Frequently Asked Questions

Yep!  The terms are used interchangeably, and both describe our flexible ownership program.

Our lease to own program is a great way for people to become homeowners.  We work with good people who, for whatever reason, are not able to meet the rigid qualification standards of a bank or mortgage company.  Most of the homebuyers we work with, like a lot of folks, have some credit challenges they are cleaning up, need additional time to save down payment money, are building up time of employment at their current job in order to qualify for a standard loan, or they just want some time to sell their other home!

The way it works…You put up an initial investment that 100% goes toward the purchase of the home, and a portion of every monthly payment also goes toward the purchase, too.  Then, at the end of the lease term…usually 12 months…we work with you to help you get financing to complete the purchase of your home.  Making on-time monthly payments in the home that you are going to own helps to build your credit.

ALL of the terms are pre-agreed in writing and locked-in upfront. You have an exclusive right to purchase and own the home.  You get to move in now, and you begin to make a house your home…now!

This is a purchase program, not a rental program.  We look forward to working with people who are willing to make a commitment to owning their own home!  Just like a homeowner has more flexibility than a tenant, we want you to have as many of the benefits of homeownership as possible.  While each situation is unique, we like to extend more flexibility for remodeling, updates, and pet choices to purchasers in the program than a standard rental resident would enjoy.

That really depends on you.  Our program is not cookie-cutter or carved in stone…it is flexible.  We realize everyone’s situation…including income, job status, credit, and monthly bills… is different.  Unlike a bank, we tailor-make each program based on the home and based on you.  Candidly, the more cash you can invest upfront, the stronger it makes your application and the more we can be flexible with other terms of the program.  The stronger your application, the better chance of having it accepted…especially when more more than one qualified buyer wants to take the home off the market.

Tight on cash now, yet expect to come into some funds soon down the road you want to invest in your home?  Make sure to let us know so we can make your application as strong as possible.

We want you to build up as much equity as possible during the lease term.  Ultimately it depends on you.  The more you can put up each month, the larger the “Rent Credit”, that chunk that goes toward the purchase price each and every month.  If you are tight on funds for an initial investment, you can make your application stronger by committing to a stronger monthly investment, so you build up more equity as you move along.  The more equity you build up, the less you will need to finance down the road.

Just like anyone with a mortgage on their property, the current owner of the home is responsible for their own monthly interest, property taxes, and insurance during the lease.  During the lease period, those expenses to carry the home you live in are covered by your monthly investment.

Typically, our program is 12 months long.  Often, and depending on the home and your needs, we can create an extension if you think you might need more time down the road to get ready to complete the purchase.

Our program is private, and only applies to homes we have in our inventory.

Welcome!  Especially if you have bad credit, you have found the best program to help you own your own home!  We have helped many people become homeowners who never thought they would be able to purchase their own home. If you have steady employment and the projected monthly investment for your new home is no more than about 1/3 of your gross monthly income*, then you are well on your way to qualifying for our program. We work with credit dings, repossessions, foreclosures, and bankruptcies, too.

( *Combined gross monthly income for your whole household, before taxes or deductions)

In our Lease-to-Own program, we are looking to work with people willing to make a commitment toward owning their own home.  It is a purchase and ownership program, not a rental program.