Our Story
We Believe Buying a Home
Shouldn't Cost You Everything
CertiHomes was built by someone who watched the system fail hardworking families — and decided to fix it.
Krishna Malyala
CEO & Founder, CertiHomes
Licensed NJ RE Broker & MLO
NMLS #1875937
“I've seen too many families lose their savings to a broken system.”
My journey started with a number: 72%. That's how much of a moderate-income homeowner's paycheck goes to housing and transportation — before they pay for food, healthcare, or their kids' education. I read the “Losing Ground” report by the Center for Housing Policy and it confirmed what I'd already felt buying my own first home: the system wasn't just expensive — it was designed to keep families behind.
With my background — VP of CTO Solutions at Citigroup, a Rutgers MBA, and a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow working on Big Data — I knew technology could fix this. But fixing it required being on the inside. So I became a licensed NJ Real Estate Broker and Mortgage Loan Officer. I built TLCengine (True Lifestyle Cost) to show buyers the real cost of any home — not just the listing price, but transportation, commuting, utilities, and property taxes. Then I built CertiHomes to fix the transaction itself.
I started CertiHomes because I believe the American dream of homeownership should be accessible, affordable, and transparent. Not a maze of hidden fees and industry jargon. Every tool we build — from AI-powered staging to our flat-fee listing model to WealthWise financial planning — is designed to keep more money in your pocket.
This isn't just a business. It's a mission to change how real estate works for everyday people.
59%
Of moderate-income goes to housing + transportation
72%
Cost burden for homeowners with a mortgage
+44%
Housing + transport costs rose vs +25% income
$10K or 1%
CertiHomes flat fee vs 5-6% commissions
The Journey to CertiHomes
"Losing Ground" — The Report That Changed Everything
In 2012, the Center for Housing Policy and Center for Neighborhood Technology published a landmark study that proved what families already felt: housing and transportation costs rose 44% while incomes only grew 25%. For moderate-income homeowners with a mortgage, these combined costs consumed 72% of their income. The traditional 30% housing affordability rule was a lie — it ignored transportation, utilities, and the true lifestyle cost of where you live.
Read the “Losing Ground” Report (PDF)True Lifestyle Cost — Not Just a Mortgage Payment
This insight became the foundation of TLCengine (True Lifestyle Cost) — a platform that calculates the real cost of living in any home, factoring in housing, transportation, commuting, utilities, and property taxes. It wasn't enough to show someone a listing price. You had to show them what that home would actually cost them every month, every year, for the rest of their lives.
59% of Income Gone Before You Even Eat
The data was staggering: moderate-income households spend 59% of their income on housing and transportation alone. In metros like Miami, it hits 72%. That leaves almost nothing for food, education, healthcare, or savings. And on top of all this, the real estate industry charges 5-6% commissions — turning what should be a wealth-building transaction into a wealth-destroying one.
From Data to Action — CertiHomes Is Born
CertiHomes combines 15+ years of real estate expertise with AI-powered tools to fix the entire equation. Pre-certified homes. AI staging. Expert-curated CMAs. A flat $10,000 or 1% listing fee instead of 5-6% commissions. Lower mortgage rates for buyers. WealthWise for financial planning. Every feature was designed to answer one question: does this save the client money or time?
Building Wealth, Not Losing Ground
Real estate is how most American families build generational wealth. But you can't build wealth if the system takes 6% every time you transact, or if 72% of your income disappears into housing and transportation. CertiHomes exists to change that equation — keeping more money in the pockets of the people who earned it.
“This is so amazing to see my data come to life and help consumers. Great job.”
The technology behind CertiHomes' True Lifestyle Cost analysis is built on patented methodology:
US Patent Publication US20080015890A1 — Location-Based Cost AnalysisThe Reality of Buying a Home Today
These are real challenges that millions of Americans face every day. CertiHomes was built to solve them.
“I saved for years — and closing costs wiped me out.”
47% of buyers exceed their budget. Homeownership carries over $21,000/year in hidden expenses beyond the mortgage — and 23% of new buyers raid their emergency savings just to close. CertiHomes offers buyer credits and lower rates to keep more cash in your hands.
“Nobody taught me how to budget for a mortgage.”
85% of Americans have financial concerns, and most lack homebuying budgeting skills. The average first-time buyer is now 40 years old — up from 30 a decade ago — because the financial barriers keep growing. WealthWise by CertiHomes helps you create a personalized budget in under 5 minutes.
“I sold my home and lost $30K to commissions.”
On a $550,000 home, a traditional 5.5% commission is over $30,000. That's not a fee — that's a down payment on your next home. CertiHomes charges a flat $10,000 or 1% listing fee, saving sellers thousands they can reinvest in their future.
“31% of first-time buyers regret the experience.”
38% feel pressured to decide quickly, and those who do are 3x more likely to have regrets. The average home sale takes 52 days to close. CertiHomes pre-certifies homes before listing, giving buyers certainty and sellers an average close time of 15 days.
Ready to Experience a Better Way?
Whether you're buying your first home, selling your current one, or just trying to get your finances in order — CertiHomes is here for you.