You
may have seen more and more people advertising that they have a house or
condo for sale, and offer to do a rent-to-own. It seems to be becoming a
popular way for selling a property, but not a lot is known about exactly
how it works, and to whose benefit.
When
a seller advertises that he will consider doing a rent-to-own deal, he
will be looking for someone to lease the house with two contracts. One
contract will be a regular lease contract, and the other will deal with
the purchasing part of the deal. This contract will be for a period of
time that is agreeable to both the seller and the buyer, usually
anywhere from one year to three years. Many people think that the seller
will simply set aside some of the rental money as a down payment
contribution, but this is not exactly the case. The buyer will have to
pay the regular amount of rent, and in addition they will have to pay a
monthly installment that will be credited towards the down
payment.
There
are usually clauses in the contract that state if the buyer is late or
misses any payment, the contract is null and void. As well, the buyer
may be responsible for repairs and maintenance; however sometimes the
seller will accept responsibility for major maintenance issues.
One
thing to keep in mind is that house prices are always changing. The
calculations are based on today’s prices, and it can be next to
impossible to calculate what the house may be worth in the future.
Sometimes this is addressed by agreeing to a certain percentage increase
for each year of the term, and sometimes sellers will ask you to agree
to pay the appraised value of the house at the end of the term. (In this
case, you may have to pay a little extra at the end of your term to meet
the 5% down payment.) The seller will also want a down payment deposit,
generally not less than $5000.
Here
is an example of how the seller may calculate your monthly contribution
towards the down payment:
Say
the purchase price is $200,000, you have agreed to a 2 year term, and
you have already paid $5000 towards the down payment. In order for you
to save up enough money for a 5% down payment in 2 years, you will
calculate five percent of $200,000 and divide that by the 24 month
length of the contract. So in this case, you will need to save up
$10,000, but since you’ve already paid $5000, your monthly
contribution is $208.33. Keep in mind that this will be in addition to
your rent payment. If the buyer decides to walk away from the deal, they
will lose their deposit money, as well as any money paid towards the
down payment. At the end of the contract, you must be able to qualify
for a mortgage for the remaining balance.
Not
every seller will structure the rent-to-own in the same way, but as in
any real estate deal, you can always try to negotiate the terms that are
not satisfactory to you. It is very important that you get independent
legal advice for any contract that you sign.
For
some people who need time to repair their credit score, or are unable to
save up for a down payment any other way, this can be a great way to
eventually purchase your own home. You must be very sure that this
particular real estate deal is of benefit to you, and that you can
afford to take the risk of not being able to follow through with the
contract.
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