What HOMETIPS does

HOMETIPS (legally HomeTips, LLC) is a home improvement information website founded in 1996 by Don Vandervort and headquartered at 3715 Market Street, Suite 205, Glendale, California. The company operates as a free, ad-and-affiliate-supported content platform targeting individual homeowners seeking expert guidance on DIY repairs, home system maintenance, product purchases, and improvement projects. Content is organized into six sections — Save Energy, How Your House Works, How to Repair, How to Install or Build, Buying Guides, and a general Browse index — spanning categories including appliances, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, siding, flooring, interiors, exteriors, and yard/landscaping. Every article is written or edited by Don Vandervort, whose 40+ years of remodeling experience, 30+ home improvement books, prior editorial roles at Home Magazine and Sunset Books, and three-season HGTV appearance form the central authorship and trust proposition.

The platform has no proprietary software, hardware, or technical product layer; its technology footprint is a standard SEO-optimized WordPress-style publishing site with embedded affiliate links, display advertising slots, and social media distribution. There is no mobile app, no API, no integrations, and no AI/ML capabilities evidenced. Distribution is exclusively digital and direct-to-consumer via hometips.com, supplemented by organic social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) and a weekly email newsletter. The company is privately held, founder-owned, with no disclosed funding, parent company, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or external investors.

HOMETIPS monetizes through two primary streams: Amazon Associates affiliate commissions on product links embedded throughout buying guides and how-to content, and display advertising across its evergreen article inventory. Secondary revenue includes referral fees from Networx for contractor connections and a content partnership with Homeselfe for energy audit referrals. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, consistent with a lean, founder-operated editorial operation. No revenue figures, financial performance metrics, or traffic data are disclosed in the available sources.

Name

HOMETIPS

Legal name

HomeTips, LLC

Website

https://hometips.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HOMETIPS is a free home improvement information website founded in 1996 that publishes expert-authored DIY articles, buying guides, and repair instructions for individual homeowners, monetizing through Amazon affiliate commissions and display advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home Improvement Information & DIY Content

NAICS

Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (519)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Pre-Sale / Move-In Whole-Home Refresh & Modernization (HSAPAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Smart Home & Assistive Technology Integration (Voice, Sensors, Alerts) (HSAPANAI), Minor Tile/Grout Recaulking & Bathroom/Kitchen Touch-Ups (HSAGAAAH)

Keywords

• Home improvement content
• DIY repair guides
• Home buying guides
• Expert home advice
• Affiliate content publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Affiliate Marketing: HomeTips earns commissions through the Amazon Associate program. Articles contain affiliate links to products referenced in buying guides and how-to content. When readers purchase qualifying items through these links, HomeTips receives a commission.
2. Display Advertising: The platform monetizes traffic through display advertisements placed throughout the website. The site structure with extensive article content supports multiple ad placements per page.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HOMETIPS operates a free online home improvement information platform (hometips.com) where every article is written or edited by founder Don Vandervort. The site delivers DIY repair guides, step-by-step how-to instructions, buying guides, and educational 'how-it-works' content organized across six main sections covering energy savings, home systems, repair, installation, and product buying. The platform monetizes through embedded Amazon Associate affiliate links in product references, display advertising across article pages, and contractor referral commissions via Networx.

Product overview

HomeTips is a home improvement advice and information website founded by Don Vandervort in 1996. The platform provides expert DIY articles, buying guides, and how-to instructions organized into six main content sections: Save Energy (energy efficiency advice), How It Works (educational home systems content), Repair & Fix (troubleshooting guides), DIY How-To (installation projects), and Buying Guides (product advice). The content spans categories including appliances, heating/cooling, plumbing, electrical systems, roofing, siding, exterior/interior improvements, and yard/landscaping. The platform monetizes through affiliate partnerships with Amazon and referral services for contractors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HomeTips Editorial Content Platform A free-to-access home improvement information website offering expert DIY articles, buying guides, and how-to instructions spanning appliances, heating/cooling, plumbing, electrical, roofing, siding, flooring, interior/exterior improvements, and outdoor/yard projects for individual homeowners.
• Save Energy Content Section Energy-saving focused content section featuring articles on home energy audits, insulation, HVAC maintenance, thermostats, and energy-efficient appliances for homeowners seeking to reduce household energy use.
• Buying Guides Expert buying advice and product comparison guides covering appliances, building materials, tools, and home equipment for homeowners evaluating product purchases.
• How It Works Content Section Educational content explaining how home systems function, including electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and home structure components, intended for homeowners seeking foundational understanding of their house.
• Repair & Fix Content Section Troubleshooting and repair guides for common home problems including electrical issues, plumbing repairs, appliance fixes, and maintenance tips for homeowners attempting DIY fixes.
• DIY How-To Content Section Step-by-step installation and project guides for home improvement tasks including flooring, painting, electrical work, and construction intended for homeowners executing DIY projects.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NetworxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHomeTips partners with Networx for contractor referrals. Articles on electrical, roofing, and other professional services include links to find trusted local contractors through Networx. This is a monetized referral arrangement where HomeTips earns commissions for qualified contractor connections.
• HomeselfeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHomeTips features Homeselfe.com as a recommended resource for free DIY home energy audits. The partnership provides homeowners with access to energy auditing tools alongside HomeTips' broader energy-saving content.
• Amazon (Affiliate Program)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerHomeTips participates in the Amazon Associate program as an affiliate partner. Articles contain links to products on Amazon (such as solar pool covers, metal roof paint, timer switches, and other home improvement products), with HomeTips earning commissions from qualifying purchases. The company discloses being 'an Amazon Associate' that 'earns from qualifying purchases.'

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Family Handyman: Family Handyman is a DIY home improvement publication (print and digital) covering repair, remodeling, and tool/product recommendations aimed at homeowners. Same DIY homeowner audience and affiliate/editorial monetization model.
• Bob Vila: Bob Vila is a long-established, expert-authored DIY home improvement content platform monetized via affiliate links, display ads, and brand partnerships. Same editorial-expert authority model and DIY topic taxonomy as HomeTips.
• The Spruce: The Spruce (Dotdash Meredith) publishes expert home, DIY, and home-improvement content monetized through display ads and affiliate. Closely comparable to HomeTips in mission and revenue model, though with larger editorial staffing and brand.
• Apartment Therapy: Apartment Therapy is a home and DIY content publisher covering small-space improvement, organization, and renovation. Same editorial-led, SEO-monetized content model as HomeTips, with overlapping core categories like organization and renovation.
• This Old House: This Old House is the most authoritative US home improvement media brand (print magazine + website + TV show), publishing DIY repair, renovation, and buying guides for homeowners. Same editorial mission and audience overlap, but with deeper media backing.

Broad incumbents

• HGTV: HGTV operates a wide-ranging home improvement media franchise (TV network + digital site) covering DIY, renovation, and design — broader scope and scale than HomeTips, with significantly larger content production and stronger media backing.
• Better Homes & Gardens: Better Homes & Gardens (Dotdash Meredith) is a major home and lifestyle media brand spanning DIY, remodeling, decorating, and gardening content. Much broader scope than HomeTips but directly comparable in DIY homeowner content and SEO-driven monetization.
• Lowe's: Lowe's runs a comprehensive DIY home improvement content platform tied to its retail and pro services. Comparable DIY audience and affiliate/retail-driven monetization logic, but with much larger content and commerce infrastructure.
• The Home Depot: Home Depot operates an extensive DIY how-to and buying-guides content hub driving traffic to its retail storefront. Same DIY homeowner audience and affiliate-leaning content monetization, but vertically integrated with physical retail at vastly greater scale.

Emerging players

• Networx: Networx is a contractor referral marketplace that HomeTips already partners with. It overlaps with HomeTips as a homeowner-acquisition channel for home services, differing in that its revenue model is lead-gen referral fees rather than affiliate content monetization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hometipscom
• Facebookfacebook.com/hometipscom
• Pinterestpinterest.com/hometipscom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 HOMETIPS