Frequently
asked questions
Sound too good to be true? Dig deeper into some of our most asked questions to better understand how Acre works for you.
FAQsFrequently
Have questions?
We’ve got answers.
General
More than 1 in 4 American homeowners sell within 5 years. People relocate, families grow, careers change. It’s challenging to break even, let alone make a profit, in that timeframe. Our model is purpose-built to provide a better financial outcome for shorter stays.
You choose a home that’s right for this chapter of your life, Acre buys it with cash, and you put in a 5% Value Share. You live in the home as your own and share in its appreciation, without a mortgage. Acre pays the closing costs, covers major systems like the roof and HVAC, and cashing out costs 2% instead of about 8% to sell.
At the end of your term, you can buy the home, extend, or cash out.
You find a home you love, along with your agent. Acre puts in a competitive cash offer to win the home on your behalf. You put in 5% of the home’s purchase price as the Value Share (see below). You live in the home as your own, with one monthly payment, and Acre takes care of major repairs like the roof and HVAC. You share in the home’s appreciation, and Acre pays the closing costs when you buy. At the end of your term, you can buy the home, cash out, extend, or move to another Acre home. If you decide to cash out, you don’t deal with seller logistics: no repairs, no staging, no showings, just hand Acre the keys.
Your Value Share is the 5% of the purchase price you put in up front. It’s how you share in the home’s appreciation without taking on a mortgage.
You get your Value Share back, plus your share of any appreciation. When you cash out, it goes back into your bank account. If you buy the home, it counts toward the purchase. If you move to another Acre home, it moves with you.
If the home’s value falls, you take only a tiny fraction of the loss: if a $500,000 home drops $50,000, you’d lose $2,500, with either Saver or Boost (5% of the depreciation).
If you expect to move within a few years, the costs of buying and selling with a mortgage can make it hard to break even. Acre is built for stays of 3 to 5 years. Acre pays the closing costs, cashing out costs 2% instead of about 8% to sell, and Acre covers major repairs. You share in the home’s appreciation and are protected if its value falls. Try your own numbers in our calculator.
Acre Saver provides a lower monthly payment, about 10% lower compared to a mortgage (30-yr fixed), and you get 10% of the home’s appreciation. It also protects you if the home’s value falls. On a $500,000 home, you save about $356 a month: $12,800 over 3 years, or about $13,600 if those savings earn a conservative 4% a year.
If the value rises by $50,000, you get $5,000.
If the value drops by $50,000, you lose $2,500 with Acre. With a mortgage, you’d lose it all.
Acre Boost provides you 50% of the home’s appreciation with a payment similar to a mortgage (30-year fixed). It also protects you if the home’s value falls.
If the value rises by $50,000, you get $25,000. If the value drops by $50,000, you lose $2,500 with Acre. With a mortgage, you’d lose it all.
Buying
Because you and Acre share in the home’s appreciation, we both want a home that’s likely to hold its value and sell easily when you move. So before buying, Acre looks at things like location, condition and price, which means not every home is a fit. Here’s what makes an Acre Certified home.
You can browse Acre Certified homes, at acrehomes.com/homes. Found one somewhere else? Send a link to the listing (from Zillow, Redfin or anywhere) to support@acrehomes.com, and we’ll let you know quickly.
No. Unlike a mortgage or a rent-to-own program, Acre doesn’t apply any of the monthly payment towards purchasing more of the home. Instead, Acre is structured to give residents the choice of a greater share of the overall appreciation or a lower monthly payment.
Yes, Acre will gladly work with your existing real estate agent or work with you to find the right agent if you don’t have one. Acre partners with experienced real estate agents who help ensure that the offers are as competitive as possible. Agents who work with Acre get full commission as in a standard home purchase.
Acre buys the home with cash and structures the offer to win it at the best price, because a better price means more appreciation for you. You can go from meeting Acre to being under contract in as little as 3 days.
Get approved We review your income, assets and credit to set your maximum approval amount. You link your bank account securely through Plaid, and our credit check is a soft pull, which doesn’t affect your credit score.
Find your home Browse Acre Certified homes or submit your own. Work with your realtor, or we’ll refer you to one of our Acre Agent Partners.
Make your offer Complete a few short steps, including a 1% offer deposit that counts toward your Value Share. Acre then works with you and your realtor to submit the offer.
You live in the home as your own, share in its appreciation, and can buy it at the end of your term. Acre holds the title, so there’s no mortgage in your name. Your Home Residency Agreement and Value Share Agreement give you these rights, and your option to buy the home is recorded with the county.
Yes. You have the option to purchase the home at the end of your term at its current market value or the original purchase price, whichever is higher. Your Value Share counts toward the purchase, and you pay no transaction fees to Acre. As with any purchase, you’ll pay the usual closing costs and any mortgage fees.
Living
The standard term is three years. During the term, your base payment is fixed. Once a year, Acre adjusts your payment in response to increases in property taxes, insurance, and HOA. Acre passes through direct cost changes only.
Acre charges an early exit fee if you leave before the end of the term. The fee steps down each year and is a percentage of the home’s value: 5% in year 1, 4% in year 2, and 3% in year 3. As a comparison, you’ll pay 8%+ for a traditional sale, regardless of timing, including repairs, staging costs, agent fees, and sales closing costs.
At the end of your term, you can extend up to two times, a year at a time, for up to 5 years total. Acre will adjust your monthly payment at each extension to account for changes in the market.
When your term ends, you can buy the home and pay zero transaction fees to Acre, or cash out and get your Value Share, plus your share of any appreciation, back in your bank account. Cashing out costs 2% of the home’s value. Buying becomes available at the end of year 3.
Acre covers major systems, like replacing the roof or HVAC. These are large, unexpected costs that can outweigh your upside over a few years. For example, Acre recently replaced a resident’s malfunctioning HVAC system for $9,000+, even though it was relatively new. You handle day-to-day upkeep, like fixing a leaky faucet or changing air filters.
You are responsible for selecting and paying for your utilities and services including power, water, internet, etc. We’ll provide you the names and phone numbers for the providers that service your area.
You’re welcome to upgrade the home and make it your own. Acre residents have repainted inside and out, put in landscaping, run a gas line to replace an electric stove, and more. Acre is happy to advise on whether a project is likely to add to the home’s value. Acre will review larger projects that involve structural changes or require permits.
Making a move
Acre enables you to share in the home’s appreciation, while maintaining flexibility to move. At the end of your term, you will have several options, which include extending your term, purchasing the home outright from Acre, transferring your value share to another Acre-certified home, or leaving the Acre network by “cashing out” and redeeming your value share.
Yes! You can transfer to another Acre-certified home as you upgrade, downsize, or move to another area. You can select from Acre’s available homes, or purchase another home with Acre.
Your value share payment will be adjusted to account for any appreciation or depreciation of the home’s value since you joined the Acre Program, subject to any termination fees.
Company
Our founders each experienced the pain of trying to break even on a mortgage, like 1 in 4 Americans who buy and sell within 5 years. We built Acre so a shorter stay can still leave you better off financially.
We’re based in Durham, North Carolina, and we opened Raleigh-Durham as our first market in 2022. Today we also serve Charlotte, Atlanta, and Greensboro-Winston-Salem.
Meet our co-founders on our company page.
When residents succeed, Acre succeeds. We earn revenue through monthly resident payments and Acre’s share of the home’s appreciation. When your home appreciates, Acre does well too, so our interests are aligned around choosing great homes, putting in disciplined offers, evaluating the condition of the homes, taking good care of each home together, and ensuring an excellent resident experience.
Visit www.acrehomes.com/book to meet with an Acre representative or reach out with any additional questions at support@acrehomes.com.
In the press
“"[Acre resident Eddie] put 5% down upfront and makes a monthly payment to Acre, comparable to what he would have paid for a mortgage. But he saved about $100,000 that he could instead invest in advertising, staff, and software for his business."”
MarketplacePublic Radio
“"I’m not sure about where my final destination will be. Or what my forever home looks like. It’s a nice way to get my feet wet without the full commitment of having to resell.” Acre resident Desirae Lewis”
The News & Observer
“Acre allows customers to benefit from the home’s appreciation without needing to sell the home to realize that appreciation — with all the accompanying costs and risks of selling — saving thousands compared to a traditional mortgage.”
GrepBeat
Your home, your way
Love to garden but hate to mow? Acre can connect you with trusted local providers to provide a full suite of optional home care services.
From house cleaning to lawn care, delegate as much or as little as you like, saving time and money in the process.