Updated
Jun 02, 2023 A home equity sharing agreement is one way to access your home equity. Unlike other equity products, these come with no debt or monthly payment. Instead, you sell a share of your future equity and get a lump-sum payment upfront.
Several companies offer home equity sharing agreements, including Unison and Noah. Use this guide to compare Unison vs. Noah on eligibility requirements, availability, investment amounts, and more, and see which one could be right for your goals as a homeowner.
In this comparison:
- Unison vs. Noah: At a glance
- Does Unison or Noah have better reviews and ratings?
- Is a home equity investment from Unison or Noah more accessible?
- Scenarios in which Unison or Noah is better than the other
- Which company is our choice between Unison and Noah?
Unison vs. Noah: At a glance
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Min. credit score | 620 | 580 |
| Investment amount | $30,000 – $500,000 | $30,000 – $500,000 |
| Term length | 30 years | 10 years |
| State availability | AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, WA, WI, and DC | CA, CO, MA, NJ, NY, OR, UT, VA, WA, and DC |
About Unison
Unison is a home equity sharing agreement company, meaning it shares in both the risk and the reward of your home. The company will purchase a share of your home’s future equity and give you a lump-sum payment in return. You can use those funds however you wish.
Once the term ends (in 30 years), you’ll need to buy out Unison’s share at the home’s current market value or sell your home and repay the company out of the proceeds.
Unison is one of the more widely available equity sharing companies on the market and is available in nearly 30 states. See our full Unison review for more details.
About Noah
Noah’s approach is similar. You sell the company a share of your home’s equity and get cash to use however you’d like. Ten years later, you’ll need to buy out Noah’s share of your equity or sell or refinance your house.
Noah also offers down payment assistance and was formerly known as Patch Homes (the company rebranded in 2020). Learn more in our Noah review.
Does Unison or Noah have better reviews and ratings?
A great way to gauge a company’s customer service is to look at online reviews and ratings. See below to compare Noah vs. Unison across various review sites.
| Rating Source | Unison | Noah |
| Trustpilot | 4.2/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Better Business Bureau | 1.9/5 | 3.67/5 |
| LendEDU | 4.7/5 | 4.3/5 |
Noah has higher ratings than Unison on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau, but take that last one with a grain of salt (only three customers have reviewed the company on BBB). On Trustpilot, though, it has 179 reviews, and 88% of those say their experience with Noah was either “excellent” or “great.” Customers note the company’s easy application process, its availability, helpful customer service reps, and speed.
Unison has largely average scores, though its Trustpilot rating has decreased quite a bit recently. More than a quarter of customers said their experience was “poor” or “bad,” while 72% called it “great” or “excellent.”
On BBB, Unison has a 3.49 out of 5 across 42 reviews. A whopping 48 complaints have been filed against the company in the last three years—half of those in the past 12 months alone. The complaints are wide-ranging, but many mention aggressive advertising efforts and misleading marketing.
Is a home equity investment from Unison or Noah more accessible?
Checking reviews and ratings is only the first step. To make sure you choose the best home equity sharing company for your needs, you also need to compare eligibility requirements and geographic availability, as every company operates in different states.
When comparing Unison vs. Noah, the two have the same maximum investment, but differ in locales, credit score minimums, and more. Use the below table to see how the two measure up.
| Unison | Noah | |
| State availability | AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, WA, WI, and DC | CA, CO, MA, NJ, NY, OR, UT, VA, WA, and DC |
| Min. credit score | 620 | 580 |
| Max. LTV | 70% | 85% |
| Type of home | Typically owner-occupied, primary residences, including single-family homes, townhouses, and condos Occasionally second homes are allowed | Single-family homes, most condominiums and townhomes, second homes, rental properties, some tenancy in common properties No co-ops or homes on more than an acre |
| Investment amount | $30,000 – $500,000 | $30,000 – $500,000 |
| Term length | 30 years | 10 years |
| Fees | 3.9% transaction fee, appraisal costs, and third-party settlement costs | 3% transaction fee, appraisal costs, and third-party settlement costs |
| See if you qualify | Click here | Click here |
The best home equity sharing company will depend on where you’re located and your property type and timelines. Geographically speaking, Unison is much more widely available. It also gives you up to 30 years to buy your equity back.
Noah, on the other hand, allows for lower credit scores and is more flexible on property types. The buyout timeline is much shorter, though, and you’ll need to settle up with Noah just 10 years after the agreement is signed.
Scenarios in which Unison or Noah is better than the other
If you still can’t decide whether Unison or Noah is the best fit for your needs, we’ve broken out a few scenarios when one company is a better fit than the other.
See if your unique situation is below and, if so, which company we recommend to help.
- You have a low credit score
- You want a longer term
- You have a rental or investment property
- You’re not in CA, CO, MA, NJ, NY, OR, UT, VA, WA, or DC: Unison
- You don’t have a ton of equity
- You think you might sell your house soon
You have a low credit score: Noah
If your credit score is on the lower end, you’re likely best served by Noah. The company allows for credit scores as low as 580, while Unison requires a higher minimum score of 620.
You want a longer term: Unison
Don’t want to buy back your equity any time soon? Then Unison is probably your best choice. While Noah requires buyout within just 10 years, Unison’s timeline is three times that, giving you a full 30 years to buy out its share.
You have a rental or investment property: Noah
Noah co-invests in a variety of property types, including second homes, rentals, and investment properties. Though Unison says it will sometimes back second houses, it’s not the norm, and the company prefers to invest mainly in owner-occupied properties.
You’re not in CA, CO, MA, NJ, NY, OR, UT, VA, WA, or DC: Unison
Noah is only available in eight states, plus Washington, DC. So if you’re outside of these areas, Unison is your only choice. You can also look to our home equity sharing companies guide for more options.
You don’t have a ton of equity: Noah
With Unison, the maximum loan-to-value ratio is 70%, meaning you need to retain at least 30% equity in your property. Noah, on the other hand, allows LTVs up to 85% (15% equity).
You think you might sell your house soon: Noah
Unison’s home equity sharing agreements come with a five-year restriction period. While you can technically sell your home during that time frame, Unison won’t share in any losses if your home has depreciated in value. In this case, you’d simply need to pay back the company its full investment amount.
Noah has no restrictions like this and will share in the depreciation (or appreciation) no matter when you sell your house.
Which company is our choice between Unison and Noah?
An evaluation of our home equity investment partners resulted in Unison being the highest-rated company, making it our choice between Unison and Noah. On a scale of 0 to 5, Unison received a 4.7, while Noah received a 4.3.
Additionally, Noah has currently stopped accepting any new applications at this time. So, homeowners interested in one of these two companies will need to go with Unison for any immediate financing needs.