Row Partners and NestSTEPS launch homeownership benefit for employers

Row Partners has partnered with NestSTEPS to add employer-sponsored homeownership benefits for clients nationwide, targeting a workforce facing intense housing pressure. The deal leans on new survey data showing Western workers are especially eager for housing support and may stay longer when employers help.

Why it matters: - Housing costs are now a major financial strain for U.S. workers, and fewer than 1% of employers offer meaningful homeownership support. - The partnership gives Row Partners clients a new retention tool tied to one of workers’ biggest financial goals. - Western workers, who face some of the nation’s highest housing costs, show the strongest demand for this type of benefit.

What happened: - Row Partners announced a strategic partnership with NestSTEPS to deliver employer-sponsored homeownership benefits to Row Partners clients across the country. - The announcement was made July 14, 2026, from Provo, Utah. - Row Partners describes itself as the world’s first end-to-end professional employer organization. - NestSTEPS is a fintech-powered employee benefits company based in Provo, Utah.

The details: - NestSTEPS’ 2026 Workforce Housing & Financial Wellbeing Report surveyed 1,000 employed U.S. adults in a nationally representative sample. - The report found 91% of Western workers say employer homeownership support would reduce financial stress, compared with the national average by 3 points. - The report found 93% of Western workers would stay with an employer after receiving homeownership assistance, nearly 4 points above the national average. - The report found 85% of Western workers would consider switching employers for homeownership benefits, the highest switching rate in any region. - The report found 91% of Western workers say homeownership assistance would help them resist competing job offers, more than 4 points above the national average. - US Census data shows Western counties have a median home value 1.7 times higher than the national average. - NestSTEPS says homeownership assistance ranks No. 3 out of five benefits tested. - Among renters of single-family homes, homeownership assistance ranks No. 1, ahead of 401(k) matching and pay increases. - NestSTEPS offers a three-tier approach that includes a home savings plan, automated cashflow planning, financial contributions toward homeownership, and live education and guidance from licensed professionals. - NestSTEPS serves aspiring homeowners and existing homeowners looking to pay down their mortgage. - Row Partners combines payroll, HR, benefits, risk and compliance management, and marketing under one roof. - Row Partners says the model is designed to help clients grow.

Between the lines: - The partnership is aimed at a gap in the market where housing costs are high but employer help is rare. - The focus on the West reflects both stronger worker demand and a tougher housing market, which could make early adoption more likely in that region. - The benefit is also being positioned as a retention play, not just a financial wellness perk. - The pitch broadens homeownership support beyond first-time buyers by including current homeowners with mortgage debt. - Larry Salazar, president and co-founder of NestSTEPS, said employer help with homeownership can change a worker’s financial trajectory. - Jim Oman, director of benefits at Row Partners, said the benefit fits the company’s end-to-end PEO model and could help clients keep talent longer.

What's next: - Employers can review the full 2026 Workforce Housing & Financial Wellbeing Report at the complete report. - Row Partners will begin offering the NestSTEPS benefit to clients nationwide. - The companies are betting that housing support will become a more common part of employee benefits packages if adoption grows.

The bottom line: - Row Partners is using a new partnership to turn homeownership into a workforce benefit, with the West serving as the clearest test case for demand and retention impact.