Established in Toledo, Ohio
Same Neighbor
New Homeowner™
We walk working class families in Toledo, Akron, Warren, and Pittsburgh along a coached pathway from renting to owning, in real partnership.
The Process
Your Pathway to Ownership
Intake
We want to learn more about you so we can tailor your mortgage readiness pathway to your personal circumstances. Your time is valuable — we want every interaction to count.
STEP 1 OF 5
Qualify
We review your financial profile and chart out a path to homeownership. Our team looks at the full picture — not just a credit score — to determine if the LadderUp pathway is right for you. If we have homes in your market, we provide the list of homes that meet your budget.
Mortgage Readiness Available: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana
Homes Available: Toledo & Akron, Ohio
STEP 2 OF 5
Onboard
You set up your homeownership plan with your dedicated coach, and get plugged into our CLIMB Portal so you can track your progress from day one.
STEP 3 OF 5
Climb
CLIMB is more than a step — it’s our philosophy.
We don’t just help you qualify for a home. We help you become someone who’s ready for it.
With your CLIMB Coach, you’ll build credit, reduce debt, and develop the habits and confidence that turn homeownership into a reality.
Credit. Lifestyle. Income. Mindset. Behavior. That’s CLIMB.
Average credit score increase: 75+ points
STEP 4 OF 5
Mortgage Ready
When you qualify for a mortgage, we introduce you to community-focused lenders that have the ability to provide excellent mortgage products. If you live in one of our rent-to-own homes, we facilitate the purchase of the home you are renting at our pre-agreed price. Same Neighbor, New Homeowner.™ The keys are yours. The legacy begins.
Your home. Your equity. Your future.
STEP 5 OF 5
Homeowner Stories
Homeowner Stories
Every closing day is a milestone. Meet the neighbors who went from renting to owning.
Our Philosophy
Same Neighbor,
New Homeowner™
There are four million renter households that have consistent track records of on-time rental payments but do not qualify for a mortgage today. And no one has historically been willing to patiently invest in a longer term but straightforward process of getting them there.
So we built a method that works with residents to become mortgage ready. Unlike other apps and providers who promise a quick fix, we engage in a real partnership. We know one class can't accomplish the goal. And while real estate agents or mortgage brokers might tell you "You're not ready," we tell you "Here's how you'll get there." Our residents' efforts, combined with LadderUp's proactive engagement, will make it happen. Our goal is to work with every resident toward mortgage readiness within two years.
In select markets, we buy and renovate homes or construct entirely new ones, and move families in as renters — providing them an option to purchase their homes at any time during their lease. When they are ready, they can rely on us to walk alongside them until closing day.
It's a structured pathway that works. They're buying their houses, and they're staying in the neighborhoods they've always called home.
Tom Voutsos
Founder & CEO
Leadership
The People Behind LadderUp Housing
Tom Voutsos founded LadderUp Housing to bridge the wealth gap by providing an alternative pathway to homeownership. A University of Notre Dame graduate and former U.S. Marine Corps logistics officer, he earned his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where LadderUp began in the Social New Venture Challenge. He was a Tarrson Fellow and Obama Foundation Scholar.
Greg Voutsos leads operations at LadderUp, including sourcing and underwriting the properties that become clients' homes. He was previously COO of InterimExecs. Earlier he spent three years at Point B running operations for FundSight and investing through its corporate venture arm, following a stint as a healthcare consultant at Huron Consulting Group. A University of Michigan economics graduate, he served as president of Minds Matter Chicago.
JD Vougiouklakis leads client success and technology at LadderUp, owning the journey from application through CLIMB coaching to closing. He spent a decade at Rocket Mortgage as a licensed banker, business analyst, product owner, and engineering team leader. He designed and led the build of the CLIMB Platform, the software behind LadderUp's coaching program.
Doug Bowen leads finance at LadderUp, running the capital structure that funds acquisition and renovation. He spent six years in finance, most recently as an investment banking associate in Citigroup's Financial Institutions Group and before that at BDT Capital Partners. He earned his MBA at Chicago Booth as a Eugene Fama Distinguished Fellow.
Get Started
Talk With the
LadderUp Team
Ready for the first step toward homeownership? Fill out our brief intake form — no obligation, no pressure. Or reach out with any questions.
Have questions first? Read our FAQ.
Your Climb Starts Here
Existing Clients
Access your personalized dashboard, track your progress, and connect with your coaching team.
Go to CLIMB Portal