ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti sˈɛvən, ðə kˈʌmpəni wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd ɪn mɪlwˈɔːkiː baɪ mˈæks ˈeɪtʃ. kˈɑːɹl, ɐ ɹˈiːəl ᵻstˈeɪt ɐtˈɜːni hˌuː nˈoʊɾɪst ðæt hɪz klˈaɪənts wɜː hˌævɪŋ tɹˈʌbəl pˈeɪɪŋ fɔːɹ ðɛɹ nˈuː hˈoʊmz.
In 1957, the company was founded in Milwaukee by Max H. Karl, a real estate attorney who noticed that his clients were having trouble paying for their new homes.