Knock's Lock and Shop Program Gives Homebuyers Certainty About What They'll Spend in Monthly Mortgage Payments

Home shoppers can lock in a rate for up to 120 days allowing them to find their dream home without worrying about rising interest rates

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Knock, which offers innovative home financing solutions that make homebuying certain, convenient and cost-effective, today announced the launch of Lock and Shop, a new program that empowers homebuyers to confidently shop for their dream home knowing that they've locked in a mortgage rate for up to four months.

Lock and Shop¹ was created to give homebuyers certainty in today's volatile rate environment, where mortgage rates have fluctuated by as much as 55 basis points² on a weekly basis since June, and now appear to be headed higher through the end of the year.

With Lock and Shop, buyers have the ability to lock in a mortgage rate for a period of 60, 75, 90 or 120 days depending on their purchase timeline. Should mortgage rates move lower by the time they are under contract on their new home, buyers may have the opportunity to float down their interest rate to capture some of the improvement.

"Buying a new home is stressful enough. With mortgage rates doubling since the start of the year and more rate increases expected as the Fed takes action to combat inflation, many homebuyers now have the added pressure of feeling as though they have to rush to close on a home before rates go even higher," said Knock Co-Founder and CEO Sean Black. "Knowing that they can make a competitive offer and they've secured a mortgage rate, Lock and Shop allows homebuyers to confidently shop for their dream home without feeling the pressure of today's volatile rate environment."

A qualifying homeowner who expects to buy a home in the next 60 days can utilize Knock's Lock and Shop program to lock in a 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgage through November at 6.5% (6.561% APR) with no costs. Locking in that same 6.5% rate for 120 days would cost $4,669 (6.692% APR), which would be paid at the time of closing. Without Lock and Shop, a 55-basis-point increase in mortgage rates over the same time period would increase a monthly mortgage payment by $128 or $46,000 in additional interest over the life of the loan. A 100-basis-point increase over the same period would increase the original monthly payment by $235 and the total interest paid by more than $84,600³.

Lock and Shop can be used with Knock's Home Swap^TM, the innovative home loan solution that empowers a homeowner to buy before they sell, and Knock GO^TM (Guaranteed Offer), which offers first-time buyers the ability to compete with cash offers at no cost.

Lock and Shop is Knock's latest offering to help buyers navigate the current housing market. In August, the company gave Home Swap customers the ability to leverage the product's interest-free equity advance loan to buy down their mortgage rate and increase their down payment to as much as 30% to lower their monthly mortgage payments. When combined with the Home Swap, customers can also use their equity advance loan to cover the cost of an extended rate lock through the Lock and Shop program.

Knock partners with more than 350 real estate brokerage firms with 120,000 agents in approximately 5,900 ZIP codes to bring its innovative home loan solutions to homebuyers nationwide on home purchases up to $3 million. Homebuyers and their agents can go to Knock.com to learn more and apply for a home loan.

¹Mortgage loans offered by Knock Lending LLC. NMLS 1958445. Equal Housing Lender. For licensing information go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org.

²FRED St. Louis Fed Economic Data

³Rates are subject to change at any time without notice. The examples provided are for a borrower purchasing a $500,000 single family home in Los Angeles County, Calif., with a 30% down payment and 740 FICO score. 

Knock is rewriting the rules of homeownership with mobile technology and innovative home financing solutions. Knock's flagship Home Swap™ product empowers consumers with a non-contingent offer on their phone to buy the home they want before selling the home they have, providing certainty knowing you've found your dream home and the convenience of not having to live through repairs or showings. Knock GO™ (Guaranteed Offer) is a cash-like home loan solution for first-time homebuyers looking to compete in today's hot housing market.

Launched in 2015 by founding team members of Trulia.com, Knock currently operates in 75 markets nationwide. Knock has raised $900 million in debt and equity from top-tier investors, including Foundry Group, Greycroft, RRE, Parker89 and The National Association of Realtors^®, giving NAR's 1.5 million members the ability to market Knock's homeownership solutions to their clients. For more information visit: knock.com.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Knock