EXP Ready - $50,000 To Get Your Home

Ready To Sell

Here's a problem I run into all the time with sellers on Oahu: the house would show beautifully with a little work, paint, flooring, a deep clean, some staging, maybe a repair the inspector is going to flag anyway, but the cash to do that work is tied up in the house they're about to sell. So the home goes on the market tired, sits longer, and draws lower offers than it should have. eXp Ready is built to solve exactly that.

Because I'm with eXp Realty, my sellers can access eXp Ready™, a pre-listing line of credit of up to $50,000 to get a home ready to sell, with nothing due until the home closes. It's a real financing program, not a gimmick, so I want to walk you through how it actually works, including the parts that cost money, so you can decide if it makes sense for your sale.

What eXp Ready actually is

eXp Ready is a program eXp Realty offers through a company called Notable, which is the actual lender. Eligible sellers can draw up to $50,000 to pay for the work that gets a home market-ready. You only borrow what you use, there are no monthly payments, and the balance is typically repaid out of your sale proceeds when the home closes. You pick your own contractors, stagers, and vendors. My team's role is to bring the program to the table, help you figure out which improvements are actually worth doing, and manage the sale.

To be clear about who does what: Notable makes the loan and sets the terms, and I'm your real estate broker, not your lender. That separation matters, and I'd rather you hear it from me up front.

Why getting a home ready matters here

On Oahu, where a well-prepped home and a neglected one can be the same floor plan two doors apart, presentation moves the number. eXp and Notable cite a few industry figures worth knowing: that around 94% of buyers are looking for move-in-ready homes, that staged homes spend meaningfully less time on the market, and that staging can lift the sale price. Those are general market statistics, results vary and nobody can guarantee them, but they line up with what I see on listings every month. A home that photographs well and shows well on the first weekend almost always does better than one that goes up before it's ready.

What you can use the funds for

eXp Ready is meant for the work that prepares a home for sale, including:

Staging and furniture rental
Fresh interior and exterior paint
New flooring
Landscaping and yard cleanup
Deep cleaning and decluttering
Repairs and updates, including HVAC and electrical work
Professional photography
Moving and storage

How it works, step by step

The order I recommend is simple. First, we sit down for a listing consult and decide together which improvements will actually return their cost on your specific home. There's no point spending the full $50,000 if $12,000 of targeted work gets you there. Second, you apply directly with Notable at the eXp Ready site. The application takes a few minutes and uses a soft credit check, so it won't affect your credit score to see what you qualify for. Third, if you're approved, funds can be available quickly and you draw only what you need as the work gets done. Finally, the amount you borrowed, plus interest and fees, is repaid from your proceeds when the home sells.

The honest fine print

This is the part I won't gloss over, because it's a loan and you deserve the real numbers:

Interest applies. Notable charges fixed interest, starting around 0.75% per month (roughly 8.99% APR) and varying based on your credit. This is not free money and it's not a grant.
There's an origination fee. A $499 origination fee is charged only if you actually draw funds. If you're approved but don't use it, you're not paying for it.
Repayment is usually at closing, but not only at closing. You repay from sale proceeds with no monthly payments, but under Notable's loan terms the balance can come due earlier, including roughly twelve months after the loan starts or on certain other events. If your home takes a long time to sell, that matters.
Approval isn't guaranteed. Notable's published criteria generally include a credit score of about 680 or higher, that you own the home or have authority to act for the owner, generally at least 20% equity (10% in some cases), a signed listing agreement, and a list price under $4 million. All loans are subject to the lender's underwriting and approval.
Availability and exact terms are set by the lender. This is a newer program, so before we lean on it for your sale I'll help you confirm current eligibility and terms for a Hawaii property directly with Notable. Final terms are governed by your loan agreement with the lender.

None of this is financial or lending advice, and I'm not the one approving or pricing the loan. For the specifics of your situation, you'll want to review Notable's terms and talk with the lender, and I'm glad to sit in on that conversation.

Why do this with our team

A line of credit is only as useful as the plan behind it. The value isn't the $50,000, it's knowing which $50,000, or which $15,000, of work actually moves your sale price on your street, in your building, at this point in the market. That's the part I've spent 20+ years learning on Oahu. My team and I will tell you honestly when a home is ready to go as-is and doesn't need the program at all, and when a focused investment up front is likely to come back to you at closing. Either way, you get a straight answer, not a sales pitch.

eXp Ready FAQ

Is eXp Ready free?

No, and I'd be doing you a disservice to call it that. It's a line of credit through a lender called Notable. You pay interest on what you draw, plus a $499 fee if you use it. What's different is the timing: there are no monthly payments and you typically repay it out of your proceeds when the home sells.

Do I have to pay anything out of pocket before closing?

Generally no. The whole point is that the costs wait until the home closes. Just keep in mind the balance can come due earlier under the loan terms, for example if the home hasn't sold in about a year, so this works best when we're confident in the plan to sell.

Will applying hurt my credit?

Checking what you qualify for uses a soft credit inquiry, which doesn't affect your score. You apply directly with Notable, not through me.

How much can I actually get?

Up to $50,000, but your approved limit depends mostly on your home equity and your credit. Plenty of sellers don't need anywhere near the full amount. I'd rather scope the right number for your home than max it out.

Is this available for my Hawaii home?

The program is offered to eXp sellers broadly, but it's new and the lender sets availability and terms. Before we build your sale around it, I'll help you confirm current eligibility for your specific Hawaii property with Notable. Honest answer: let's verify it for your address rather than assume.

What if my home is already in great shape?

Then you may not need eXp Ready at all, and I'll tell you so. It's a tool for homes that need prep to hit their best number, not something every seller should use.

Thinking about selling? Let's talk first.

The right first step isn't an application, it's a conversation. Let's walk your home, figure out what it needs to sell for the most, and decide together whether eXp Ready belongs in the plan. A good place to start is to find out what your Oahu home is worth today, then reach out through my contact page to set up a listing consult. You can also browse Oahu communities while you're thinking it through. When you're ready, I'll walk you through eXp Ready and the application myself.

Tony Kawaguchi, R(B), is the broker behind The Kawaguchi Group at eXp Realty in Honolulu (Hawaii license RB-21841). With 20+ years in Oahu real estate, 20+ agents on the team, and $1B+ in career sales, Tony and his team specialize in East Honolulu, luxury and oceanfront homes, military and PCS moves, and relocation from the mainland. eXp Ready™ is powered by Notable; loans are made by Notable Finance, LLC (NMLS #1824748) or its affiliated lender and are subject to credit approval and the terms of your loan agreement.