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Finding your home on OwnerFi feels more like discovery than searching. Instead of endless filters and overwhelming listings, you swipe through properties tailored to your budget and preferences—saving the ones that feel right and moving past the ones that don’t.
Think of this as the fun part. You’re exploring possibilities, not committing to anything. Swipe freely, save liberally, and refine as you go.

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Step 1: Set Your Budget (The Most Important Filter)

Before you swipe a single property, take 60 seconds to set your real budget. This isn’t about what you wish you could afford—it’s about what feels comfortable month to month.
1

Log In or Create Your Account

Head to your OwnerFi dashboard. If you haven’t created an account yet, sign up (it’s free) so you can save properties and track your preferences.
2

Open Budget Settings

Navigate to Settings > Budget Preferences or look for the “Set My Budget” prompt on the homepage.
3

Enter Your Monthly Payment Comfort Zone

What’s the maximum you’re comfortable paying each month for your mortgage? Be honest—this includes principal and interest, but remember: taxes, insurance, and HOA are usually separate.
4

Enter Your Down Payment Range

How much cash can you realistically put down? This might be 5%, 10%, 15%, or more. The bigger your down payment, the lower your monthly payment and the more attractive you are to sellers.

Why This Matters

Setting your budget first means you only see homes you can actually afford. No more falling in love with a 400khousewhenyourrealmaxis400k house when your real max is 250k.

You Can Change It Anytime

Your budget isn’t locked. Changed your down payment? Got a raise? Reset your budget in seconds and watch the listings update.
Pro tip: Leave a little breathing room in your monthly payment budget. Life happens—car repairs, medical bills, vet visits. Don’t max out your budget to the last dollar.

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Step 2: Configure Your Property Preferences

Now that your budget is set, fine-tune what kind of home you’re looking for.

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Available Filters:

  • State & City: Focus on specific metros or expand nationwide
  • Neighborhood: Drill into specific zip codes or areas
  • Commute Distance: Filter by proximity to work or schools (if supported)
  • Single-family homes
  • Townhomes
  • Condos
  • Multi-family (duplexes, triplexes)
  • Number of bedrooms (2+, 3+, 4+)
  • Number of bathrooms (1+, 2+, 3+)
  • Square footage range
  • Seller financing
  • Subject-to
  • Contract for deed
  • Lease-to-own
  • Flexible (show me everything)
Even with monthly budget set, you can add a hard cap on total purchase price if you have a specific limit.
Start broad, then narrow down. You can always add filters later, but starting too narrow might hide great options you hadn’t considered.

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Step 3: Start Swiping

This is where it gets fun. OwnerFi’s swipe interface shows you one property at a time so you can focus, not feel overwhelmed.

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How Swiping Works:

1

See the Property Card

Each card shows the home’s primary photo, address, price, estimated monthly payment (based on your budget settings), bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage.
2

Swipe Right (or Tap ❤️) to Save

If you like it, swipe right or tap the heart icon. The property is saved to your Favorites list for later review.
3

Swipe Left (or Tap ✖️) to Pass

Not your style? Swipe left or tap the X. It’s gone—no clutter, no judgment.
4

Tap the Property for Full Details

Want to see more photos, exact terms, neighborhood info, or seller notes? Tap the card to open the full property page.

Speed Mode

Swipe quickly through dozens of properties based on photos and price. Perfect for first-pass exploration.

Deep Dive Mode

Tap each card to see full photo galleries, seller notes, financing details, and estimated payment breakdowns.
Your swiping history is saved. You can always go back to your Passed list if you change your mind about a property.

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Step 4: Save Your Favorites

Every property you swipe right on lands in your Favorites list—a personal collection you can review, organize, and share.

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What You Can Do With Favorites:

Open multiple favorites at once to compare price, terms, location, and features. Perfect for narrowing down your top 3–5 contenders.
Jot down thoughts: “Love the kitchen but needs new roof” or “Great for kids—near schools.” Your notes stay private and help you remember why you saved it.
Star or flag your top picks. Some users create mental tiers: “Must See,” “Maybe,” and “Backup Options.”
Changed your mind? Remove properties from Favorites with one tap. No commitment, no pressure.
Save more than you think you need early on. It’s easier to narrow down from 20 favorites than to go back and hunt for “that one house I saw yesterday.”

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Step 5: Generate & Share Payment Estimates

OwnerFi’s Estimate Tool helps you see exactly what each home would cost per month based on different down payment and term scenarios.

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How Estimates Work:

1

Open a Property

From your Favorites or the main swipe feed, tap a property card to open the full details page.
2

Tap 'View Payment Estimate'

This opens an interactive calculator showing estimated monthly payment based on the property price, your saved down payment preference, and estimated interest rate.
3

Adjust Variables

Play with the sliders:
  • Down Payment: See how a bigger or smaller down changes your monthly cost
  • Interest Rate: Adjust if the seller has indicated a specific rate
  • Loan Term: Compare 15-year vs. 30-year scenarios
4

Save the Estimate

Lock in your preferred scenario and save it to the property. Perfect for comparing apples-to-apples across multiple homes.

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What’s Included in the Estimate:

The estimates are starting points, not guarantees. Always confirm actual terms, interest rates, and fees directly with the seller before making an offer.

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Step 6: Share Estimates With Co-Buyers or Advisors

Buying a home is rarely a solo decision. OwnerFi makes it easy to share your favorites and estimates with partners, family, or trusted advisors.

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Sharing Options:

1

Select Properties to Share

From your Favorites list, check the properties you want to share (or share your entire list).
2

Generate a Shareable Link

Tap Share and OwnerFi creates a unique, private link. Anyone with the link can view the properties and your saved estimates—no login required.
3

Send via Text, Email, or Messaging App

Copy the link and send it however you prefer: text, email, WhatsApp, Slack, etc.
4

Collaborate in Real-Time

Your co-buyer can add their own notes, adjust estimates, and flag their top picks. Perfect for couples, business partners, or family decisions.

Share With Your Partner

Let your spouse or co-buyer review properties on their own time and mark their favorites.

Share With Your Agent or Attorney

Get professional feedback on your shortlist before reaching out to sellers.

Share With Family

Sometimes parents, siblings, or close friends want to weigh in—share the link and get their input.
The shareable link is view-only by default. Your original Favorites list stays private unless you specifically share it.

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Step 7: Reset or Refine Your Preferences Anytime

Your situation might change as you search. Maybe you get a raise, save more for a down payment, or decide to expand your search to a new city.

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How to Reset or Refine:

Go to Settings > Budget Preferences and update your monthly payment max or down payment amount. The feed updates instantly to match your new budget.
Tap Filters at the top of the swipe feed and adjust location, bedroom count, property type, or financing structure. Saved favorites stay untouched.
Want to clear your Passed history and see properties again? Tap Reset Swiping History in Settings. Your Favorites stay saved.
Starting completely over? Clear all Favorites, reset budget, and start swiping from scratch. Use this if your search criteria fundamentally change.
Don’t be afraid to reset and explore. Swiping is free, fast, and flexible—there’s no penalty for changing your mind or trying a different approach.

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Pro Tips for Power Users

Want to maximize your search? Here’s how the most successful OwnerFi users find their homes:

Swipe Daily

New properties are added regularly. Spend 5–10 minutes a day swiping to catch fresh listings before they’re snatched up.

Save More Than You Think

Save 15–20 properties early on, then narrow down to your top 5. It’s easier to eliminate than to remember “that one house.”

Use Notes Religiously

Write quick thoughts on each favorite: “Great yard,” “Needs new HVAC,” “Close to work.” Future-you will thank you.

Compare Estimates Side-by-Side

Open 3–4 favorites, generate estimates for each, and compare monthly costs. Sometimes a slightly more expensive home has lower taxes or no HOA, making it cheaper overall.

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What Happens After You Find “The One”?

Once you’ve narrowed down your favorites to 1–3 serious contenders, it’s time to move from browsing to action.
1

Contact the Seller or Agent

Tap Contact on the property page to send your interest. Share your down payment readiness, estimated move-in timeline, and any questions.
2

Request More Details

Ask about exact financing terms, property condition, inspection history, and seller flexibility on price or terms.
3

Bring in Professionals

Share your top picks with a real estate attorney, agent, or financial advisor. Get their take on the deal before you move forward.
4

Make an Offer

Once you’re confident, submit a written offer. Your agent or attorney can help draft it, and OwnerFi connects you directly to the seller for negotiation.
OwnerFi helps you find and explore—but the deal happens between you and the seller. Always verify terms, inspect the property, and involve professionals before signing anything.

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Quick Reference: Swiping & Saving Workflow

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Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper into the buying process?
Support: Having trouble with swiping, saving, or sharing? Reach out to support@ownerfi.ai and we’ll walk you through it.