EasyKnock says its sale-leaseback deals have helped hundreds of people improve their finances. An NPR investigation found some homeowners who enter into these deals lose tens of thousands of dollars and few buy their houses back. Sylvia Jarrus for NPR hide caption
Randee Noggle stands in front of her home in Taylor, Mich., on June 30, 2024. She sold the house to the sale-leaseback company EasyKnock, which announced Thursday it's going out of business. Sylvia Jarrus for NPR hide caption
A realty sign hangs in front of a home for sale in Orlando, Fla. Housing advocates say banks, stung by the housing crisis and its fallout, remain reluctant to lend. John Raoux/AP hide caption
A sign announces that a Los Angeles house is for sale in November. Richard Vogel/AP hide caption
JPMorgan Chase & Co. says it will pay a $4.5 billion settlement to investors over mortgage-backed securities. Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
In Graford, Texas, on Thursday: Longhorn cattle stood by as a wildfire burned in the distance. Tom Pennington/Getty Images hide caption