Rentback Home Sale-Leaseback Review 2025: The Good and Bad

3.6 _/5

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Home Sale-Leaseback

Access up to 100% of the equity in your home without taking out a loan or making monthly payments
Available in all 50 states
Use your equity to prepay your rent
No homeownership responsibilities
Rentback will cover most or all of your closing costs when you sell

Give up ownership of your home
Leases typically only last 1 – 5 years
Limited transparency online
No phone number on website

Rentback’s home sale-leaseback program offers homeowners a way to access equity without loans or monthly payments, and its nationwide availability sets it apart from competitors including Truehold.

However, with its unclear fees and limited transparency, Rentback falls short of the top-rated home sale-leaseback companies. While it covers most closing costs and allows for prepaid rent, it’s crucial to weigh the trade-off of giving up ownership and control of your property to Rentback. This guide explores the company’s features, drawbacks, and whether better alternatives might be a smarter choice in 2025.

Table of Contents

What Is a Home Sale-Leaseback, and How Does It Work?

How does Rentback work?

Selling with Rentback is free, and the company even pays most of the closing costs associated with the sale of the property. The rental price you will pay when you rent your home from Rentback is similar to the market value rent for other rental properties in your area.

If you think you’ll struggle to pay rent in the short term, you could opt for the Prepaid Sale Leaseback option. This allows you to use your home equity to cover rent costs for one to three years. But this might not be a viable option if you need your equity for other purposes.

Equity minus prepaid rent is deposited into your bank account shortly after the closing process is complete.

Here are additional details about how Rentback works:

Sale price: Usually fair market value but can vary based on investor bids
Cash funding: Access up to 100% of the equity in your home
Ability to repurchase the home? Depends on the investor
Retain appreciation over the buyout cost? No
Lease term: Customizable based on your needs
Covered expenses: Rentback charges a small platform fee but covers most closing costs
Closing time: As soon as 10 days, although it may take time to find a suitable offer
Unique features: Complete most steps online; get multiple bids for your property; customize your lease before you sell

You can’t sell on Rentback if you owe more than your home is worth. Before you move forward, consider whether you’re willing to give up ownership and control over your home to a Rentback investor.

Who’s eligible for a Rentback home sale-leaseback?

Rentback is available in all 50 states. This is a major advantage compared to Truehold’s limited reach. (See the list of areas where Truehold is available below.)

However, Rentback provides limited transparency regarding eligibility requirements, unlike Truehold and EasyKnock, which disclose key criteria, such as minimum equity thresholds, upfront.

Requirement	Details
Properties	Single-family homes and townhomes with equity
State of residence	Nationwide
Maximum loan-to-value	Not disclosed; generally 80%
Maximum debt-to-income	None
Minimum credit score	None
Minimum income	None

How much does Rentback cost?

Rentback does not charge sellers, and it pays most closing costs, which can save you, the seller, a significant amount. In contrast, Truehold offers a transparent fee structure with fixed costs.

Rentback’s limited transparency about fees and rent calculations may leave homeowners unclear about the full cost of their agreement.

You must pay rent when you lease your house back, which means continuing to budget for monthly costs. Rent is based on the fair market value for rent on similar properties in your area.

Unlike some other sale leaseback companies, Rentback gives you the option to use the equity in your home to prepay rent for up to three years. This can come in handy if you don’t want to worry about monthly housing costs for a while.

What’s the difference between Rentback and a traditional home sale?

Rentback is a program that allows you to sell your home to an investor and then lease it back. A traditional home sale involves selling a home to a buyer without a leaseback arrangement.

Here’s a table comparing Rentback and traditional home sales:

	Rentback	Traditional home sale
Can you remain in the home?	Yes	Rarely*
What is the accessible home value?	Up to 100% of equity	100%
Option to receive future home appreciation?	No	No
Time to get funds	As little as 10 days	30 – 60 days
Transaction costs	Lower	Higher

*It’s possible to negotiate this with the buyer, but these stays tend to be much more temporary than a home sale-leaseback, and many buyers are unlikely to agree if they need to move into their new home right away.

The main difference between Rentback and a traditional home sale is that Rentback lets you stay in your home after you sell it. Rentback also covers most of your closing costs, whereas you’re usually on the hook with a traditional home sale.

Consider your specific needs and priorities when deciding between Rentback and a traditional home sale. If you need to sell your home fast and prefer to remain in your home as a tenant for a short period, Rentback may be a good option. But a traditional home sale is likely a better fit if you’re ready to move and have no reason to stay.

Weigh the pros and cons of each option, and meet with a real estate professional if you’re unsure which is right for you.

Pros and cons of Rentback

Pros

Available nationwide

Rentback operates in all 50 states thanks to a broad fulfillment network that helps connect sellers to investors.
Access cash in your home

You can access up to 100% of the equity in your home without taking out a loan or making monthly payments.
Can pay your rent upfront

You can use equity to prepay rent, so you won’t need to worry about housing costs for up to three years.
Say goodbye to homeownership responsibilities

You will no longer be responsible for the costs of homeownership, including property taxes and structural maintenance.
Few to no closing costs

You can sell your home, and Rentback will cover most or all of your closing costs.

Cons

You’ll no longer own your home

Because it requires giving up control over your home, a home sale-leaseback is not a decision you should make lightly.
You can’t lease it forever

Although terms are negotiable, lease agreements generally last one to five years. You may not be able to stay in your home indefinitely.
Rentback doesn’t clearly list fees or requirements

Its website has limited information, and there’s no direct phone number for customer service. Ensure you understand all the terms, and ask every question you can think of if you decide to use the platform.
No phone number is listed on the website

While Rentback offers a way to call a representative once you complete the preliminary application, you can’t talk to someone immediately.

Rentback offers a nationwide service that allows homeowners to tap into their home equity without taking out loans and even prepay rent for up to three years.

But the service has downsides, including unclear fees and requirements.

For a more transparent experience, it may be worth exploring the best home sale-leaseback companies. Though more limited geographically, Truehold is more transparent and earns a higher LendEDU editorial rating of 4.8 out of 5.

Where is Truehold available?

Ohio: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Akron, Dayton
Missouri: St. Louis, Kansas City
Kentucky: Louisville, Lexington
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Indiana: Indianapolis
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
New Mexico: Albuquerque
North Carolina: Charlotte
Georgia: Atlanta
Tennessee: Nashville
Texas: Dallas

Is Rentback a reputable company?

Rentback is a reputable leaseback platform that acts as a broker to investors who want to buy property in your area. It partners with Spruce, HouseCanary, RentersWarehouse, and similar companies to help you close on your leaseback agreement.

But Rentback doesn’t have enough customer reviews online to paint a clear picture of what it’s like to use the service. If you’d prefer a platform with a stronger online presence, we think Truehold is your best bet if you’re in its service area.

Does Rentback have a customer service team?

Rentback’s team of leaseback specialists can help you navigate the transaction process, understand local markets, and make sure your priorities are met.

Once you get your initial no-obligation offer, you can speak with a specialist on the phone to get your questions answered. Rentback doesn’t disclose its phone number online, so you’ll need to fill out this initial application to get that information.

The two main ways to contact Rentback are:

Email [email protected]
Fill out Rentback’s contact form on its website

Rentback doesn’t have a live chat feature.

How to apply for a Rentback home sale-leaseback

The selling process through Rentback tends to move fast, and Rentback does most of the work. First, you’ll request a no-obligation offer. This takes just a few minutes on Rentback’s website.

You’ll need this information when you submit your initial offer request:

Address of the property you want to sell
How much you pay in HOA fees
How much you pay in annual property taxes
How much you owe on your home (if you have a mortgage)

After you submit your offer request, Rentback will estimate the fair market value of your property and act as a broker to investors who want to buy property in your area. You’ll get an offer letter via email a few days later.

Rentback will schedule a closing appointment after it matches you with an investment company. You’ll sign all the closing documents to transfer the ownership of your home to the new owner, and then you’ll begin renting your home.

No credit check or income screening is required to sell your home on Rentback and rent it back from the new owners. However, after your prepaid rental period is up, you may need to submit income verification and a credit check if you want to stay in your home.

How do other home equity products compare to Rentback?

Rentback provides an alternative way of tapping into home equity that differs from traditional home equity companies that offer home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), home equity loans, and reverse mortgages.

HELOCs and home equity loans involve additional debt, while Rentback allows you to stay in your home after you sell it without any new debt.

Rentback also differs from reverse mortgages, which allow you to borrow against your home equity and don’t require moving out. But reverse mortgages come with repayment obligations and interest payments.

FAQ

How long does it take to get funds from Rentback?

It can take as little as 10 days to close on a leaseback agreement and get funds from Rentback. But don’t count on this timeline. The most significant factor influencing how fast you get your funds is how soon you can get an offer you’re willing to accept.

Do you have to keep the home in a specific condition?

Rentback doesn’t disclose any home condition requirements on its website. Because the lease agreements are customizable, you can negotiate ahead of time who will handle repairs—you or the new owner. You can also negotiate lease terms, utilities, and other services.

Does Rentback inspect the home?

Rentback needs to know the full market value of your home, so you will likely need an inspection before closing. You can also negotiate your home’s sales price, rental lease agreement, repairs, and more before you close and sign your agreement.

Are there any tax implications for using Rentback?

You could face tax implications if you use Rentback. Even with a sale-leaseback agreement, you’re still selling your home. You may owe capital gains taxes on some profit from the sale regardless of whether you’re leasing it back from the buyer.

What happens if my home is damaged or destroyed during the term?

If your home is damaged or destroyed while you’re leasing it, the specific terms of your lease agreement will dictate what happens next. Generally, the property owner is responsible for repairing or rebuilding the home, and you will continue to make lease payments. Be sure to review your lease agreement terms to understand your rights and responsibilities.

How we rated Rentback

We designed LendEDU’s editorial rating system to help readers find companies that offer the best home sale-leasebacks. Our system awards higher ratings to companies with affordable solutions, positive customer reviews, and online transparency of benefits and terms.

We compared Rentback to several home sale-leaseback lenders, using hundreds of data points from company websites, public disclosures, customer reviews, and direct communication with company representatives. We weighted, scored, and combined each factor to produce a final editorial rating. This rating is expressed on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. Our take is represented in our rating, recapped below.

Product	Our rating
Rentback home sale-leaseback	3.6/5