Company Overview
About EasyKnock
EasyKnock was a New York City-based residential sale-leaseback fintech company — having raised $127 million in total venture funding over 9 rounds including a $28 million Series D led by Northwestern Mutual in February 2024 — that permanently closed in December 2024 following regulatory enforcement actions and consumer litigation. Founded in 2016 by CEO Jarred Kessler and Ben Black, EasyKnock pioneered the residential sale-leaseback model in the United States, allowing homeowners to sell their property to EasyKnock for immediate liquidity while remaining as tenants in their home — targeting homeowners seeking to access equity without moving, those facing potential foreclosure, or property owners seeking capital for investments.
Business Model & Competitive Advantage
EasyKnock's sale-leaseback model addressed the home equity liquidity gap for homeowners with substantial equity but limited monthly cash flow: traditional home equity extraction (HELOC, cash-out refinance) requires sufficient monthly income to qualify for the new debt obligation — excluding homeowners who are equity-rich but income-constrained (retired homeowners, self-employed individuals with variable income, homeowners with credit challenges). EasyKnock's model (purchasing the home at assessed value, providing the homeowner with the sale proceeds as immediate liquidity, and collecting a monthly lease payment that may be lower than a mortgage payment) accessed the equity without requiring traditional mortgage underwriting. The model's growth into acquisitions — Ribbon (May 2023), Onder (September 2023), Balance Homes (December 2023), and HomePace (May 2024) — attempted to expand the product offering across the real estate transaction stack.
Competitive Landscape 2025–2026
EasyKnock's closure in December 2024 came after state regulators and consumer advocates raised concerns about the sale-leaseback model's impact on vulnerable homeowners: consumer lawsuits were filed in Texas, Maryland, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, with attorneys general in Michigan and Massachusetts pursuing enforcement actions, alleging that the transaction terms — including purchase prices below market value, escalating rent structures, and complex buyback provisions — were predatory toward financially distressed homeowners. The NPR-documented enforcement actions, combined with challenging conditions for real estate and fintech companies with high capital requirements, led to EasyKnock's permanent cessation of operations in December 2024. EasyKnock's closure serves as a case study in regulatory compliance risk for innovative financial products targeting financially vulnerable consumers.
The EasyKnock Story
Founders
Company Timeline
Major milestones in EasyKnock's journey
Leadership Team
Meet the leaders behind EasyKnock
Jarred Kessler
Jarred Kessler founded EasyKnock in 2016 and served as CEO until the company's closure in December 2024. He previously served as Global Head of Equities at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and held positions at Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs, bringing deep financial markets expertise to residential real estate innovation.
Ben Black
Ben Black co-founded EasyKnock with Jarred Kessler in 2016, helping to pioneer the residential sale-leaseback model in the United States. Black played a key role in developing the company's product offerings and operational infrastructure.
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson was appointed to EasyKnock's Board of Directors in January 2024, bringing governance and strategic oversight during a challenging period for the company. His appointment came shortly before the company's final Series D funding round.
Open Positions
Reddit Discussions
Key Differentiators
Emerging Innovator
EasyKnock is an emerging player bringing innovative solutions to the Real Estate & Property Tech market.
Growth Stage
EasyKnock has achieved $127M in revenue, demonstrating strong product-market fit.
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