Local rent to own homes near me

There are two major types of rent-to-own agreements: lease-option and lease-purchase.

Both choices are similar since they both allow you to lease a home for 1 – 3 years and then buy it at the end of the term. However, there are some contractual differences between the two that you should know.

Lease-Option Agreement

Lease-option agreements require you to pay the homeowner an option fee when you sign, which can typically cost around 2 – 7% of the total purchase price.

The rent money (or rent credits) you save over the course of your lease go toward your down payment (if you buy the home). You can work with the seller to agree on a fair purchase price after your lease expires. This process usually involves an appraisal to determine how much the home is worth. In most cases, your option fee reduces the purchase price of the property.

You can walk away from the option and allow it to expire if you choose not to buy the property. However, doing so will forfeit both your option fee and your rent credits.

Lease-Purchase Agreement

A lease-purchase agreement works in almost the same way as a lease-option agreement. You still lease the home for a few years and put a certain percentage of your rent toward a down payment to buy the home.

However, when you enter a lease-purchase agreement, you have an obligation to buy the home at the end of the lease.

You and the seller agree to a purchase price when you sign the lease. You and the owner might agree to a price before you enter the contract, or you can specify a date for an appraisal and agree on a price then. Once you and the homeowner come to an agreement, you start your lease.

Setting a price beforehand gives you a better idea of how much money you’ll need in a loan. Choosing a lease-purchase agreement means you should start shopping for a loan while you’re living in the home or as soon as you agree on a price.

You’ll give up your claim to the home and all your rent credit you’ve accumulated if you cannot get funding for your home by the end of the lease. The homeowner can also sue you for breach of contract if you don’t buy the home.

ZeroDown’s program is a type of rent-to-own program, meaning you get the affordability and flexibility of renting a property while simultaneously contributing each month towards buying it. However, there are some important differences between ZeroDown’s rent-to-own program and regular renting:

Easing into Homeownership

Unlike traditional renting, ZeroDown lets you work towards buying a property while simultaneously inhabiting it. Think of ZeroDown as trying before buying—find a home you love, move in, and develop an understanding of being a homeowner, all while still enjoying the benefits of renting. During your lease, you’ll be able to figure out if the home works for you and your family long-term. If it does, you’ll have a headstart on your new life there. If it doesn’t, you can walk away and cash out a portion of the Purchase Credits you accumulated while living there.*.

* If the original purchase price of the home was $400,000 or higher, you will not be eligible for a refund of Purchase Credits if you decide not to purchase the home.

The Quality of the Home

Homes for sale tend to be better maintained and more recently renovated than rentals. This means when you participate in a rent-to-own program with ZeroDown you’ll be looking at higher quality homes than if you were shopping for a standard rental.

Because homes for sale include disclosures and home inspections, buyers have more information about the history and quality of a home than a renter would. We provide you with these disclosures as well, and our team of property experts will work with you and our agent partner to make sure that any home you move into and eventually buy will be a smart purchase.

Rent

ZeroDown’s program is designed to get you closer to homeownership every month you live in the home.

At first glance, your monthly payments may seem more expensive than traditional renting, but that’s because you are entering into a long-term lease for a home that ZeroDown custom purchased for you. Your monthly payment won’t ever change during the 3 years, regardless of the inflation environment. And, your option agreement allows you to earn Purchase Credits and participate in equity upside on the home, which can make your effective rent much lower than comparable rentals. Plus, if you decide you don’t want to buy the home you can always walk away and in some cases receive a portion of your accumulated Purchase Credits.

Repairs, Maintenance, and Improvements

ZeroDown will handle all maintenance and repairs to keep your home safe and habitable during your lease - if there’s an issue with your roof or furnace, we’ll get it fixed.

ZeroDown will also purchase a home warranty for the home when you move in that will cover common repairs and replacements. You will be responsible for making the service requests and paying the appointment service fees.

The home you’re renting will eventually be yours, so if you want to paint it, you can! You can even redo the floors, change the kitchen cabinets, and more. Just let us know in advance! We encourage future homeowners to make homes feel like their own. However, because we’re still financially responsible for the home while you rent it, we don’t allow larger scale renovations that require a permit—like changes to the roof, structure, electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems. For a full list of permissible renovations, you can check our

guidelines

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