth | 3 years | 5 years | 7 years | 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% a year | 22.6% | 16.4% | 11.5% | 7.9% |
| 2% a year | 22.6% | 18.7% | 13.7% | 10.0% |
| 4% a year | 22.6% | 21.1% | 15.9% | 12.2% |
| 6% a year | 22.6% | 21.5% | 18.1% | 14.4% |
| 8% a year | 22.6% | 21.5% | 20.4% | 16.5% |
* Unlock's agreement must be settled within 10 years, so longer holds are shown at year 10. Example: at 4% growth over 7 years you would net $93,600 after fees and settle for $263,186, an effective cost of 15.9% a year. Open this example in the calculator.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Accepts credit scores from 500
- Partial buyouts let you reduce the stake over time
- Return capped at 19.9% a year
Cons
- The highest modeled cost of the four in our standard scenario
- Origination fee up to 4.9%
- 10-year term
- Exchange rate and cap come from third-party reviews, not Unlock's own pages
Who Unlock fits
Worth a look if: Your credit is limited and you want the option to buy back gradually.
Look elsewhere if: Lowest cost is your top priority, or you want more than 10 years.
Compare Unlock
Unlock vs Point
Point is cheaper at every growth rate we tested (-3% to 10% a year) over 7 years.
Compare →Unlock vs Hometap
Hometap is cheaper at every growth rate we tested (-3% to 10% a year) over 7 years.
Compare →Unlock vs Unison
Unison is cheaper below about 5.1% annual growth; Unlock is cheaper above it (settling after 7 years).
Compare →Sources
Unlock: how it works · LendEDU: provider comparison · LendEDU: Unlock review
Terms verified September 23, 2026. Full terms and sources for every provider: HEI Calculator provider terms.
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