HOME

What HOME does

HOME, Inc. (legally Home Opportunities Made Easy, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1967 in Des Moines, Iowa, and is the city's oldest housing nonprofit. The organization addresses barriers to safe, stable, and affordable housing for low-to-moderate-income households through two integrated pillars: Property Development, where HOME, Inc. acts as general contractor to build and sell affordable homes to eligible first-time buyers, and Housing Counseling, where HUD-certified counselors deliver free, confidential one-on-one guidance to renters, landlords, homebuyers, and homeowners across Iowa. Supporting programs include monthly free homebuyer education classes, an $100 eHome online certification course, the Rentwise tenant rights class, landlord and property manager workshops, the forgivable-loan Metro Home Improvement Program, and the Hope for Stable Families rental-assistance and case-management program.

The underlying service model is built on HUD-certified housing counseling methodology and affordable housing development practices rather than proprietary technology. Most services are delivered free of charge, with revenue sourced from foundation grants (Principal Foundation, Wells Fargo, Iowa Total Care, Bankers Trust), corporate sponsorships (Central Bank as 2025 Visionary Sponsor), individual donations, government partnerships (City of Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa Finance Authority, HUD), the eHome course fee, and below-market sale of constructed homes. Distribution is direct to clients supplemented by referral channels from financial institution partners and community organizations, with property development geographically limited to the City of Des Moines while counseling extends statewide.

Name

HOME

Legal name

Home Opportunities Made Easy, Inc.

Website

https://homeincdsm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HOME, Inc. is a Des Moines-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1967 that provides HUD-certified housing counseling, homebuyer education, affordable home construction, and rental-assistance services to low-to-moderate-income households across Iowa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing & Community Housing Services

NAICS

Residential Building Construction (2361)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI), Single-Family Home Construction (Detached Homes) (IMAFABAA)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Housing counseling services
• Homebuyer education classes
• Rental assistance programs
• Nonprofit community housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Primary funding from foundation grants including Principal Foundation ($150,000 for property development), Wells Fargo ($15,000 volunteerism grant), Iowa Total Care ($10,000 for housing counseling), and other corporate foundations. These grants support specific programs and operational costs.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting affordable housing programs. The organization accepts online donations, checks, and in-kind gifts including gift cards, gas cards, and bus tokens.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Event sponsorships including Visionary Sponsors for the annual Hunt for Housing event, with Central Bank serving as the 2025 Visionary Sponsor.
4. Homebuyer Education Fees: Free in-person homebuyer education classes; eHome online course fee of $100 (may be covered by lenders or included in closing costs). Certificate provided upon completion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HOME, Inc. is a nonprofit that builds and sells affordable single-family homes to eligible low-to-moderate income buyers and provides HUD-certified housing counseling and education for renters, landlords, homebuyers, and homeowners across Iowa. Its offering combines free one-on-one counseling, monthly in-person homebuyer and Rentwise classes, landlord/property manager workshops, a forgivable-loan Metro Home Improvement repair program, and the Hope for Stable Families rental-assistance and case-management program.

Product overview

HOME, Inc. is a housing nonprofit organization (not a technology company) offering a suite of interconnected housing-related programs and services centered on two core pillars: Property Development (constructing and selling affordable homes to eligible buyers) and Housing Counseling (providing education and one-on-one guidance for renters, landlords, homebuyers, and homeowners). These core services are supported by complementary programs including homebuyer education classes, pre-purchase counseling, landlord/tenant workshops, the Metro Home Improvement Program, the Hope for Stable Families rental assistance program, a volunteer program, a donation/land donation program, and a community resources hub. The organization operates as a unified set of services rather than a software product platform, with all programs sharing the common mission of helping low-income families in Iowa obtain and maintain safe, stable, affordable housing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Property Development Program HOME, Inc. acts as general contractor and developer to build quality affordable single-family homes, funded by federal HOME funds and other sources, and sells them to eligible first-time buyers with down payment assistance. Available only in the City of Des Moines.
• Housing Counseling Free, confidential one-on-one HUD-certified housing counseling for renters, landlords, homebuyers, and homeowners across Iowa, covering rental assistance, homeownership readiness, and post-purchase topics.
• Pre-Purchase Counseling Free, confidential one-on-one HUD-certified counseling that assesses financial situation, sets homeownership goals, and supports buyers through the entire purchasing process until closing. Open to anyone regardless of income or credit score.
• Homebuyer Education Classes Free monthly in-person classes and an eHome America online 8-hour certification course ($100 fee) covering the full homebuying process, led by HUD Certified Housing Counselors with certificate upon completion.
• Rentwise Classes Free class for tenants covering the basics of Iowa landlord/tenant laws, teaching renters their rights and responsibilities.
• Private Landlord & Property Manager Workshops Workshops teaching landlords and property managers how to effectively manage properties under Iowa law, complemented by a free online handbook with sample notices.
• Metro Home Improvement Program Five-year forgivable loan program providing grants for main system home repairs and code violation corrections for households earning less than 80% of area median income in Altoona, Ankeny, Clive, Johnston, Grimes, Pleasant Hill, Urbandale, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights.
• Hope for Stable Families Program Rental assistance and case management for families at risk of losing housing with income below 30% of area median income and school-aged children in Polk County, helping them stabilize housing and keep children in their schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of families in Hope for Stable Families program stabilized their housing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bankers TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2025Partnering to host free homebuyer education classes geared toward minority and low-to-moderate income homebuyers. Bankers Trust investing $35,000 into workshops with HOME, Inc. as part of broader $100,000+ initiative through 2027.
• K and V HomesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2024Partnered with Build My Future event to help with student construction demonstration project. Provided assistance during event where students built wall panels for garages.
• Beisser Lumber CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2024Donated all wood materials for Build My Future student construction event, enabling students to build wall panels for garages that served a meaningful purpose for families.
• Hildreth Construction ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Construction partner that stepped in to help complete shed construction project when original plans fell through. Assisted with constructing front panels, platforms, and trusses for six sheds, then helped deliver and raise them alongside volunteers.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa: Another Des Moines-based affordable housing nonprofit that builds homes for low-income families and supports them through the homebuying process. Highly comparable to HOME, Inc.'s property development and pre-purchase counseling model.
• Polk County Housing Trust Fund: Local funding partner and affordable housing producer serving the same Des Moines/Polk County geography as HOME, Inc., often co-investing in the same affordable developments.
• Neighborhood Finance Corporation: Des Moines-based community lending partner that pairs forgivable and repayable loans for property repairs alongside HOME, Inc.'s Metro Home Improvement Program—directly comparable in mission and product.

Broad incumbents

• NeighborWorks America: National network of HUD-certified counseling and affordable housing development organizations that includes charter members operating similar counseling, development, and post-purchase programs to HOME, Inc.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit developer and funder of affordable housing that combines financing, development, and policy advocacy—analogous in mission and integrated service model to HOME, Inc.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI and affordable housing intermediary that supports community-based developers and counseling partners across the U.S., overlapping with HOME, Inc.'s neighborhood revitalization and development financing role.
• Habitat for Humanity International: The national parent organization of the most direct local peer (Central Iowa affiliate); compares to HOME, Inc. on a broader scale as an affordable housing developer and HUD-aligned housing provider.

Others

• United Way of Central Iowa: A core community funder and referral partner to HOME, Inc.; comparable as a Des Moines-based intermediary nonprofit supporting housing stability and anti-poverty programs.
• Iowa Finance Authority: State housing finance agency that partners with HOME, Inc. on affordable homeownership programs, down payment assistance, and counseling—comparable as a funder/regulator interface in the Iowa affordable housing ecosystem.
• Chrysalis Foundation: Iowa-based foundation that funds HOME, Inc.'s affordable housing mission; comparable as a regional philanthropic funder supporting community housing nonprofits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@homeincdsm
• Facebookfacebook.com/homeincdsm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/home-opportunities-made-easy-inc-home-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/homeincdsm
• Xx.com/homeincdsm

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 HOME