Sundae

What Sundae does

Sundae is a residential real estate marketplace founded in 2018 by Josh Stech (CEO) and Andrew Swain, headquartered in San Francisco and operating across 11 U.S. metro areas in six states (Alabama, California, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Utah). The platform connects homeowners selling properties in any condition — including dated, damaged, inherited, or distressed homes — with a network of 20,000+ property investors through a two-round competitive auction process. Sellers pay zero agent fees, commissions, or closing costs; investors pay transaction-based buyer premiums (including a $1,000 Admin Fee and $250/day late-closing penalty), which constitute Sundae's primary revenue stream. Each listing is packaged into a detailed Property Profile (photo gallery, 3D tour, video walkthrough, floorplan, inspection report, preliminary title report) and presented to investors, with the top three offers advancing to a final round. Sundae reports an average of 22+ offers per listing, closing timelines of 10-60 days, and over 8,000 sellers helped since inception.

Sundae's product surface extends beyond the core marketplace into adjacent revenue lines. Sundae Edge (launched 2022) is a paid premium membership for investors seeking expanded multi-market access. The Sundae Referral Network allows licensed real estate agents to refer hard-to-sell listings and earn a 2-3% commission. Sundae Funding, Inc., a wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary, provides financing to property investors on and off the marketplace, adding a lending revenue stream. A cash advance of up to $20,000 is offered to eligible sellers pre-closing. The company has built a partnership ecosystem including the Dr. Phil Show, Caring Transitions, Sunshine Retirement Living, and Clear Home Solutions to source motivated sellers through content, senior-transition, and moving-service channels. Total capital raised is $135 million, with the most recent round a $80 million Series C in July 2021 co-led by Fifth Wall and General Global Capital.

Name

Sundae

Legal name

Sundae, Inc.

Website

https://sundae.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sundae is a residential real estate marketplace connecting homeowners selling as-is properties with a network of 20,000+ property investors via a competitive auction, operating across 11 U.S. metros with zero seller fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Marketplace

NAICS

Title Abstract and Settlement Offices (541191)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Real Estate Auctions (BPAJAEAA)

Keywords

• Residential real estate marketplace
• As-is home sales
• Property investment platform
• Off-market real estate auction
• Distressed property sales

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Transaction-based Buyer Premiums: Sundae earns revenue primarily through transaction-based buyer premiums charged to property investors who purchase on the marketplace. This is the main revenue stream with no fees charged to sellers.
2. Investor Services: Additional services offered to property investors including title, escrow, and brokerage services that help streamline the purchase process.
3. Paid Subscriptions for Investors: Paid subscription services for property investors including the Sundae Edge premium program for expanded market access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sundae operates a residential real estate marketplace that connects homeowners selling as-is properties with a network of 20,000+ property investors through a competitive two-round auction process. Homeowners receive multiple cash offers without making repairs, paying agent fees, or staging their home, with closing timelines of 10–60 days. The company monetizes through transaction-based buyer premiums charged to investors, with no fees charged to sellers.

Product overview

Sundae operates as a unified real estate marketplace platform built around its core Sundae Marketplace, which connects homeowners selling as-is properties with a network of 20,000+ property investors through a competitive two-round auction process. The platform's main service offering is the Sundae Homeowner Service, which provides sellers with zero fees, no repairs required, and closing in 10–60 days, supported by a dedicated Market Expert, property profiling (photos, 3D tour, inspection), multiple investor offers, and a Closing Manager. Adjacent offerings include Sundae Edge (a premium investor membership with expanded market access), the Sundae Referral Network (enabling real estate agents to earn commissions by referring clients to the marketplace), and Sundae Funding (an investor lending product offered through Sundae's licensed subsidiary). An optional cash advance of up to $20,000 is available to eligible sellers before closing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sundae Marketplace
• Sundae Homeowner Service
• Sundae Referral Network
• Sundae Edge
• Sundae Funding
• Sundae Cash Advance

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 22+ offers per property listing on marketplace
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Dr. PhilflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 May 2022Dr. Phil and Sundae are teaming up to develop resources so homeowners can avoid stress and sell worry-free. Includes customer stories featured on the Dr. Phil show.
• Caring TransitionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSenior relocation and downsizing services partner serving Southwest Las Vegas area. Provides transition management for seniors selling homes.
• Clear Home SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMoving and transition services partner covering Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, and Northern Orange County in California.
• Sunshine Retirement LivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRetirement community operator with locations across 16 states including California and Texas. Partnership provides referral network for retiring homeowners.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Opendoor: Opendoor is the largest U.S. iBuyer, directly buying homes from sellers via algorithmic cash offers. It is a direct competitor in the residential as-is sale space, with broader geographic reach and balance-sheet capital versus Sundae's auction model.
• Offerpad: Offerpad is a leading iBuyer making direct cash offers on homes in 20+ markets. Like Sundae, it targets sellers who want to offload dated or distressed properties, and competes for the same motivated-seller audience.
• HomeVestors: HomeVestors operates the "We Buy Ugly Houses" franchise, purchasing distressed single-family homes directly from sellers nationwide. It targets the same dated/distressed seller segment as Sundae and is a direct comparable in the as-is residential purchase market.
• Knock: Knock provides a home trade-in platform offering cash offers and guaranteed backup on existing homes. It is directly comparable to Sundae in serving sellers who need certainty, speed, and an as-is path to sale.
• Ribbon: Ribbon provides cash-offer and concierge services that let sellers move before their existing home sells. It overlaps Sundae's value proposition of enabling quick, as-is sales through institutional cash buyers.
• Flyhomes: Flyhomes offers cash-buyout and "buy before you sell" services to homeowners. It competes with Sundae for sellers who want to skip showings and repairs and receive a guaranteed cash path.

Broad incumbents

• Redfin: Redfin is a national residential brokerage with a broad consumer platform and RedfinNow iBuyer arm. It competes indirectly with Sundae as a multi-channel home-selling destination and shares the same seller customer base.
• Zillow: Zillow is the largest U.S. residential real estate portal, previously the operator of Zillow Offers. It remains a broad incumbent in the seller-attraction funnel that Sundae competes against for motivated-seller attention.
• Compass: Compass is a national tech-enabled real estate brokerage serving buyers and sellers. It competes broadly for the same agent and seller relationships that Sundae targets through its Referral Network and marketplace model.

Emerging players

• Roofstock: Roofstock operates a marketplace for single-family rental investment properties. It is comparable on the investor-side of Sundae's two-sided marketplace, serving the same pool of property investors with off-market deal flow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SundaeHQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sundaehq
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7XoKRzlqEiZtQk4cE2Z3hw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SundaeHQ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors20 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sundae