(NewsUSA)
- Recent inflationary pressure, challenging financial circumstances and a looming rise in interest rates have made aspiring homeowners across the country feel like the dream of owning their home is slipping away from them. This situation may seem bleak, but San Francisco-based start-up, Divvy Homes offers aspiring homeowners another option to make their dreams a reality.
Divvy Homes is dedicated to making homeownership more accessible to American families. The company has designed a program for would-be homeowners who don't quite qualify for a traditional mortgage because of tighter lender requirements, not quite enough savings or a range of other reasons.
Divvy helps by offering a program that allows customers to build savings with their Divvy payment, boost their credit score through free credit counseling and ultimately position themselves to qualify for a traditional mortgage at the end of their three-year lease. If a customer is ahead of schedule and wants to purchase before their lease ends, they can buy their home from Divvy whenever they are ready.
Here's how it works:
- Qualify. The process starts when buyers complete a five-minute online application. Divvy requires a minimum household income of $2,500 per month and proof of three months of income. It will then run a soft credit check, complete a background check and ask for a government-issued ID. Once approved, the customer receives a home-buying budget and pairs up with a real estate agent to start shopping. Already have an agent? Not a problem. Divvy knows the homefinding process is personal and will work with the agent of the customer's choice.
- Buy. Once the customer finds their dream home, Divvy bids to purchase the property. When a bid is successful, customers can expect a quick closing process so they can get the keys and move in.
- Save. The customer contributes a payment of one to two percent of the home's value at the beginning of the lease. That money is held on behalf of the customer to be used toward a down payment when the customer is ready to purchase the home. In addition to the initial payment, up to 25 percent of each monthly payment goes toward saving for a down payment. It's a plan that combines the flexibility of renting with the benefit of a savings program that prepares customers for the wealth-building power of homeownership when they are ready.
- Own. The potential homeowner builds up to 10 percent of the home's value over their three-year lease, but they can elect to obtain a mortgage and buy the home at any time. Change of heart? Customers can walk away from the arrangement and cash out their savings, net of a relisting fee.
Divvy has a consistent and growing record of creating new homeowners across the country. It has closed more homes in 2021 alone than in the past four years and doubled their market share since the beginning of 2021. Divvy customers have exercised their option to purchase their homes at a rate of nearly 50 percent -- well above the conversion rates of industry competitors.
The Divvy Homes program is currently available in 16 metropolitan areas across the United States: Atlanta, GA; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Ft Lauderdale, FL; Houston, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Memphis, TN; Minneapolis, MN; Miami, FL; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; San Antonio, TX; St. Louis, MO; and Tampa, FL.
Visit divvyhomes.com for more information.
