Unlock Home Equity without a Refinance or HELOC with Michael Gifford, Ep. 745

Michael Gifford is the CEO and co-founder of Splitero, a financial technology company helping homeowners unlock home equity without adding more debt or monthly payments. A longtime real estate investor and licensed broker, Michael has flipped hundreds of properties across the West Coast and now focuses on scalable solutions that solve the challenges of trapped equity for homeowners and investors alike.

Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.

Key Takeaways

• Splitero provides homeowners cash upfront—up to $500K—without monthly payments.

• Instead of debt, the product shares in a portion of the home’s future value.

• Qualification is simple: as low as a 500 FICO and minimal documentation.

• Investors can also benefit by unlocking equity from investment properties without disturbing low-rate mortgages.

• Consumer protection and transparency are central to making the product accessible and trustworthy.

Topics

From Fix-and-Flip to FinTech

• Michael started in 2009 buying foreclosures, scaling to 100+ transactions a year from San Diego to Seattle.

• Realized fix-and-flip was not scalable due to construction demands.

• Shifted focus to lending and eventually to building Splitero.

How Splitero Works

• Homeowners receive a lump sum of cash today in exchange for sharing a portion of their home’s future value.

• No monthly payments; repayment happens at maturity or sale.

• A homeowner protection cap ensures fair repayment limits.

Why It’s Different from Traditional Debt

• Unlike HELOCs or cash-out refinances, Splitero doesn’t require high credit scores, income documentation, or DTI ratios.

• Qualification is faster and simpler—just a driver’s license and mortgage statement.

• Works for both homeowners and investors with trapped equity.

Adoption Challenges and Consumer Education

• Biggest hurdle: awareness of a non-debt equity option.

• Splitero emphasizes education, disclosures, and licensed staff to explain the product.

• State-level work underway to provide additional guidelines and oversight.

📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.

Round of Insights

Failure that set Michael up for success: Buying a mid-construction deal where the developer walked away taught him invaluable lessons about risk and due diligence.

Digital or mobile resource: Using Siri voice commands to create notes and reminders while on the go.

Book recommendation: The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter.

Daily habit: Self-care—lifting, Peloton rides, or walking the dogs to clear mental blocks.

#1 insight for scaling a business: Hyperfocus on one or two goals across the organization to avoid distractions and accelerate growth.

Favorite restaurant in San Diego, CA: Taco Surf in Pacific Beach.

Next Steps

• Learn more at splitero.com

• Explore how Splitero can unlock home or investment property equity without monthly payments

• Follow Michael’s updates on LinkedIn for fintech and real estate insights

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