Update note: Ribbon Home ceased original operations in 2022 but was acquired and revived by Hurst Lending in 2025. Ribbon’s original programs (Boost, Reserve, and Rescue) have been discontinued, and the company is now hosting new programs. This article has been updated to reflect the acquisition and Ribbon’s performance under new ownership.
If you’ve heard and Googled the name Ribbon Home, you may get conflicting answers about whether the company is still operational or not. Yes: Ribbon Home is again operational after being acquired by Hurst Lending in 2025.[1] Ribbon Home offers alternative financing for homebuyers.
The acquisition and revival of Ribbon have resulted in some significant changes. Ribbon’s original line or product offerings have been discontinued, and it is now offering new financing solutions for homebuyers.
This article will cover the major changes to Ribbon and talk about the history of the company leading up to its recent acquisition. We’ll also discuss its current programs and compare them to alternatives so you can decide whether Ribbon is right for you.
Who Ribbon Home works best for
Ribbon works best for people buying a home who are looking for alternative financing options in competitive property markets.
Ribbon’s main draw is that it offers cash loans instead of traditional financing, increasing the chances of sellers accepting a bid. In other words, they help you make a strong cash offer without having to liquidate your finances.[2]
“I've spoken with people looking to utilize these programs,” says Matt Schwartz, Mortgage Broker and Co-founder of VA Loan Network. “Ribbon with Hurst is essentially a lender-based boost to help get your offer accepted, making it feel cashlike or helping bridge the timing issue.”
You also have flexibility in the property type. Ribbon allows loans for single-family homes, townhouses, condos, and multi-family units.
Like anything, there are considerations to keep in mind.
“The curveballs, or issues that can arise, are carry costs, small fee costs, and inflexibility in timing,” says Schwartz, “which isn't as flexible as some buyers want, especially if the old home takes longer to sell or if there is an issue with the appraisal.”
You can use their loans for primary residences, secondary homes, and investment properties. Ribbon is currently available in 13 states, and it's expected to expand into more in the future.
What happened to the original Ribbon Home?
The original Ribbon Home was founded in 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina, by founders Shaival Shah and Wei Gan.
The original idea was for Ribbon to function as a “power buyer” that would back buyer offers with cash. Buyers could get a cash loan from Ribbon to buy a home outright without having to rely on traditional financing options.
Ribbon had an excellent start: Between 2019 and 2022, the company secured over $330 million in financing and extended operations to 11 states.[3] However, massive rate hikes in 2022 caused problems in the foundation of the enterprise.
When rates jumped from <4% to nearly 7%, deal volume slowed significantly and access to capital dried up. The company ended up laying off nearly 18% of its staff and retaining only ~30 employees before winding down operations.[4]
In 2023, the company was acquired by EasyKnock after industry-wide restructuring and consolidation. In 2025, Dallas-based Hurst Lending acquired Ribbon Home’s assets and homebuying technologies and began integrating its own offerings.[1]
In a low-rate market, Ribbon could hold its properties using its own capital if buyer financing fell through. When rates spiked in late 2022, this strategy became untenable, and deal volume collapsed. Hurst Lending has since significantly restructured Ribbon’s operations to fix these issues.
In-depth Ribbon Home review
While Ribbon hasn’t been back in operations long enough to collect a full set of data or customer sentiment around its products, here’s what we think of the latest iteration.
Service quality
Let’s start with the most important aspect: service quality.
Since its acquisition, Ribbon has changed its operations. In the past, Ribbon would hold the title to a property if financing fell through. It’s now a lender, complete with underwriting and access to capital through Hurst Lending. Like with other lenders, borrowers fully own their properties throughout the process.
Hurst Lending’s online presence indicates a reputable parent company, with a current 4.9/5.0 rating on Google Reviews. Customers praise the company’s professionalism and responsiveness, with particular emphasis on the company’s bridge loan offerings.
There is also a fair number of reviews from both first-time homebuyers and real estate investors, which is a good indicator of the flexibility of their financial products.
The company has also personally responded to many reviews, a good sign that it cares about and values their customers’ feedback and opinions.
Note: Because Ribbon’s acquisition and restructuring are relatively recent, third-party review data related to Ribbon’s new programs is relatively scarce.
Fees and costs
As with any lending institution, users have questions about the company’s fee structure.
As of 2026, Ribbons states on its website that its three primary homebuyer programs (Buy Before You Sell, Cash Offer Loan, and Just Missed Bridge Loans) cost a flat fee between 1% and 1.5% of the loan amount, excluding standard closing costs for loans originated with Ribbon.
The exact rate depends on the size of the loan, the complexity of the purchases, and the sales timeline.
To put those numbers in context, below are various competitor fees. These are different financial products, so the comparison is not direct, but enough to give you a lay of the land:
- Homeward: 7%
- Knock: 2.25% + ~$1,850 administrative fee
- Orchard: 1.9%–2.4% +3%
Ribbon doesn’t discuss its fee structure in much detail, but it states that fees include access to advisors, proof of funds letters, and close-ready packaging, in addition to customer support.
Contact Ribbon directly for more details.
Ribbon Home customer reviews
Finding customer reviews for Ribbon’s current operations is difficult. The vast majority of Trustpilot, Google, and the third-party reviews are from before the 2025 acquisition and so reflect perceptions of the old company.
However, it’s worth stating that Ribbon had a fairly favorable customer reception online during its previous incarnation.
Historical patterns indicate a high level of professionalism and communication with clients. Many reviews praised how Ribbon loans helped them win competitive bids and kept them informed at every step of the process.
In the relatively few negative reviews, common issues were backing out of deals mid-sale and unexpected fees. Of particular note was the company’s now-defunct Ribbon Reserve program, which many criticized for not clearly establishing payment obligations.
One way to gauge sentiment for Ribbon is to look at reviews for its parent company, Hurst Lending. Hurst has a solid online presence with high customer reviews. Hurst has a 4.9/5.0 rating from nearly 100 Google reviews.
Credibility
Ribbon’s new owner, Hurst Lending, is a credible figure in the real estate industry. The company was founded in 2006 in Dallas, Texas, and is currently licensed to operate in 13 states.
As an established institutional lender, Hurst provides Ribbon a level of credibility that the company didn’t have when it was a venture-backed start-up.
Ribbon now has access to much larger sources of funding and can utilize the significantly larger infrastructure that Hurst provides. The loan products are also subject to more financial regulation to protect consumers.
How does Ribbon Home work?
With Ribbon’s old model, the company would essentially buy the house and rent it back to you. The company's new model works more like a traditional lending institution.[2]
Ribbon offers financing options, but with more flexibility for non-traditional buyers. The ideal buyer using Ribbon is buying in a high-demand market and is worried about competing offers.
Ribbon currently has three primary loan options for prospective homebuyers. We’ll explain each in-depth below. They also have a wholesale program for mortgage brokers.
Buy Before You Sell
The Buy Before You Sell program provides a non-contingency bridge loan so you can buy your new home before selling your old one. Many traditional lenders have a sales contingency clause in funding, which will trigger if owners can’t sell the home in time.
Once you sell your old home, you pay back the bridge loan and transition to conventional financing for the remainder of the loan.[5]
Dominate with a Cash Offer Loan
Ribbon’s most distinctive offer is its Cash Offer Loan. These are loans designed to help buyers compete with cash-offer buyers in more competitive markets.
With their Cash Offer Loans, Hurst will underwrite the loan quickly so you can put out an offer fast, before the house gets scooped off the market. Cash Offer Loans can close in as little as 15 days and provide strength and security, preventing the deal from falling through.[6]
After buying, buyers can refinance to a long-term mortgage when they want.
Just Missed Bridge Loans
The Just Missed Bridge Loans are meant for borrowers who may not qualify for conventional loans due to credit or income issues.
Bridge loans also offer a way to finance a home without having to liquidate assets. These loans are short-term, with a standard term of between 8 and 12 months.[7]
Ribbon Home alternatives
Ribbon’s main competitors, Homeward, Knock, and Orchard, are companies focused on the niche of providing non-traditional options for financing home purchases.
Homeward
Homeward is an established company known for its clear upfront pricing. Some borrowers pay up to 7% under Homeward’s fee structure.
The trade-off is more pricing certainty, and the company is straightforward and transparent about its fees.
Knock
Knock offers specialty bridge loans for individuals who need to cover their previous mortgage during the transition.
Generally, Knock financing requires at least a 620 FICO credit score and at least 30% equity in your current home. Loan terms are short, typically six to 12 months.
Orchard
Orchard’s main draw is that it offers guaranteed pricing on your old property if it doesn’t sell within a specific timeframe.
However, Orchard is only available in a limited number of metropolitan areas around the country, so availability is considerably limited compared to other options.
| Customer Rating | Service Fee | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribbon | N/A (too new) | 1%–1.5% | Cash offers, bridge loan solutions and alternatives |
| Homeward | 4.4 | 7% | Cash upfront and listing homes |
| Knock | 4.9 | 2.25% + ~$1,850 fee | Tap your equity to buy, then sell |
| Orchard | 4.2 | 1.9%–2.4% + 3% fee | Equity advances to up or downsize |
Methodology
We’ve updated our evaluations of Ribbon Home in 2026 to reflect the company’s relaunch under Hurst Lending. Scores and analysis reflect the current operating company and programs, not the original 2017–2022 venture-backed model.
We base our evaluations on four core factors:
- Service quality: We look for indicators that companies are professional, communicative, and customer-focused.
- Fees: We assess how fees and other costs affect the company’s ranking in the competitive landscape.
- Customer reviews: We analyze customer reviews to assess general public sentiment about the company.
- Credibility: Factors like the company’s age, new coverage, social media presence, and availability of information show if a company is honest and transparent.