I saw lot of ads about Zown and their down-payment assistance. I read about it a bit, even before we decided to purchase property. When we decided to buy, I did some research, about similar services with cashback and was still a bit skeptical using them, considering that even working with a realtor we still would get a share from their commission in most cases. I left applications of interest to a few and had some calls. Call with Zown was scheduled by Rishard, their CEO. He explained very well how it will go, how they work, their model and what do we get with them. First, the cashback goes upfront, so this is why it can be used as part of down-payment. Of course 1% will not be enough, its great to cover other expenses like land transfer tax, or legal fees, government fees, fees for a fee 😁. I also asked a blunt question: why I should go with Zown and not with other similar service or agency/agent? And Rishard just showed the number of deals made by Zown compared to others. On the MLS. Not on some marketing materials. And overall, I liked their approach.
So we started with Zown. The process was quick and smooth. We had few calls with account manager, described her our budget, our needs and wishes. We were presented some options to look at and also we searched ourselves (as we wanted to look at all options that fit our filters and were very active finding them, so at this point we were more active than them 😄) and were sending and discussing everything in chat or on quick calls. We had showings of every unit we wanted, booked by Zown same day within couple hours (they have contracted agents in different communities who can show almost instantly). At some days we viewed 6 units! Very tiresome, but we wanted to find something that fits well, and we found. We also chose to get their partnered mortgage company. And as they are partnered, they talk to each other. Same with legal. Some communications were done directly, without us working as proxy. Quite smooth and very appreciated as the first mortgage experience in Canada. Now, we are waiting for the deal closure date, excited and glad that all is happening and that fast. Let's see how it goes.till very end, but for now, I'm quite satisfied customer.
Zown
👋 Hey Product Hunt! I’m Rishard, Co-Founder and CEO of Zown.
A few years ago I sold my first house and watched almost my entire down‑payment vanish into commissions — $70K for just a few hours of “work.” I rage‑posted the story on Reddit; it went viral and over 1 million people shouted the same thing: “Someone, please fix this.” So we did.
What Zown Does
Every MLS listing already hides a 3 % buyer‑agent commission
We turn 1.5% of this commission into down payment assistance for homebuyers
How Zown Does This
We unbundle the traditional “super‑agent” into micro‑services:
AI home‑finder
Slack‑style advisor chat
Instant financing
On‑demand showing agents
Tech‑powered negotiation that drafts offers in minutes
Like an assembly line for real estate, Zown splits each step among specialists, lets software handle the rest, pays by task instead of percentage, and passes the saved commission straight to the buyer—delivering faster deals, lower costs, and a human touch exactly where it matters most.
Traction So Far
🇨🇦 Canada pilot: 250+ closings, $300M in real estate transactions
⭐️ 4.9‑star buyer rating and 20 % MoM growth
⚙️ Built by a crazy‑efficient team of ex‑fintech, prop‑tech, and AI engineers who believe closing day should end with a cheque, not a bill.
🇺🇸 Today, we’re launching in California: ground zero for the affordability crisis.
Why We're Here
The PH community questions old fee structures: Stripe for payments, Deel for payroll, and Pluto for corporate cards. Zown is doing that for real estate. If the idea clicks, an up‑vote or question below helps us reach thousands of renters who are one hidden fee away from owning their first home.
Ask me anything about unbundling agents, front‑loading cash, or building a team that moves faster than a hot‑offer deadline. We’re listening and shipping hard. 🚀
- Rishard & the Zown team 💛
Visla
@rishard_rameez2 Wishing you great success - kudos!
@rishard_rameez2 congratulations 💐
@afrajgill and the Zown team are taking down one of the most hated monopolies in the world: Realtors, the MLS, and bs fees.
Fees have been broken for DECADES. This is a way better way of buying a home. Major props to the Zown team.
Zown
@brennanfoo Thanks so much for the shout-out! 🙌 We’re on a mission to dismantle outdated fees and middlemen that make homebuying harder and more expensive. Breaking the monopoly on Realtor commissions and the MLS isn’t just about saving dollars—it’s about giving buyers transparency, choice, and real value. Major thanks for believing in what we’re building! 🚀🏡
Raycast
Smart model — and just in time, seeing as how the real estate industry is fighting back against the $208.5M class action lawsuit they recently lost!
Bringing AI to this process seems like a no-brainer, and just about time.
I don't love the idea of humans losing jobs, but if they've been screwing people over — well, guess they brought the robopocalypse upon themselves! 🤖
Zown
@chrismessina Absolutely! timing couldn’t be better! With the industry facing that $208.5 M verdict, it’s clear the old way wasn’t cutting it. AI lets us streamline the process, cut out the bad actors, and elevate the customer experience.
As for jobs, we see AI as a force multiplier, empowering agents to focus on the human side of buying a home, not replacing them. If anyone’s worried, we’re creating new roles in AI-enabled customer care, data insights, and tech support. The “robopocalypse” might be more of a “robo-assist-opocalypse” —and that’s something we can all get behind! 🤖🏠