Frequently asked questions
Do you raise the price of rent so you can offer cash back to renters?
Absolutely Not. We provide cash back to renters by sharing what we earn from placing renters in apartments. Other rental sites keep those earnings entirely to themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that, but we realized we could do it different—better, even—by changing how people rent and save.
What if I see the same apartment for a different price on a different site?
No worries. You pay whatever rent that the apartment building is asking. The apartments we work with generally have consistent and transparent prices, that are also non-negotiable.
Where does the cash come from?
Other rental sites keep the earnings they get when a new renter signs a lease for an apartment found on their site. We do it a little differently. We share those earnings with you, so you can save for homeownership—or reach your other financial goals.
How much cash back do I get?
Cash back amounts vary depending on which apartment you rent. Monthly cash back ranges from $25 per month, up to $150 per month.
How do I receive the cash?
We provide you an option to connect you bank account on your Account page. We use Plaid to get a secure token, which allows us to send you a direct ACH transfer to your account through Dwolla.
Who can participate with Lighthouse?
Any renter is able to participate with Lighthouse as long as the application is accepted by the apartment. Lighthouse primarily works with large apartment complexes. Although we do can sometimes offer cash back on shorter term leases, our bread and butter is for 12+ month leases.