CU Realty Changes Name, Expands Services to 49 States

CU Realty officially changed its name to HomeAdvantage and expanded its member service area from 24 to 49 states, the industry’s largest real estate services CUSO said Tuesday.

“We’ve greatly evolved over the years and are devoting a lot of attention to how our brand, service and experience as a whole can be more rewarding for both our credit union partners and their members,” said HomeAdvantage CEO Herb Behrens, who joined the organization in April. “Consolidating our brand under one name is just the first of many steps we’re taking to make that happen.”

The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based CUSO said the rebranding includes an updated logo and new website, but the name change will have no impact on the organization’s 120 member credit unions.

HomeAdvantage’s expansion into 25 additional states means member credit unions that lend in multiple states can now offer the program no matter where their members are looking to buy or sell, increasing the likelihood of retaining those loans, Beherns said.

When credit union members use HomeAdvantage to buy a home, 85% of those applicants stay with the credit union for financing, according to the CUSO. Members also earn an average of $1,600 per transaction in savings through the HomeAdvantage’s cash rewards program.

More than $56 million in cash rewards have been distributed during the program’s lifetime, the CUSO said.