Rent To Own Process - How It Works

How Does A Rent To Own Home Agreement Work?

The rent to own process is actually pretty simple.

Join our property list and tell us what type of home you’re looking for, your budget, etc (START with the form to the right)
We’ll send you local rent to own/lease option homes that fit your criteria.
If you like a home and want to apply, we’ll give you an application to fill out. Don’t worry – we help people with all kinds of credit and financial situations, and if you can afford the property, we can probably help you to own it.
After you’re approved to rent the property, we’ll agree on a monthly rent amount and the future purchase terms. Then just sign the documents and move on in!
Move in and pay your rent payments on-time… then at the end of the rental agreement you can decide if you want to purchase the home at the predetermined price or not.

THERE IS NO OBLIGATION to purchase the home after the rental agreement expires.

However if you do we’ll credit you a portion of your rent paid to help reduce your purchase price.

How Long Are Rent-To-Own/Lease Option Terms?

Your lease/option agreement (also known as the rent to own contract) will spell out the length of time that you have to complete the purchase of the property – typically 3 years, but in certain circumstances we may extend your option if you need more time to get your credit or downpayment up to the point where you can qualify for a bank loan.

The purchase of your home usually takes place through a traditional mortgage loan, but there are other ways to complete the purchase, depending on your finances.

That’s the process!

Once you’ve completed your mortgage, you’re done – now you own your home!

First step – sign up to find great properties just by filling out the form on the upper right of this page.

A lease option is the perfect structure for someone who maybe has a few hiccups in their credit and can’t qualify qualify for financing from a traditional lender now, but who would qualify within a few years. The process is simple:

1.) You will pay a deposit known as the “Option Fee” that gives you the right to purchase the house at any time within the time period we agree upon, at a price we agree upon. This is called the “Option.” If the value of the house goes up before you buy it, we still sell it at the agreed upon price. When you buy the house, the “Option Fee” that you paid at the start will be reduced from the final Sales Price. However, if for some reason you can’t purchase the house before the agreed upon time frame of the option, the Option will expire and you will forfeit the Option Fee.

2.) A lease will be created for the same amount of time as the option. It is a standard lease with many of the leasing clauses that you are familiar with. The amount to be paid on the lease will be determined based on the amount of the Option Fee paid. We try to structure the deals so that we reduce the rent some so you save some. Also the negotiated purchase price for the house is slightly lowered. This allows you to save money on the monthly cost as well as getting a better deal when you buy. This helps those we work with feel that a portion of the money they are spending on rent is coming back to them when they purchase!

3.) Once you qualify for a loan and the house it purchased, the Lease is Cancelled out and the house is now your home!

The deposit is something that you should be comfortable with. When you sign, the deposit and the first months rent will be due before you move in. You’re paying a deposit helps us secure our interest in the property and let us know that you are serious about buying the home in the future. A normal Option Fee is around 3% – 5% of the purchase price to give you an idea of what we might be looking for. The higher an option fee you can pay, the better we can structure a deal for you.

If you have any questions about our Lease Option program or want to see if you qualify, please give us a call at 1-833-LIFETREE.