EasyKnock Alternatives
EasyKnock is a sale-leaseback company that buys homes and immediately rents them back to the sellers. It provides the seller with the full value of equity in their home, which can be beneficial if you have debt or expenses or want to sell the home before moving.
Two companies stand out as alternatives to EasyKnock for their services—Truehold and Sell2Rent. Here’s what to know about each as you consider a sale-leaseback.
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How does EasyKnock work?
So, how exactly does EasyKnock work? EasyKnock has two main options for homeowners who want to sell their home and rent it back. The main difference is the purpose. Sell and Stay is for homeowners who want to stay in the home. MoveAblilty is for homeowners who want to move away from the home.
Sell and Stay
This is the traditional sale-leaseback option. Homeowners sell their homes to EasyKnock, get the full value of their home equity, and rent the home back.
One unique feature of EasyKnock’s Sell and Stay program is the buyout option. Homeowners can pay a yearly fee for a buyout option that allows the homeowner to buy the home back from the seller at a specified price. This fee ensures the homeowner can repurchase the home if they choose.
MoveAbility
With MoveAbility, homeowners sell the home to EasyKnock and keep the extra money from the sale as cash. The lease lasts 12 months while the homeowners search for a new home.
By selling with EasyKnock, homeowners can make a more competitive offer on their next home because it’s not contingent on the homeowners selling their home before buying a new home.
Companies like EasyKnock
There are two main companies that have similar offerings to EasyKnock: Truehold and Sell2Rent. They each have a sale-leaseback program in which the homeowner can sell the home and then rent it back from the new owner.
However, their operation is different from EasyKnock’s, and some nuances are important to understand before choosing an EasyKnock alternative.
When stacked up side by side, here’s how they compare. Following the chart, we’ll briefly review how they compare with EasyKnock.
| Terms | EasyKnock | Truehold | Sell2Rent |
| Transaction fee | 3.75% – 4.99% | 5.5% – 6% | Varies |
| Rent cost | Market price | Market price | Market price |
| Lease term | 12 months (can renew) | No limits | Determined by investor |
| Closing time | 4 to 6 weeks | 30 days or less | Over 30 days |
| Availability | Most U.S. states | Select cities | All 50 states |
Truehold
- Only available in certain locations
- Claims closing times are 30 days or less
- Must be an owner-occupied, single-family home
If you’re looking for a standout feature of Truehold to grab you, you won’t find it. Yet, you could say Truehold’s sale-leaseback program is a solid program with transparent pricing and terms. It doesn’t have the option to buy back your home like EasyKnock, but it doesn’t have the uncertainty created by selling to an independent investor like Sell2Rent does.
Fees are as high as if you would sell with a traditional real estate agent, which ranges from 5.5% to 6%. Truehold does say you can stay in the home long-term, but you’ll need to pay the market rate for rent.
The only way to decide if a Truehold sale-leaseback works for you is to run numbers with a representative and compare it with other providers, such as EasyKnock and Sell2Rent.
Sell2Rent
- Available in all 50 states
- Does not buy your home directly but instead connects you to its pool of investors
- Does not specify what their fees are
Sell2Rent differs from EasyKnock and Truehold in that it does not buy your property directly from you. Instead, it connects you with a pool of investors. The listing gets in front of its pool of investors, which theoretically could make it more competitive, so you have a better shot at getting the price you want.
You can lease back as long as you want, but there’s no buyback guarantee like there is with EasyKnock. With Sell2Rent, the terms of your lease are determined by the investor, your new landlord. Fees for the service are not disclosed, so you won’t know how much you’ll be paying for the service, either.
Sell2Rent is available in all 50 states and has a much broader reach than EasyKnock. However, it’s essentially a middleman, so the services you may receive from it may be limited or directed to a third party.
How to choose an EasyKnock alternative
Finding a good EasyKnock alternative has its challenges. Deciding to sell with a sale-leaseback company is a tough decision, but comparing companies with relatively new processes can make it feel like you’re walking through the mud.
Some questions you can ask to help clarify the choice might be:
- Do they service your area? If the EasyKnock alternative doesn’t work in your area, you’ll need to find another company that does.
- Can you live without the Buyout Option? EasyKnock is the only company offering customers a yearly option where they pay a fee to buy back their home at a specified price. This also protects home appreciation for you, but the alternatives don’t offer this option.
- How easy are they to work with?
- What are their rates? Compare rates if you’re concerned with how much you’ll be paying for the service. At the same time, be sure you’re comparing apples to apples, but the EasyKnock alternatives don’t offer the same services.
- What services do they provide? If you’re looking for a company to be more involved in the process, you’ll probably like Truehold better.
- Do you want to stay in the home or move? Knowing your plans can help you decide on an EasyKnock alternative with a program that will work for you.
Other EasyKnock alternatives
As a homeowner, you might have several financing alternatives to consider alongside the home sale-leaseback. Each of these options comes with its unique benefits and limitations. Here’s how they differ from EasyKnock and its competitors.
Home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC)
A home equity loan or HELOC allows you to borrow against the equity in your residence. Unlike EasyKnock, which involves selling and leasing back your home, a home equity loan or HELOC lets you maintain ownership while having access to funds.
It presents an opportunity to tap into your home’s equity without relocating. However, a critical drawback is that it requires good credit standing and the capacity to pay back; otherwise, you risk foreclosure.
Reverse mortgage option
Unlike the sale-leaseback model, a reverse mortgage allows homeowners ages 62 and up to access home equity while retaining ownership. And unlike other loan models, repayment for a reverse mortgage isn’t necessary until the homeowner moves out permanently, sells the home, or dies.
However, an important disadvantage is that it usually implies high upfront costs and could affect your eligibility for government needs-based program benefits.
Downsize
If you opt to downsize, you could sell your current home and buy a smaller one, pocketing the difference.
Compared to EasyKnock’s service of selling and leasing back, an important advantage is that you would still own a property and thus have something of value to leave to your heirs. However, the downside is it might involve moving to a less desirable location.
Refinance your home
Refinancing differs from EasyKnock’s proposal because it does not involve selling your property but renegotiating the terms of your current mortgage. A potential disadvantage is that it might involve additional closing costs and require good credit standing.
Rent out a portion of your home
Renting out a part of your home, unlike EasyKnock’s solution, allows you to maintain ownership and earn additional income. This choice is worth considering if you have spare rooms or a basement to turn into a profitable rental space.
Remember that acting as a landlord might involve additional responsibilities and potential complications.
Sell and rent
This option is similar to EasyKnock’s service because it involves selling your home. But instead of a leaseback agreement with EasyKnock, you’d rent a different property.
This option could be more flexible; it allows you to move to a different location without a long-term commitment. However, it could involve moving costs and disruptions. You would also no longer have any equity in a home and would be subject to annual rental increases.
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