Rent-to-Own is an excellent way to get started in the process of homeownership.  You can Rent-to-Own select homes by paying a monthly rent (taxes and insurance included) and a non-refundable amount upfront (normally $4000-$7000) a rental deposit is not required.  None of the rent is applied towards the purchase price of the home, however, 100% of the Earnest money is applied towards the purchase price of the home and gives you instant equity!

This unique program enables you to get in a home now and work out the financing in the future. You will be given up to 2 years to get your financing and if you need a little additional time we always do our best to accommodate you. During your lease you will have plenty of time to work out any credit issues, establish a work history and/or resolve any issues that may be holding you back from getting financing at this time.  As long as your payment history is timely with us we provide you with an excellent source of credit and we help you every step of the way by providing counseling and putting you in contact with loan officers that work with most types of credit.

Advantages:

You get possession of the home prior to closing...most sellers will never ever let you move into their home until they have all of their money in hand

The price of the home is locked in and you are not at risk of high home appreciation

You get yourself and your family in a home NOW (vs.renting an apartment) and work out the financing later

You will have more than enough time to work out credit issues

You will be able to work on improving your credit score prior to getting your financing.  This could amount to substancial savings by qualifying for a lower interest rate

With a locked in price you are not at risk of rapidly rising home prices

You will have instant equity

Opportunity to improve your home and benefit from the increases in value!