Solution

Ownify bridges the gap between aspiring homebuyers and the capital required to purchase a home. By pairing buyers with accredited investors through a fractional ownership model, we lower barriers to entry and enable families to access homeownership with as little as 2% down and no debt. This creates a win-win: buyers gain stability and equity growth, while investors achieve strong returns backed by residential real estate.

Product / service

Ownify has built a two-sided platform that connects first-time buyers with accredited investors to co-invest in single-family homes. Our technology powers every step of the process, with a customer- and agent-facing platform that streamlines the home search and buying journey, a proprietary underwriting engine that evaluates buyer readiness and home performance, and an investor portal for transparent fund management. This integrated system makes fractional homeownership scalable, efficient, and seamless for all stakeholders.

Projected impact

Ownify enables first-time buyers to save an average of $29K upfront and $392 each month, making homeownership achievable years sooner than traditional paths allow. Homeownership unlocks access to equity, ownership, and long-term wealth-building. It also contributes to better health, stronger education outcomes, and greater civic engagement, creating lasting benefits for families and communities.

Theory of change

Short Term
Ownify lowers the barriers to homeownership by reducing upfront costs, eliminating traditional debt, and connecting first-time buyers with accredited investors. Families gain immediate access to homes, saving an average of $29K upfront and $392 per month, which improves financial stability and reduces stress.

Medium Term
As buyers settle into their homes, they begin building equity and long-term wealth that would otherwise be out of reach. Stable housing supports better health, educational outcomes for children, and deeper community ties. Families experience greater security, and neighborhoods benefit from higher rates of owner-occupancy and civic engagement.

Long Term
Over time, Ownify contributes to closing the wealth gap by giving more families a fair stake in housing appreciation. This creates generational wealth, strengthens communities, and builds more equitable housing markets. By scaling our model through the Ownify Home Fund, we aim to transform homeownership for thousands of families, proving that financial returns and social impact can be achieved together.

Beneficiaries

Ownify serves first-time homebuyers who are shut out of today’s housing market. We focus on the “missing middle”—families who earn too much to qualify for subsidies but not enough to access traditional mortgages or compete with institutional buyers. Many of our beneficiaries are Black, Latino, and immigrant households from low-wealth backgrounds who have been historically excluded from equitable homeownership.

Traction

Since launching in 2022, Ownify has built a $7M portfolio of single-family homes in North Carolina, proving the strength and scalability of our model. Our customers are already experiencing real financial benefits: an average of $392 in monthly savings, $29K in down payment savings, and the ability to build long-term equity and wealth. Demand continues to grow, with a customer waitlist for future homes.

On the investor side, we’ve raised approximately $10M across our operating company and the Ownify Home Fund. Fund investors in North Carolina have achieved 15%+ annualized returns, validating our approach as both impactful and financially compelling. While the return profile for future funds in Pennsylvania will differ, our traction demonstrates the value creation potential of Ownify’s model for both buyers and investors.

Business model

Ownify generates returns by co-investing alongside buyers and investors in single-family homes. Investors participate through the Ownify Home Fund, which acquires homes and shares equity growth with homeowners over time. Revenue is driven through appreciation, rental income during interim periods, and fees that ensure alignment of incentives across all stakeholders. This model creates sustainable cash flow, attractive investor returns, and measurable community impact.

Market & competition

The U.S. housing market has over 1 million first-time buyers locked out each year, representing a massive unmet need. Current alternatives fail to address this gap: rent-to-own programs are often predatory and trap families without building wealth, while low down payment mortgages target only the lowest-income buyers. This leaves millions of middle-income households—those who earn too much to qualify for subsidies but too little to overcome today’s barriers—without a path to ownership. Ownify is uniquely positioned to serve this underserved market with a fair, scalable, and investor-aligned solution.

Vision & strategy

We envision a housing market where access to homeownership is not limited by outdated financing models, rising rates, or institutional competition. Our strategy is to scale city by city, partnering with anchor investors and leveraging our technology platform to streamline the buying process. By growing our portfolio, we aim to transform the path to homeownership for thousands of families while proving that financial returns and social impact can go hand in hand.