Buying a new home is a huge investment and it’s not that easy, knowing that today’s young adults are not that financially powerful to afford their own house or apartment. Also, people who have a bad credit score may not be able to sign a purchase contract, but at the same time, they are eligible to partially own the property. This is the moment when, according to Renttoownreviews.com, a process named rent-to-buy jumps in. But, what’s that exactly?
This is a process for those who can’t afford the initial upfront costs, or who are not qualified for a mortgage. Rent-to-buy is also known as rent-to-own or lease-to-own, which means you are practically renting the home you are intending to buy, and it’s yours, but not until you fully pay for it. This is also a very popular option and opportunity, and the buyer has a required period to pay the bank for the lease, so they can have their own home, and live alone or start a family.
So, in order to understand how these things work, and how to make the whole process easy for you, you have to know these things in advance:
1. Understand exactly how renting to buy works
The person who rents (buys) the property should sign a contract to lease with the owner of the property. It can be an individual or a company, and they will give some period to the buyer to buy the home until the lease expires or a few months or years before that. The price is a thing of the contract, because in these cases, some fees and additional expenses may appear. It’s always a good choice to hire an experienced legal advisor or real estate layer, so they can make a transparent and clear contract, that will protect both sides. That will help both the buyer and landlord to understand their rights before they sign the deal.
2. Understand what is rent-to-buy home
That’s a house or an apartment that the owners are trying to sell, but not always they can do that, especially if the home is attractive or located in a nice spot. That’s increasing the price of the property, but not every buyer can afford to buy it directly. That’s why they decide to choose this option, so the house won’t be empty until it’s sold, and someone can afford to live there until they pile up enough money to buy it. Both sides have benefited from that because the buyer can own the home and pay for it, and the owner doesn’t have an empty property to maintain and pay taxes for it.
3. Be aware of your obligations
It’s not enough to have a wish to buy a new home. You need to be able to pay the monthly rates, and of course, your financial power. If you are not sure you will be able to pay for the home for years, it’s better for you to find another option, as shared living with roommates, or renting a more affordable property to rent. You should keep the property in a decent state, taking care of living conditions. Also, even though the house or the apartment is practically yours until you completely pay for it, your obligations are to keep it in good condition, and the owner also has a right to check the property.
4. Get informed about the condition of the property
As a buyer, you have a right to know every detail and important thing for the property, like the owner’s identity, eventual legal problems behind it, the exact area it covers, the price, the additional costs, the heating, and cooling systems, and so on.
5. Be aware of the additional costs
The prices can be different if you pay for the property at once, or you rent to own it. The second option is more pricey, and rent credits can cost you a lot more money than buying the house at once. But, a lot of people are already doing that, and there is nothing weird to choose this option, so you can have your own place to live.
6. You can move at the same moment you rent it
You can enter your new rent-to-own home without a mortgage, and this is great for those who can’t have the loan approved immediately. As a person who will live in the property, you have to arrange that with the owner, to know all your rights and obligations when it comes to monthly payments. You only need to be aware that getting late with the payments can terminate the contract, and lead to losing money, and the property too.
7. You can’t skip the negotiation process
Even when you can afford the monthly payments, you can always negotiate for better conditions with the landlord or the bank that gives you the loan. Sometimes, these negotiations may lead to more benefits that you didn’t even plan when you initially decided to rent-to-buy your new home.
8. An agency can match you with the ideal landlord
You can go through the ads and look for a property by yourself, or you can go to an agency so they can find the perfect match in the offers and your requirements. Sometimes it’s not worth the risk to go through all of that alone by yourself, and an agency may jump in and ease the whole process.
Having your own home is challenging and exciting, but not always able right at the same moment. You must be aware of your financial abilities and power, and don’t try to go for something that you can’t really afford. But, on the other hand, this rent-to-own process is making things a lot easier for young people who want to get more independent and move into their own house.
We all know that it’s not easy, especially when the whole world is affected by an economic crisis caused by the current pandemic. But, hopefully, these easing options are giving a chance to everyone to move from their parents and start a whole new life by themselves.