DUBLIN, Ohio, Aug. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (the "Company" or "reAlpha"), an AI-powered real estate technology company, today announced it has completed its acquisition of InstaMortgage Inc., a multi-state mortgage lender with in-house underwriting and funding capabilities, on August 19, 2026.

The transaction brings direct lending into reAlpha's platform and marks a significant step in the Company's effort to create an end-to-end homebuying experience. By bringing lending capabilities in-house, reAlpha believes it may gain greater control over execution while expanding its ability to serve homebuyers through both mortgage brokerage and direct-lending models.

Under the terms of the Amended and Restated Merger Agreement, reAlpha acquired all outstanding shares of InstaMortgage for aggregate consideration of approximately $8.5 million, subject to certain closing adjustments. The consideration consists of $0.5 million in cash, $1.5 million in reAlpha common stock issued at closing, and up to $6.5 million in deferred consideration payable in semi-annual installments over three years following closing, in cash or shares of reAlpha common stock at the Company's election, provided that at least $1.5 million of such deferred consideration must be paid in cash.

"We have completed the InstaMortgage acquisition," said Mike Logozzo, Chief Executive Officer of reAlpha. "reAlpha is now able to originate, underwrite and fund mortgages in-house, across 38 states and Washington, D.C. We believe homebuying improves when brokerage, lending and title operate as one system rather than three. Lending was the piece we handed to partners, and it now runs inside the platform."

Founded in 2008, InstaMortgage has built a full-cycle lending operation spanning origination, underwriting, funding and loan sale. Following the acquisition, reAlpha's integrated mortgage platform, comprising reAlpha Mortgage and InstaMortgage, provides coverage across 38 states and Washington, D.C.

"Over the last eighteen years, we have built InstaMortgage to operate as a full-cycle lending business, supported by the licensing, capital relationships, operating infrastructure and team required to execute across the lifecycle of a loan," said Shashank Shekhar, Chief Executive Officer of InstaMortgage. "What makes this combination compelling is that our lending capabilities and infrastructure, developed over more than a decade, now become part of a platform designed to simplify the broader homebuying journey."

"I want to thank the teams at reAlpha and InstaMortgage whose work made this closing possible," Mr. Logozzo added. "This transaction gives reAlpha more than additional scale. It adds capabilities and economics that fit directly into the platform we have been building. Our responsibility now is to integrate those businesses well, execute with discipline and turn that stronger foundation into lasting value for customers and stockholders."

After receiving the other required state approvals, reAlpha and InstaMortgage mutually agreed, in accordance with the terms of the Amended and Restated Merger Agreement, to waive the closing condition relating to two outstanding regulatory approvals to allow the Company to begin integrating InstaMortgage and realizing the broader strategic and operational benefits of the acquisition without further delay. The outstanding approvals relate to two states that accounted for approximately 0.82% and 20.49%, respectively, of InstaMortgage's loan origination volume for the six months ended June 30, 2026, and approximately 1.93% and 22.59%, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2025. InstaMortgage may cease conducting business in one or both of these states while the approval applications are pending.

For more information on the closing of this acquisition, please refer to the Current Report on Form 8-K that is expected to be filed with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") within four business days of such closing. Additionally, within 71 days after the date that such Current Report on Form 8-K is required to be filed with the SEC, the Company will file with the SEC an amendment to such Current Report on Form 8-K that includes the required audited financial statements and pro forma financial information pursuant to applicable SEC regulations.

About reAlpha Tech Corp.

reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is an AI-powered real estate technology company that aims to transform the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. real estate services market. reAlpha is developing an end-to-end platform that streamlines real estate transactions through integrated brokerage, mortgage, and title services. With a strategic, acquisition-driven growth model and proprietary AI infrastructure, reAlpha is building a vertically integrated ecosystem designed to deliver a simpler, smarter, and more affordable path to homeownership. For more information, visit www.realpha.com.

About InstaMortgage Inc.

Originally founded in 2008 by Shashank Shekhar as Arcus Lending, the company rebranded as InstaMortgage, NMLS 1035734, in 2021. InstaMortgage aims to provide a different mortgage experience to its clients across 29 states and Washington D.C. By combining technology with expert advice, excellent customer service, and competitive rates, InstaMortgage delivers mortgage options that are tailored to each client's unique financial situation. To learn more, visit www.instamortgage.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes "forward-looking statements." Any statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including statements by reAlpha's Chief Executive Officer, Mike Logozzo and Chief Executive Officer of InstaMortgage, Shashank Shekhar or statements about the InstaMortgage acquisition, the anticipated benefits of the InstaMortgage acquisition, reAlpha's ability to integrate InstaMortgage into its business and scale its business following the acquisition of InstaMortgage, reAlpha's long-term platform strategy and anticipated benefits to customers, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may", "should", "could", "might", "plan", "possible", "project", "strive", "budget", "forecast", "expect", "intend", "will", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "predict", "potential" or "continue", or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha's limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; reAlpha and InstaMortgage's ability to obtain regulatory approval in Virginia and New York; reAlpha's ability to realize the expected benefits of the acquisition of InstaMortgage and its operations, including the possibility that the expected benefits from the acquisition will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the potential negative effects of the Company's and InstaMortgage's business from not obtaining the regulatory approvals in Virginia and New York timely or at all; the health of the U.S. residential real estate industry and changes in general economic conditions; reAlpha's ability to pay contractual obligations; reAlpha's liquidity, operating performance, cash flow and ability to secure adequate financing; reAlpha's ability to maintain compliance with Nasdaq's continued listing rules; reAlpha's ability to generate additional sales or revenue from having access to, or obtaining, additional U.S. states brokerage licenses; whether reAlpha's technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha's ability to integrate the business of its acquired companies into its existing business, including InstaMortgage, and the anticipated demand for such acquired companies' services; reAlpha's ability to successfully enter new geographic markets and to scale its operational capabilities to expand into additional geographic markets and nationally; the potential loss of key employees of reAlpha and of its subsidiaries; the outcome of certain outstanding legal proceedings or any legal proceedings that may be instituted against reAlpha; reAlpha's ability to obtain, and maintain, the required licenses to operate in the U.S. states in which it, or its subsidiaries, operate in, or intend to operate in; reAlpha's ability to maintain and strengthen its brand and reputation; reAlpha's ability to enhance its operational efficiency, improve cross-functional coordination and support the reAlpha platform's continued growth through the implementation of new internal processes and initiatives, including upgrades thereto; reAlpha's ability to continue attracting loan officers and maintain its relationship with its REALTOR$(R)$ affiliate to expand its operations nationally; any accidents or incidents involving cybersecurity breaches and incidents; the availability of rebates, which may be limited or restricted by state law; risks specific to AI-based technologies, including potential inaccuracies, bias, or regulatory restrictions; risks related to data privacy, including evolving laws and consumer expectations; the inability to accurately forecast demand for AI-based real estate-focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha's growth; the inability of reAlpha's customers to pay for reAlpha's services; reAlpha's ability to obtain additional financing or access the capital markets on acceptable terms and conditions in the future; changes in applicable laws or regulations, including with respect to the real estate market, AI and AI technologies, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; reAlpha's ability to effectively compete in the real estate and AI industries; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha's most recent Annual