Equity is a key part of startup culture. It creates ownership among employees; giving them the motivation to really become invested in the company. If their income depends on the company's outcome, they are much more likely not just to work harder, but to create a more energetic atmosphere within the business.
Originally intended to protect families from losing their farms, homestead laws now apply to homes, condos and residential cooperatives. Nevada's homestead law calls for an automatic exemption that protects equity in a home up to $550,000.
Recording a Declaration of Homestead protects your principal residence up to the statutory maximum. For example, if the value of your home is $645,000 and you have a first mortgage of $485,000 plus a second mortgage of $10,000, the equity is $150,000.
A company provides you with a lump sum in exchange for partial ownership of your home, and/or a share of its future appreciation. You don't make monthly repayments of principal or interest; instead, you settle up when you sell the home or at the end of a multi-year agreement period (typically between 10 and 30 years).
Home equity sharing may also be wise if you don't want extra debt reflected on your credit profile. "These agreements allow homeowners to access their home equity without incurring additional debt," says Michael Crute, a real estate agent and operations strategist with Keller Williams in Atlanta.
Unlike HELs and HELOCs, home equity agreements aren't loans. That means there are no monthly payments or interest charges..