The moment arrived – my mortgage payment, officially earning me rewards points. It sounds simple, but after following the rollout of the Bilt 2.0 program, seeing those points appear in my account felt genuinely exciting. This isn’t just about rent anymore; homeowners can now unlock a powerful new way to earn rewards.
Bilt 1.0 revolutionized how renters earned points, and now Bilt 2.0 extends that benefit to the world of homeownership. The key is understanding the process, and I’m sharing my experience to help you navigate it. Keep in mind, this is a new system, and details may evolve, but here’s what I’ve learned about paying your mortgage with Bilt and reaping the rewards.
First, you’ll need a Bilt Rewards account and one of the three Bilt 2.0 credit cards: the Bilt Blue, Obsidian, or Palladium Card. These cards are the gateway to earning points on your mortgage. You’ll also need to link a bank account within the “Wallet” section of your Bilt account – this is where the funds will ultimately be drawn from.
Unlike the original Bilt program, mortgage payments aren’t charged directly to your credit card. Instead, they’re processed as an ACH transfer from your linked bank account. You might see a temporary pending charge on your Bilt card, but the actual debit will come from your bank.
To begin, navigate to the “Home” section of your Bilt account and select “Add a mortgage.” Bilt may automatically recognize your mortgage details based on your credit report, simplifying the process. If so, simply confirm the information to link your account.
If Bilt doesn’t automatically find your mortgage, you’ll need to manually search for your provider. You’ll be prompted to enter your account number and address. Once linked, you can initiate payments directly through the Bilt platform, even testing with a small amount first – a step I highly recommend for peace of mind.
When making a payment, you’ll choose your preferred points-earning option. The “Flexible Bilt Cash” option allows you to use $30 in Bilt Cash for every $1,000 of mortgage paid, earning 1 point per dollar. Alternatively, a tiered system offers up to 1.25 points per dollar, but requires significant non-housing spending on your Bilt card.
There’s another method to earn points: initiating the payment through your mortgage provider’s website. Within the “Home” section of your Bilt account, select “View payment instructions.” This reveals Bilt’s routing and account numbers – separate from your linked bank account.
Treat these Bilt-provided numbers like you would your own checking account details, entering them into your mortgage provider’s payment portal. This allows you to pay your mortgage as usual, but the funds flow through Bilt, triggering the points-earning process. My initial test payment took approximately 24 hours to complete.
My first mortgage payment through Bilt earned me 3,000 points. I utilized the “View payment instructions” method, and everything functioned flawlessly. The payment posted on time with my lender, the funds were debited from my linked bank account within a day, and the points appeared in my Bilt account shortly after.
Given the importance of your home and mortgage, I strongly advise setting up the process well in advance of your due date. Don’t wait until the last minute. Even a small test payment can confirm everything is working correctly for your specific account, providing invaluable peace of mind.
I’m now confidently moving forward, leveraging Bilt to earn rewards on my mortgage payments. It’s a successful first step, and I’m excited to continue maximizing my rewards with this innovative program.
