Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about StayFrank's four programs — what they are, how they work, and which one fits your situation. Pick a category below to jump in.
Questions that apply across every program — how we work, who qualifies, what it costs.
StayFrank is a homeowner-equity company that helps you turn your home equity into cash, with multiple paths depending on your goals. We offer four programs: a Home Equity Investment, a Sell & Stay sale-leaseback, a Hassle-Free direct cash sale, and Equity Plus, which lets you sell your home but keep a share of its future appreciation. We've been helping homeowners since 2022.
No. None of our programs require a minimum credit score, and credit is not the deciding factor in any of them. We focus on your home — its value and your equity in it — rather than your credit profile. We may pull a soft credit inquiry during the application to verify identity and existing liens, but it won't affect your score.
No. We don't require income verification, employment verification, tax returns, or pay stubs. This is one of the reasons our programs work well for retirees, the self-employed, gig workers, and homeowners between jobs.
Most programs close in roughly four weeks from your initial application, though Hassle-Free Home Sale can move faster if you need it to. The Home Equity Investment can also close in as little as two to three weeks once underwriting is complete.
We primarily work with single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums that you own and occupy as your primary residence. Some programs may also be available for second homes or non-owner-occupied properties — reach out and we'll let you know what fits your situation.
We currently serve homeowners across more than 40 metro areas nationwide and we're expanding regularly. The fastest way to confirm availability is to enter your address on our website — we'll tell you immediately whether your home is in our service area.
We work with a wide range of property values. Most of our programs have a minimum home value to make the economics work for both sides, and the maximum amount we can invest or pay out depends on your home's current appraised value. Once you submit your address, we'll provide a no-obligation estimate within a few days.
No. You won't pay anything to apply or to receive an offer. Standard closing costs (appraisal, title, escrow, recording) apply at closing depending on the program, and those are clearly disclosed before you sign anything. There are no agent commissions on any StayFrank program.
We rely on a licensed third-party appraiser, supported by comparable-sales data and current market conditions. You're welcome to bring in your own appraisal as well — we believe in transparent valuations and we'll always show you the data behind our number.
Yes. StayFrank operates within the applicable state and federal frameworks for each of its programs. Our agreements are recorded with your county and follow the same legal standards as any other real-estate transaction.
Anything you'd like. Most homeowners use their funds for paying off high-interest debt, retirement, medical bills, education, home repairs and renovations, business capital, or simply building a financial cushion. We don't ask, and your use of funds doesn't affect your offer.
Four programs, four very different goals. Here's the simplest way to decide.
| If you want to… | The right program is… |
|---|---|
| Stay in your home and keep ownership, no monthly payment | Home Equity Investment |
| Stay in your home but cash out fully and rent it back | Sell & Stay |
| Sell your home outright, fast and as-is | Hassle-Free Home Sale |
| Sell your home but keep a stake in its future growth | Equity Plus |
Use the table above as a starting point, then give us a call. There's no pressure and no obligation, and we'll walk you through which program makes the most sense for your specific situation — your goals, your timeline, your equity, and your finances.
In some cases, yes. For example, a homeowner who starts in Sell & Stay can later choose to buy the home back and exit the lease, while a homeowner in an HEI can settle by selling to us through Hassle-Free Home Sale. We try to keep options open for you wherever possible.
We work with homeowners in financial hardship, including those facing foreclosure, behind on payments, or in bankruptcy. Several of our programs are specifically designed for these situations. The sooner you reach out, the more options you'll have.
Generally no — each program is designed as a standalone solution. However, if you have an existing HEI with us and your situation changes, you may be able to settle that investment by transitioning into another program. We'll walk you through the math.
No. None of our programs are reported to credit bureaus as debt because none of them are loans. There's no monthly payment to miss, no balance accruing interest, and no impact on your credit utilization.
An HEI gives you a lump sum in exchange for a share of your home's future value. No loan, no monthly payment, no interest.
A Home Equity Investment is an arrangement where StayFrank pays you a lump sum of cash today in exchange for a share of your home's future value. It's not a loan — there's no interest, no monthly payment, and no repayment schedule. You retain ownership and continue living in the home. When you eventually sell, refinance, or buy us out, we receive our agreed-upon share of the home's value at that time.
No. Loans require monthly payments, charge interest, and add a balance to your credit report. An HEI is structured as an investment in your home — a contract where StayFrank participates in the home's future value alongside you. Because there's no debt service, an HEI doesn't show up on your credit report the way a HELOC or home-equity loan does.
A HELOC or home-equity loan is borrowed money. You repay it monthly, with interest, on a fixed schedule. If you miss payments, you risk foreclosure. An HEI gives you cash with no monthly bill and no interest. The trade-off: instead of paying interest, you share a portion of your home's future value with us when you settle. HEIs tend to make sense for homeowners who don't want — or can't qualify for — another monthly payment.
Three things stand out: a long flexible term (up to 30 years), no minimum credit score, and the ability to settle anytime without prepayment penalties. We also share in downside risk — if your home loses value, our share decreases too.
Most homeowners can access between 10% and 25% of their home's current value, with a minimum amount that varies by market. Your specific offer depends on your home's value, your existing mortgage balance, the property's condition, and a few other factors. Submit your address and we'll generate an estimate in under a minute.
When you settle, you pay back the original investment amount plus an agreed-upon percentage of your home's appreciation (or, in some cases, a percentage of the final home value). The exact share is fixed at the start of your agreement, so there are no moving targets — you'll know your potential settlement scenarios before you sign.
Yes. Every StayFrank HEI includes a maximum return cap that limits how much you can owe even if your home appreciates rapidly. The cap is disclosed in your offer, and it protects you in strong-appreciation markets. If your home grows faster than expected, you keep the upside above the cap.
Up to 30 years. You can settle at any time before the term ends, with no prepayment penalties.
Standard third-party costs apply: appraisal, title insurance, escrow, recording fees, and a one-time origination fee. These costs are deducted from your funding amount, so you don't pay anything out of pocket. The exact figures are itemized in your offer before you sign.
Once you sign your closing documents and the legal recording is complete, funds are wired to you — usually within a few business days.
Yes, completely. You stay on title, you keep the deed, and you make every decision about the property — when to renovate, when to sell, who to insure with, everything. StayFrank simply records a lien to protect our investment, similar to how a mortgage lender does.
No. Zero. There is no monthly payment, no interest accrual, and no required payment schedule. You owe nothing until you decide to settle, sell, or reach the end of the term.
You are. As the owner, you continue to pay property taxes, maintain homeowners insurance (at the level we agree to in your contract), and handle ongoing maintenance. We don't pay any of these expenses — and we don't share in any of those costs.
Absolutely. Substantial renovations may qualify for an "improvement adjustment" — meaning the value you add through documented improvements is excluded from our share at settlement. If you're planning a meaningful project (kitchens, additions, major systems), let us know in advance so we can document it properly.
We'll conduct a one-time appraisal and inspection during underwriting. After that, no random or surprise inspections — we trust you to maintain the home, and we may request an updated appraisal only when you're ready to settle.
In most cases, yes, but we ask that you notify us first. Converting the property to a rental or second home may affect your agreement, so reach out before you list it.
Possibly. If your home has appreciated and you have additional accessible equity, you may qualify for an "investment increase" or a second HEI down the road. Each request goes through underwriting like the first one.
Three options: (1) sell the home and pay our share from the proceeds; (2) refinance and use the new loan to buy us out; or (3) use savings or other funds to repurchase our share. You choose the method and the timing.
If your home's value declines, our share goes down with it. Unlike a loan — where you owe the full balance regardless of market conditions — we share in the downside as well as the upside. This is one of the key reasons HEIs make sense in uncertain markets.
You can. There are no prepayment penalties. Many homeowners settle within the first 5–10 years, often by refinancing once their credit or financial situation has improved.
If you reach the end of your term, you'll need to settle — either by buying out our share, refinancing, or selling the home. We'll work with you on a settlement plan well before the term expires, and we'll never force a sale without giving you reasonable time and clear options.
The HEI continues with your estate. Your heirs have the same options you would have had: sell the home and pay our share from proceeds, refinance to buy us out, or use other funds. They can keep the home as long as the investment is settled within the agreement's terms.
This is what your homeowners insurance is for. As long as you've maintained adequate coverage (which is required under your agreement), your insurance proceeds rebuild the home and the agreement continues. We can walk through specific scenarios in your contract.
Yes, for documented qualified improvements. The "improvement adjustment" mechanism excludes the value you've added through renovations from our share, so you keep what you build. Save your receipts and major-project documentation.
Yes — but the HEI must be settled at some point. Your heirs can either keep the home (by buying out our share) or sell it (and pay our share from the proceeds). We'll work directly with your estate to make the process straightforward.
A sale-leaseback that turns your equity into cash without uprooting your life.
A sale-leaseback is two transactions in one. First, you sell your home to StayFrank at fair market value and receive your equity in cash at closing. Second, you sign a lease and continue living in the same home as a resident for an agreed period — up to three years. No move, no listing, no agents.
You don't have to find a new place, pack, or uproot your life. Your kids stay in their schools, your routines stay intact, and you have time to figure out your next chapter without pressure. Plus, you typically pay a fair-market rent — sometimes less than you'd pay to rent a similar home in your area.
Most leases are 12 months to 3 years, with two years being typical. You'll know your lease length before you close, so there are no surprises.
We base your rent on the fair-market rental rate for your home and area, using comparable rental data. The amount is set at closing and is included in your written lease.
Any annual increases (if any) are disclosed in your lease before you sign. We don't surprise you with mid-lease hikes.
Yes — that's one of the most popular features of Sell & Stay. Your buyback price is agreed upon and locked in at closing, so you know exactly what you'd need to repurchase the home if your situation improves. You can exercise your buyback option at any point during the lease, subject to the terms of your agreement.
That's fine. At the end of the lease, you simply transition to your next home on your own timeline. There's no penalty and no obligation. You'll have already received the equity from your sale at closing.
Most leases include flexibility for early termination, with terms outlined in your written lease. Reach out to your lease team and we'll walk through your options.
As the new owner of the home, StayFrank takes on major maintenance and capital repairs (roof, HVAC, structural). You handle ordinary tenant-level upkeep — much like any rental. The exact split is detailed in your lease.
Once we own the home, we cover the property taxes, the homeowner's insurance on the structure, and HOA dues if applicable. You'll want renters insurance to cover your personal belongings.
Yes, a standard security deposit is typical, and it's clearly itemized in your closing documents. It's refundable at the end of the lease, subject to the standard wear-and-tear terms in your agreement.
No. Your lease guarantees you the right to occupy the home for the full lease term, just like any standard residential lease.
You and the household members listed on your lease. You won't be sharing the home with strangers or other tenants — it remains your private residence.
One fair cash offer, sold as-is, on your timeline. No agents, no commissions, no buyer financing falling through.
Three big differences: speed, simplicity, and no fees. An agent listing typically takes months, requires repairs and staging, comes with commissions of 5–6%, and often involves multiple offer rounds. We give you a single direct cash offer, buy the home as-is, and close on your timeline — no commissions, no staging, no buyer-financing fall-through risk.
No. We buy as-is. You don't need to fix anything, paint anything, or clean for showings. If there's deferred maintenance, that's already factored into our offer.
As quickly as a couple of weeks if you need it. We can also slow it down to match your timeline if you're waiting on a new home, school year, or job transition. You pick the date.
We aim to give you a single fair, well-supported offer rather than a lowball anchor that gets negotiated. If new information about the home changes the picture (a hidden issue, a different square footage), we'll discuss adjustments openly.
No agent commissions. No listing fees. We cover standard seller-side closing costs as part of our offer, so the number you see is the number you receive (less any payoffs to your existing mortgage).
This is exactly the kind of situation Hassle-Free Home Sale is designed for. We can often close quickly enough to satisfy a lender's foreclosure timeline, and we work directly with your servicer to coordinate payoff. Reach out as soon as possible — earlier is always better.
Within reason, yes. Many of our sellers leave items they don't want to move — old furniture, appliances, garage clutter — and we handle the disposal. Just let us know in advance.
From first phone call to cash in your account: roughly 2–4 weeks for most sellers. Faster if you need it; slower if you don't.
Walk away with cash today and a contractual share of your home's future appreciation.
Equity Plus lets you sell your home at full market value and walk away with cash today — while keeping a contractual share of the home's future appreciation. You move on, we take ownership and all the responsibilities, and when the home eventually sells (or your agreement matures), you receive your appreciation share.
In a regular sale, once you walk away from closing, you're done — anything the home appreciates afterward goes to the buyer. With Equity Plus, you stay invested in your home's future. If your home was a strong long-term performer, that upside continues to work for you, even after you've moved on.
Your share is a fixed percentage of the home's appreciation between closing and the eventual settlement event. The percentage is disclosed in your offer and locked into your contract. You'll see clear examples in your offer documents showing your potential payouts under different appreciation scenarios.
When the home is sold by StayFrank or when your agreement reaches its maturity date — whichever comes first. The exact maturity timeline is in your contract, and we'll always notify you well in advance of any settlement event.
If the home's value stays flat or declines, your appreciation share is zero — but you've already received full market value for the home at closing, so you're not out anything. You don't owe us money in a down market; this is upside-only for you.
When the home is sold, we calculate your appreciation share based on the sale price and pay you out from the proceeds. You don't have to do anything — we handle the listing, the buyer, and the closing. You just receive your share.
None. Once we own the home, we handle taxes, insurance, maintenance, tenants (if any), repairs — everything. You walk away with cash and a contractual right to your appreciation share. No tenants to manage, no repairs to make, no calls in the middle of the night.
The agreement term is set at closing and disclosed in your contract. Most agreements run for a defined number of years, after which the appreciation share is settled based on the home's value at maturity.
Equity Plus is its own product, but if you've already been through Sell & Stay or another program, we can sometimes structure an Equity Plus arrangement at the back end. Talk to us about your specific situation.