Rent With Option To Buy

Definition of "Rent with option to buy"

Joe  Ravida real estate agent

Written by

Joe Ravidaelite badge icon

Keller Williams

Sometimes a landlord agrees to implement within the rent contract the possibility of the tenant buying the house at a certain price, by a certain date. It’s what’s called in the real estate world as a Rent with Option to Buy or a Rent to Own.

A rent with option to buy is a lease with a purchase option - not obligation. So it’s a great opportunity for the tenants, who can make a “test drive” of the house getting a feel for the neighborhood, its community and services before making a big financial commitment. It also warrants them time to save more money and get rid of certain impediments that could make a house sale go south.

Also, and super important in volatile markets, a rent with option to buy stipulates the selling price at the beginning of the relationship. When time comes to exercise the option, if the prices went up… too bad for the landlord. Tenant’s paying exactly what was agreed early on. But hey; if prices went down: tough luck, Tenant. Landlord gets the money!

Rent with option to buy is good for landlords as well, since they are earning rent money throughout the relationship and, in the end, might even sell the house.

 

Real Estate Tips:

Take a look at our blog further explaining Rent to Own Properties.

Discover more real estate terms in our Glossary!

And if you’re looking for an agent, try The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory®.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

(1) Housing arrangement in which the tenants are shareholders in a company that owns and maintains the structure. (2) Agreement between two real estate brokers in which the commission will ...

Individual to whom a mortgage, or property, is pledged. ...

Right of any government agency to enact and enforce certain regulations to provide for the health and safety and general welfare of the public. ...

Also known as SIOR, the Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS® is a professional commercial and industrial real estate association that works on an international level. In the US, ...

ADU in real estate is an abbreviation for Accessory Dwelling Units. In everyday discourse, you might have encountered the term under the following nicknames: granny flat, backyard cottage, ...

Mortgage for an extended time period (e.g., 25 years) Type of real estate investment trust (REIT) that gives long-term mortgages to real estate developers and contractors on new or ...

The term collusion may make you think about colluding from the start, and you wouldn’t be far from the truth. The definition of collusion is a secret, non-competitive, and, at times, ...

A report published by a governmental unit which is publicly available. For example, the decennial census report published by the U.S. Department of Commerce is a public report. ...

The period when a financial debt, such as a mortgage, must paid. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions