Our Leg Up is an Australian marketplace that lets homeowners pledge a portion of their existing mortgage equity to earn a passive 3%‑4% annual return without refinancing. The aggregated equity is supplied to partner banks to fund aspiring buyers who lack a 20% deposit, enabling them to purchase homes sooner. Investors can estimate their potential income online and track returns through a digital portal.
Funding
$385.6K raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Many Australian homeowners have untapped home equity that sits idle, while prospective buyers struggle to secure a deposit of 20% or more, limiting homeownership opportunities. This creates a mismatch where equity could be leveraged to support new buyers but traditional financing requires refinancing or cash outlays.
Solution
Our Leg Up provides a marketplace that connects homeowners willing to pledge a portion of their existing mortgage equity with aspiring homebuyers who need additional deposit funding. Homeowners receive a passive 3%‑4% annual return on the pledged equity without refinancing, taking on no additional debt or cash outlay. The pledged equity is aggregated and supplied to partner banks, which then extend loans to qualified buyers. Returns are calculated monthly and paid out quarterly, and investors can monitor their contributions through an online portal. By channeling existing equity into new home purchases, the platform aims to improve financial security for both parties while supporting broader housing affordability.
Target Audience
Primary customers are Australian homeowners with at least $250,000 of available equity who seek passive income, and prospective homebuyers with deposits under 20% who need additional funding to purchase a property.
Features
- Online eligibility and equity estimation tool that calculates available equity and projected income based on property address and mortgage balance
- Aggregation of multiple homeowners' equity pledges to meet funding requirements for individual homebuyers
- Partnership with banks to securely channel pledged equity into mortgage financing without requiring homeowners to refinance
- Quarterly distribution of passive income to investors, with monthly return calculations
- Digital onboarding and documentation workflow for investors to track pledges and performance