F.A.Q.s

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

Co-ownership means you and up to seven other co-owners share the legal ownership of a vacation home property. Each of you enjoys exclusive use of the home during scheduled stays throughout the year. A one-eighth share gives you 44+ nights each year in the home. 

Ember passes all operating costs directly to the owner group–without markups. Owners can request a monthly operating cost report from our team at any time. Operating costs vary just like any home ownership expenses. 

If property taxes increase, for example, then the home’s monthly operating costs would also increase.

No, this is prohibited under the terms of the LLC operating agreement.

No. Tenancy in common creates unneeded complexity and cost–especially when one owner tries to sell their share. 

Ember home owners purchase membership interests in a property-specific LLC, and the property is deeded to the LLC. The LLC structure makes buying and selling ownership interests in the property fast, simple, and relatively inexpensive. Our LLC structure is widely used for commercial and residential real estate.

With select properties that are listed as “Ember Flex” properties, you can choose to rent out your unused nights. Learn all about how nightly rentals work in the section entitled Renting With Ember Flex.

There are two types of Ember vacation homes: 

1. Ember Limited: Properties exclusively reserved for owners and their guests. 

2. Ember Flex: Properties where owners can choose to use their time between personal use and renting it out.

Ember sets aside funds that help with any needed repairs or equipment replacements. This reserve fund is part of the owner-operating expenses. 

Owners can vote to use the reserve fund to add or upgrade items around the home like adding a golf cart or upgrading the theater room.

The deed for each property is recorded in the name of a property-specific LLC. Each owner holds their ownership interest through the LLC, which provides for both privacy and liability protection.

Simple, non-material changes can be updated by Ember on behalf of the owner group. All significant, material changes must be voted on by the owner group.

Ember creates a property-specific, manager-managed limited liability company (LLC) for each home. The LLC has its own bank account and tax identification number. It also holds title to the residence. The owners hold all the ownership interests in the LLC.

Each home is insured with a homeowners insurance policy appropriate for the use of the home. For Ember Flex homes, the homeowners insurance includes coverage for short-term rentals.

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

All funds are held in a property-specific bank account, in the name of the LLC.

Property taxes are included in the owner-operating expenses and may be tax deductible. Ember also provides a Schedule K-1 to each owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Owners can bring any major decision to the other owners for a vote. For example, if an owner wants to add a sauna to the pool area, the owner can call for a vote. Every share in the LLC holds one vote. The Ember team coordinates the voting communication and logistics.

Yes. If Ember isn’t providing enough value to the owner group, we can be removed or replaced after the fifth anniversary of the home’s purchase.

Owners enjoy the privacy and liability protection offered by the LLC. The LLC indemnifies owners acting on behalf of the LLC in good faith and in accordance with the LLC operating agreement. 

Each home also has a home owners liability insurance policy up to $1 million. Call us for more information.

Yes. If you’ve purchased an ownership share in an Ember home within the last twelve months and decide that a different home may be better for you, Ember does offer a one-time option to transfer ownership to another available Ember home. 

Any difference in price will be required upfront if the new property has a higher share price. Additionally, Ember will credit towards an owner’s monthly costs any excess in value should the new share price be lower. 

The market value of your existing share will be determined at the time of transfer. Ember does not charge any transfer fees or commissions, and there is no waiting period to start enjoying the new property. Your available nights will reset when the transfer is finalized and the transfer date will become your new anniversary date.

There are two types of Ember vacation homes: 

1. Ember Limited: Properties exclusively reserved for owners and their guests. 

2. Ember Flex: Properties where owners can choose to use their time between personal use and renting it out.

If a life-limited item breaks, like an appliance, the reserve fund covers repair or replacement. If an owner or a guest damages something in the home, the owner will be billed for replacing or repairing the damaged item. Homes are inspected after each use, ensuring a quality experience for all owners.

Not necessarily, but many owners do wish to meet their co-owners. Ember ensures the co-ownership process is simple enough that owners can enjoy the home without needing to be familiar with the other owners. 

Ember does organize an asynchronous annual meeting each year that all owners are invited to attend. Owners can participate on their own schedule. Key items are presented for vote to the owners as well as opportunity to provide additional feedback.

At the end of the year, you’ll receive tax forms for both the original LLC and the new LLC. Please consult your tax advisor regarding your particular tax situation.

If you are interested in transferring to another home after the first twelve months, you’ll need to sell your share and then purchase a new share in the home of your choice.

There are two main differences between Ember Flex designated homes and Ember Limited designated homes: (1) Who gets to stay in the home and (2) How time in the home divvied up. 

With Ember Limited, homes are exclusive to just their co-owners and invited guests. Scheduling is more fluid with co-owners able to hold up to six planned stays at a time. Ember Limited co-owners can book stays as long as fourteen days and from two years in advance down to the day before. 

With Ember Flex, owners can choose to stay personally in the home AND rent out their unused nights. Owners draft 6+ weeks per year and then designate how they want to use their time. As an owner, you can swap weeks with other owners. 

Ember Limited is ideal for people who’ve always wanted to own a vacation home to share just with friends and family, at a price that makes sense. Ember Flex is perfect for people who want to own a vacation home that they can use personally, but can also rent out the nights they don’t use to help offset costs.

Ember creates a property-specific, manager-managed limited liability company (LLC) for each Ember Flex home. The LLC has its own bank account and tax identification number. It also holds title to the residence. The owners hold all the ownership interests in the LLC.

With Ember Flex homes, you can use your weeks for whatever mix of personal or rental use you desire. Because usage preferences may change over time, you can adjust your usage pattern at any time to fit your lifestyle.

Before nights are made available for rent, Ember Owners draft their weeks for a given year (or partial year if the home is just being made available). Each 1/8th Ownership entitles its owner to six weeks throughout the year.

We would be happy to put you in touch with our sister company, Ember Stays to answer any questions regarding the rental of the home. You may also consult with any third-party rental agent of your choice.

Yes, you may use any third-party rental agent or Ember Stays to market and rent your nights. As a third option, you may choose not to engage any third-party rental agent and instead personally rent out your nights. For the protection of all co-owners, any owner or rental agent must be licensed and insured to market and rent the property.

Please consult your tax advisor regarding your particular tax situation.

Yes, although offers and availability vary by geography.

Not at this time.

The goal is to protect the affected owners in the event of home damage that displaces their stay plans or ability to rent the home. The owner responsible for the damage must cover the costs of repairs, as well as lodging costs for the affected owner’s stay and any forgone profit if the displaced owner already had a confirmed rental reservation for that week.

No. With Ember Flex, owners draft (and swap) specific weeks for a given year and choose to rent those weeks or use the property personally. When you choose to rent your weeks (or any portion of your week), the rental revenue from those nights is attributed to you and none of the other co-owners have any claim to it.

Yes. Rental revenue is offset against your portion of any operating or other costs of the home and any management fees. Any excess rental revenue is distributed to you quarterly.

Ember co-owners are responsible for sharing all regular operating costs like insurance, utilities, and property taxes. In addition, owners are responsible to cover operation management fees for the home as follows:

Yes. When an owner chooses to sell his or her share(s), the acquiring owner must agree to honor ANY existing nightly rental reservation.

Yes. However, if it's less than 60 days before the check-in date of either week to be swapped, swaps will require explicit confirmation by both owners in the swap.

Owners draft their weeks each October for the calendar year starting fifteen months from the time of the draft. For instance, in October 2023, owners will draft weeks for calendar year 2025. The objective is to allow ample time for an owner’s nights to be listed on short-term rental aggregators such as AirBnB and VRBO.

High-demand weekends for nightly rental bookings often extend into a Monday (e.g., President’s Day, MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc). Weeks go from Tuesday to Tuesday in an effort to maximize the likelihood of renting these three-day holiday weekends for our owners.

The annual draft only takes a few minutes, one time each year. When it’s your turn as an owner in the draft order, you do not have to wait for other owners to select their weeks for the year. Ember’s proprietary algorithm ranks all available weeks in order of desirability (1 to 52) and exposes these rankings to the owners. To ensure equitable access to prime dates, as a given owner drafts, Ember’s SmartDraft™ algorithm reserves other desirable weeks on behalf of owners who are lower in the draft order (and on behalf of future owners if all eight shares are not yet sold). This ensures that even if an owner is picking in a lower priority of the draft that year, there will still be plenty of attractive dates available for their picks. To learn more about the mechanics of the draft, click here.

Ember Flex is for individuals and families who are looking to buy their dream vacation home and have the opportunity to use the home as a short-term rental to offset the costs of ownership.

Each Ember Flex home is located in an area zoned by local municipalities for short-term rentals. Look for the indicator below when browsing Ember listings.

Each home is insured with a homeowners insurance policy appropriate for the use of the home. For Ember Flex homes, the homeowners insurance includes coverage for short-term rentals.

Ember owners respect and obey all local zoning ordinances. Only homes located in short-term rental zoning may be used for nightly rentals. If a home is not zoned for nightly rental, nightly rentals are strictly forbidden and only owners and their guests may use the home.

Ember owners draft their weeks for a given year (or partial year if the home is just being made available). The draft accounts for highly desirable weeks and ensures equitable access to those weeks for each owner. Each 1/8th share entitles its owner to six weeks throughout the year. Owners receive a seventh week every other year. Learn more about SmartDraft™ here

With Ember Flex homes, each 1/8th share guarantees its owner six weeks per year to use the home personally or potentially rent it out. You select your desired weeks via Ember’s SmartDraft™ process which guarantees equitable access to desirable dates and easy swapping of dates with other owners. With Ember Flex, you simply designate in Ember’s mobile app which of your nights across your six weeks you want to use personally and which you choose to make available to rent out. There is absolute flexibility to you as an owner to use your nights however you choose.

No. Your participation in any rental program is optional and voluntary. You may use all of your nights for personal use, or all of your nights for short-term rental use, or a combination of rental and personal use. It is entirely up to you as the owner.

Yes, all Ember Flex owners agree to use Ember or its affiliate as the operations manager and sole responsible party for maintenance and cleaning of the home. This avoids the potential confusion and headache of multiple property management companies having to coordinate on the various aspects of the home’s care (e.g., regular painting and conditioning of the home exterior, deep cleaning of carpets and interiors, window cleaning, seasonal winterization and summer readiness, etc).

If the home is damaged while being personally used (or rented) by one of the co-owners, it is the responsibility of that co-owner to cover the damages. In the case of damage specifically caused by renters, the co-owner may choose to work through their property management firm to seek recompense from the renters. Every effort will be made to rapidly repair any damage so as to not affect the next owner’s stay.

Ember Flex homes feature elegant and inviting design. Given that the home will be partially used for nightly rental purposes, the Ember Design team focuses on high quality pieces and materials made to strike the unique balance of stylish comfort and solid durability. Ember Flex homes are furnished with hospitality quality furnishings and should feel stylish and fresh for many years to come.

Regardless of whether an Ember home is eligible to be rented or not, Ember owners pay their home operating costs monthly. These costs are NOT marked up by Ember and cover items such as property tax, insurance, utilities, repair reserve, HOA, landscaping and pool maintenance, etc.

Yes, but owners would need to allow sufficient time between the two stays to allow for proper cleaning for the property before the second stay (usually 6 hours).

Yes

Yes. Owners can swap weeks from both the current and following year. However, if there is already an active nightly rental reservation on a given week, that week cannot be swapped. 

There are two modes of swapping, both are designed to be simple and beneficial for all owners: 

1. Wish List Swaps: At the time of the draft and any time thereafter, owners can select up to three specific “Wish List” weeks that they desire but were drafted by other owners. As an owner, you indicate which of your already drafted weeks you are willing to relinquish in a swap for the week you want. If the owner who owns the desired week is amenable to the swap, the weeks are automatically swapped. 

2. Auto-Upgrade Swaps: Owners can also designate any of their weeks as eligible for “Auto Upgrade”. In this case, if Owner A wants one of Owner B’s weeks and Owner B has previously designated that particular week as “Auto-Upgrade”, the swap can be executed at any time as long as Owner A is willing to swap a better week for Owner B’s week. A given week is deemed as “better” by Ember’s proprietary SmartDraft™ algorithm. This works out great for both owners: Owner A gets the specific date they wanted and Owner B gets a more desirable date, which is especially preferable if Owner B is planning to rent it out. Note that auto-upgrade swaps within 60 days of the check-in date of either of the swapped weeks require explicit confirmation from both owners via Ember’s mobile app.

Ember uses its proprietary SmartDraft™ algorithm to guarantee equitable and flexible allocation of the best weeks on the calendar. The eight owners draft in a “snake” format (see below). Draft order randomly changes each year, with owners who picked in positions #5, #6, #7, and #8 in a previous year guaranteed to have one of the top four picks in the following year. After the first 48 weeks are drafted, owners who picked in positions #5-8 will draft the last four remaining undrafted weeks (and thus have 7 weeks in a given year). 

See table below for sample draft in a given year:

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

With Ember Limited, if your schedule opens up unexpectedly and you would like to make a last-minute trip to your Ember vacation home, then last-minute stays are designed for you. You may schedule a last-minute stay 30 days before arrival. These stays do not count against your planned stays. Last-minute stays are, however, counted against your 44+ nights each year. 

With Ember Flex, all weeks are drafted out to owners. You can swap one of your weeks for theirs last minute or choose to rent their home at a reduced rate compared to using Airbnb or VRBO.

With Ember Limited homes, each 1/8th interest can hold six planned stays. Planned stays are booked anywhere from eight days to 24 months in advance. One planned stay can range from one to seven nights. If you plan to stay in the home anywhere from eight to fourteen nights, then it counts as two planned stays. 

With Ember Flex homes, each owner equitably drafts 6+ weeks per year in their home. For each week you hold as an owner, you can choose to rent out the entire week, stay personally the entire week, or divide the week between personal and rental use. Each period you either plan to (1) stay personally or (2) there is a rental reservation is called a “planned stay”.

There are two approaches to scheduling, depending on whether the home is designated an Ember Limited home (i.e. exclusive to owners and guests) or an Ember Flex home (i.e. nightly rentals permitted). 

With Ember Limited homes, each 1/8th owner can hold up to six planned stays at a time while scheduling no more than 44 nights. This means at least half of the 24-month calendar will be available to schedule at any given time. Intuitive guidelines ensure ample availability during the year and peace of mind knowing that a few owners cannot monopolize the calendar. There’s plenty of flexibility to schedule last-minute getaways (arrive as soon as tomorrow) or planned reunions (get together in 24 months). 

With Ember Flex, each 1/8th owner drafts their annual 6+ weeks using Ember’s proprietary Smart Draft™ system. The draft takes place more than a year in advance and gives each owner equitable access to the most desirable weeks throughout the year. Owners decide which weeks they want to make available to rent and which weeks they want to use personally. As long as the home is not already rented, you can change your mind as to how you want to use your weeks, or swap your weeks with other owners. Owners get to draft a 7th week every other year.

Ember app is your hub for scheduling stays at your vacation home. Log in, view the calendar, and receive confirmation instantaneously for your scheduled stay.

With Ember Limited homes, each 1/8th share permits the owner to book anywhere from two to fourteen consecutive nights at the Ember home. This means the owner of a 1/8th share may stay in the home as long as fourteen nights, and a 2/8th owner may stay in the home as long as 28 nights. Once the owner schedules his or her stay,. there must be a gap equal to the time spent in the home before the next stay may be scheduled. . For example, if you stay in the home for five nights, we would then require a five-night gap before your next stay can be scheduled. This ensures space on the calendar for all the owners to enjoy the Ember home. 

For Ember Flex homes, you can draft back-to-back weeks or swap weeks with another owner who holds a week adjacent to yours.

With Ember Limited, you can modify or extend your stay up to 30 days before arrival with no penalties. 

With Ember Flex, if there is no rental reservation on your week, you can swap it with other owners. If it’s within less than 60 days, confirmation is required from both swapping owners to execute the swap.

For Ember Limited owners, holidays are key moments for gathering with friends and family. That’s why Ember has a system in place to ensure all Owners are able to enjoy popular holidays—without any holidays going unscheduled. 

Each owner can have at least one holiday stay booked at a time. And when available, you are welcome to schedule additional holidays. Holiday stays require a three-night minimum. 

We consider the following U.S. federal holidays as “holiday stays”. 

• New Year's Day 

• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. 

• Presidents Day 

• Memorial Day 

• Independence Day 

• Labor Day 

• Thanksgiving Day 

• Christmas Day 

Holidays may also include special dates, such as local events. 

For Ember Flex owners, you have an equitable opportunity to draft weeks that include the desired holidays above. At a minimum, you’ll be able to draft at least one of the above holidays per year and likely more depending on preference.

For Ember Limited homes, additional time is available and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis as reservations are used. To book additional nights beyond the 44 nights allotted each year per ⅛ share, a modest nightly operating fee is assessed to cover operating and ownership costs. The fee is not paid to Ember; instead, it is added to the repair and maintenance fund belonging to the ownership group. You’re also welcome to purchase more than one share in any given property. Each additional share purchase will add 44 nights to your annual allotment. 

For Ember Flex Homes, owners can get additional time in a year by swapping their weeks in a given year for weeks in another year.

Your dedicated property concierge is your go-to property problem solver. The concierge handles all the details of your home and your stay. Scheduling conflict or question? Give them a call and your concierge will help you resolve it. Forgot something at the home during your last stay? Text your concierge and he or she will mail it to you. 

The concierge manages all the maintenance and repairs and ensures the home is 100percent ready for you and your guests the moment you arrive.

Yes. For Ember Limited homes in markets with distinct peak travel periods (e.g., ski season in Park City, mid-June to mid-August in Southern California, etc.) we offer a peak season guarantee. Each ownership share includes a guaranteed seven-night stay during the most popular times of the year. 

For Ember Flex homes, our SmartDraft™ system ensures every owner has equitable access to draft weeks during the most popular periods as well. Learn more about SmartDraft™ here.

Simple, really. The Ember app manages all your stays. Simply log in and schedule your stay. You will receive an instantaneous confirmation. When you arrive at your home, your concierge will have made sure the house is ready and the lights are on and the home’s temperature is perfect.

Arrival time is typically 4 p.m., and departure time is typically 11 a.m. However, if you need to make an adjustment to arrive earlier or depart later, simply contact your concierge. Giving your cleaning crew plenty of time is always a good idea, but our team is happy to accommodate your needs when possible.

For Ember Limited homes, the answer is no. The Ember Limited model is designed to accommodate owners who want flexibility in their personal schedule. Accordingly, there is no fixed week each year. Schedule the time you need from the convenience of the Ember App. 

For Ember Flex homes, there are also no assigned weeks. Owners draft 6+ weeks every year and those weeks can differ year to year. Owners can swap weeks with other other owners as long as there is no rental reservation on those weeks.

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

There are two main differences between Ember Flex designated homes and Ember Limited designated homes: (1) Who gets to stay in the home and (2) How time in the home divvied up. 

With Ember Limited, homes are exclusive to just their co-owners and invited guests. Scheduling is more fluid with co-owners able to hold up to six planned stays at a time. Ember Limited co-owners can book stays as long as fourteen days and from two years in advance down to the day before. 

With Ember Flex, owners can choose to stay personally in the home AND rent out their unused nights. Owners draft 6+ weeks per year and then designate how they want to use their time. As an owner, you can swap weeks with other owners. 

Ember Limited is ideal for people who’ve always wanted to own a vacation home to share just with friends and family, at a price that makes sense. Ember Flex is perfect for people who want to own a vacation home that they can use personally, but can also rent out the nights they don’t use to help offset costs.

Certainly. If you’re interested in enjoying more than one home in a variety of vacation destinations, we can help you create your vacation experience portfolio. Each one-eighth ownership share grants you 44+ nights per year. Your vacation stays are flexible and easy to book on our Ember app.

We find that co-owners take tremendous pride in owning their Ember home. Our property concierge inspects the home after each use. Should damage beyond regular wear and tear occur, the repair costs will be billed to the owner who was using the home when the damage occurred. Each home carries comprehensive homeowner’s insurance. If damage occurs that is not the result of a specific owner and outside of the coverage of the home’s insurance, the eight owners would share those costs equally. This is, in part, why owners contribute to a reserve fund each month to cover such expenses.

Yes. Ember homes are professionally designed and fully furnished by our interior design team. When you walk through the door, the home is turn-key ready. So you can start enjoying your vacation immediately. The home also features a complete audio-visual setup, fresh linens, and a stocked kitchen with enough dishes and cookware to host Thanksgiving dinner.

Yes. You and your co-owners own 100 percent of the property through a property-specific LLC. Your ownership interest can be sold, willed, and placed in a buyer’s personal name, trust, or corporation.

There are two types of Ember vacation homes: 

1. Ember Limited: Properties exclusively reserved for owners and their guests. 

2. Ember Flex: Properties where owners can choose to use their time between personal use and renting it out.

Each home is insured with a homeowners insurance policy appropriate for the use of the home. For Ember Flex homes, the homeowners insurance includes coverage for short-term rentals.

With select properties that are listed as “Ember Flex” properties, you can choose to rent out your unused nights. Learn all about how nightly rentals work in the section entitled Renting With Ember Flex.

No. Ember helps you buy, own, and sell beautiful second homes in your favorite vacation destinations. Most timeshares, in contrast, provide “usage rights” to use the property only, with no rights of ownership. Ember homes are owned by as few as two and not more than eight owners, providing an exclusive ownership experience in contrast to most timeshares that have up to 52 people using the property annually. 

Scheduling with Ember is flexible and easy too. Just use the Ember App to schedule your stays and enjoy your vacation home because you own it. As an owner, you capture all value appreciation should you decide to sell your share in the future. Being a vacation home owner has never been easier.

Each Ember home has a dedicated property concierge that manages all the details of routine maintenance on the home. This includes landscaping, gutter cleaning, and pool maintenance just to name a few. Ember also arranges any repairs, through locally hired professionals.

You may resell your ownership interest at any time once all eight shares of the home have been sold or it's been twelve months since your purchase. You choose the resale price. Ember acts as your selling agent and ensures your ownership interest is listed and marketed. 

There are several advantages to selling through Ember. We’ve simplified the process to where owners can resell their share in as little as 24 hours. You won’t have to pay any closing costs like title fees, an appraisal fee, or a transfer fee. When your share sells, you’ll pay a three percent (3%) commission to the buyer’s agent and a three percent (3%) commission to the listing agent (Ember). 

Ember vacation homes appreciate in value just like other homes on the market. After paying the standard agent commissions, you’ll capture any appreciation in the home.

Ember carefully evaluates each potential co-owner. We require a criminal background check and a credit check to help us make a determination. Once selected, all owners agree to a common-sense owner code of conduct.

Ember homes are divided into eight equal shares; however, if you would like to purchase more than one share, you can own up to all eight shares of an Ember property. Each share equates to 44+ nights in the home every year.

Yes. The closing process and transaction documents are similar to a typical real estate transaction, except the transaction documents for co-ownership are streamlined and closing can take place in as little as 24 hours. This means you can begin enjoying your vacation home sooner. We also partner with local real estate agents and pay full commissions to streamline the process for buyers and sellers.

Co-ownership means you and up to seven other co-owners share the legal ownership of a vacation home property. Each of you enjoys exclusive use of the home during scheduled stays throughout the year. A one-eighth share gives you 44+ nights each year in the home. 

Ember owners respect and obey all local zoning ordinances. Only homes located in short-term rental zoning may be used for nightly rentals. If a home is not zoned for nightly rental, nightly rentals are strictly forbidden and only owners and their guests may use the home.

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

Ember's design team reviews each home. If the furnishings align with Ember’s aesthetic, we will purchase the furnishings from you. If not, the home will be completely decorated and furnished after closing.

Ember re-titles your home in the name of a property-specific LLC. Once the transaction is complete, you will own an interest in the LLC commensurate with percent of the home you chose to retain. The remainder of the home will be sold to Ember buyers. This allows you to cash in your home’s value at a premium. Plus you get to enjoy all the benefits of a fully-managed Ember home.

If you love your vacation home but feel like you aren’t using it enough or would like to reduce maintenance costs, give us a call. With Ember, you can continue enjoying your vacation home while receiving some liquidity on the sale.

This depends on the market and the home. Please contact us and we can help assess timelines.

Once all of the ownership interests are sold (or 12 months after your original purchase, whichever occurs first), you can resell your interest in the property at any time. It works just like a typical real estate transaction but even more streamlined for you as the buyer, and Ember acts as your agent in listing and selling your share.

As an owner, you capture any increase in the value of your ownership interest. Neither Ember nor its financing partners retain any ownership in the home or your share. 

When you are ready to sell, you'll work with an Ember sales specialist who markets the home, similar to a whole home real estate listing. You pay a three percent commission to Ember as the listing agent and a three percent commission to the buyer’s agent when the share sale closes. There are no other closing costs (e.g., no title, appraisal, or transfer fees).

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

Your payments, inclusive of any financing payments and operating expenses, are automatically deducted safely and securely using ACH in a single monthly transaction.

Ember makes approvals quick and easy. A dedicated finance coordinator works with you to collect the necessary information: a copy of your driver’s license, recent pay stubs, tax returns, and a current bank statement. Ember also pulls a credit report. At that point, approval should be finalized in one to two business days.

Buyers can cover the cost of their co-ownership with the following options. 

1. Cash 

2. Financing through Ember’s banking partners 

3. Home equity line of credit (HELOC) 

4. Personal line of credit

As an owner, you capture any increase in the value of your ownership interest. Neither Ember nor its financing partners retain any ownership in the home or your share. 

When you are ready to sell, you'll work with an Ember sales specialist who markets the home, similar to a whole home real estate listing. You pay a three percent commission to Ember as the listing agent and a three percent commission to the buyer’s agent when the share sale closes. There are no other closing costs (e.g., no title, appraisal, or transfer fees).

No. For the protection of all co-owners of the Ember property, neither the home nor the share may be encumbered by any debt other than the financing arranged by Ember on behalf of the LLC.

If a co-owner defaults on his or her payments, Ember may step in as the guarantor of the loan. We may cover both the loan payments and any operating expenses that are delinquent. Ember co-owners love the protection provided by this customer-first policy. 

If the co-owner cannot catch up on the delinquent payments, Ember has the right to resell that co-owner’s share to a new qualified owner. 

In most cases, the other co-owners of the home are not even aware that a member of the LLC has defaulted until the share is made available to them for first offer. In a commitment to our customers, Ember abstracts the headaches of co-ownership from the owner group and handles these logistics behind the scenes.

No. There is no prepayment penalty for buyers who finance with our banking partners.

For co-owners who choose to finance their purchase through Ember’s banking partners, there is a one percent origination fee that will be assessed at closing. Your dedicated finance coordinator will provide detailed information about financing options and costs.

The loan is between the property-specific LLC and our banking partners. Co-owners who choose to finance access funds directly from the LLC and enter into a financing agreement with the LLC.

Ember partners with select lenders to offer interest-only financing at competitive rates for qualified buyers. When financing through Ember’s banking partners, the loan is backed by your Ember home ownership interest. We handle all the details of the process so you can close much sooner than a typical mortgage.

Buyers can finance up to 70 percent of the share purchase price depending on the home and market. A minimum down payment of 30 percent is required.

The interest rate is fixed for the first 10 years and can be refinanced at any time to extend the term of the loan beyond the initial 10 years.

While this scenario is extremely unlikely, if several owners default on their financing obligations, Ember may make payments on behalf of the delinquent owners for a period of time until the defaulting owners can cure or until Ember can replace the defaulting owners with other qualified owners. If the defaulting owners are unable to catch up on payments and in the unlikely event that Ember is unable to sell their shares, Ember or the lending bank may choose to foreclose on the entire property to recoup their losses. The owners in good standing would have a right to purchase the defaulting owners’ shares to prevent a foreclosure. Nevertheless, in the rare and unlikely event of a foreclosure, Ember will make every effort to place owners in good standing into a comparable home in the same area.

Yes, although offers and availability vary by geography.

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We connect buyers with luxury vacation homes and make it more affordable through co-ownership. We also manage every aspect of the home from professionally-designed interiors to maintenance with our dedicated property concierges.

You can expect very respectful and courteous neighbors who take pride in their home ownership. Plus, each homeowner has agreed to a common-sense code of conduct that keeps your neighborhood just how you like it.

Co-ownership means you and up to seven other co-owners share the legal ownership of a vacation home property. Each of you enjoys exclusive use of the home during scheduled stays throughout the year. A one-eighth share gives you 44+ nights each year in the home. 

The number of homeowners varies by home ranging from two to eight owners. But only one owner occupies the property at a time.

Ember owners respect and obey all local zoning ordinances. Only homes located in short-term rental zoning may be used for nightly rentals. If a home is not zoned for nightly rental, nightly rentals are strictly forbidden and only owners and their guests may use the home.

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

Ember offers both pet-friendly and non-pet friendly homes as outlined in each home listing. In our pet-friendly homes, Ember owners can bring up to two dogs onto the property. Dogs cannot weigh more than 80 pounds each and no other animals are allowed (except service animals within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act). Owners bringing dogs will be required to register them upon booking and must use the professional cleaning option with their stay. More detail on Ember’s Pet Policy is provided in the owner rules and regulations.

Ember owners have varying preferences when it comes to pets being allowed in the homes. Therefore, Ember offers pet-friendly homes and non-pet friendly homes. 

Pet-Friendly Homes: In our pet-friendly homes, Ember owners can bring up to two dogs onto the property. Dogs cannot weigh more than 80 pounds each and no other animals are allowed (except certified assistance animals). Owners bringing dogs will be required to register them upon booking and must use the professional cleaning option with their stay. 

If you bring a permitted pet into the Ember home or onto the property, following your departure the manager will inspect the home for any pet-related issues. You will be responsible for any and all damage, charges, fees, or expenses incurred as a result of your pet’s behavior. Any such charges will be billed to you or will be treated as personal charges. 

If there is evidence of unpermitted pets being present in the Ember home or on the property, the owner will be charged a fine of $2,500 in addition to the costs of any damage to person or property caused by the violation. 

Non-Pet Homes: For homes where pets are not allowed, the home policies provide no pets or animals of any kind may be kept in, or permitted to enter, the Ember home or the property, except for “service animals” for the benefit of an individual with a disability as defined under the Americans with Disability Act (the “ADA”) (in each case, a “permitted pet”). For the avoidance of doubt, “emotional support animals”, “comfort animals”, and “therapy dogs” are not “service animals” within the meaning of the ADA. 

If you bring a permitted pet, you will be required to register the animal when the stay is booked. You will also need to complete a pet questionnaire found in the Ember mobile app. Permitted pets, including dogs, cannot weigh more than 80 pounds each. No owner may bring more than two permitted pets onto the property at any time. 

If you bring a permitted pet into the Ember home or onto the property, following your departure the manager will inspect the home for any pet-related issues. You will be responsible for any and all damage, charges, fees, or expenses incurred as a result of your pet’s behavior. Any such charges will be billed to you or will be treated as personal charges. 

If there is evidence of unpermitted pets being present in the Ember home or on the property, the owner will be charged a fine of $2,500 in addition to the costs of any damage to person or property caused by the violation.

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

You can be involved as you want, or it can be a simple handoff. Just let us know what you prefer.

The paperwork and process are similar. The biggest difference is you get paid a quick and easy commission and Ember handles everything.

Commission is based on the share price. If you bring more than one buyer, you will receive a commission for each buyer.

Yes. Ember works with real estate agents and pays a standard three percent buyer agent commission.

Co-ownership means you and up to seven other co-owners share the legal ownership of a vacation home property. Each of you enjoys exclusive use of the home during scheduled stays throughout the year. A one-eighth share gives you 44+ nights each year in the home. 

Your buyer can contact us directly, or you are welcome to schedule an in-person or virtual tour on your buyer's behalf. Either way, we pay you the full three percent commission at closing. And Ember handles everything.

The commission is paid the day the share sells, which can be in as little as 24 hours from the moment you make an introduction. This is due to the convenient LLC structure and quick sales process.

Ember is a vacation home experience company. We help buyers find their dream vacation home through co-ownership. Then we manage all the details so it’s as stress-free as possible. We purchase the home, design and furnish it, install landscaping, and then manage the property moving forward.

Fantastic. We'd love to learn more. We pay two and one half percent seller agent commission on the sale of any home through Ember. Send the listing to us via our contact page. If it's a good fit for Ember, we will contact you.

Co-ownership means you and up to seven other co-owners share the legal ownership of a vacation home property. Each of you enjoys exclusive use of the home during scheduled stays throughout the year. A one-eighth share gives you 44+ nights each year in the home. 

Ember looks for homes based on location, size, amenities, build quality, and other characteristics that are important to our buyers. We ensure the experience of owning an Ember home is special and buyers can count on a high level of excellence in every Ember listing.

Creating a co-ownership interest in your client's existing home allows them to continue using and enjoying their vacation home. The difference is that your client receives some liquidity on the sale and a worry-free ownership experience in their co-owned Ember home. 

If your client loves their home but is not using it enough or would like to reduce the costs to maintain it, co-ownership may be a great opportunity for them. We pay two and one half percent seller agent commission on all homes sold through Ember. Make the introduction and we handle everything.