Buy A House Using A Lease Option

by Paul 6. April 2009
Buy a house using a lease option is a clever decision. It can be divided into lease and option sides of paperwork. The option can be a choice to buy. The agreement needs to be drafted between the owner and the tenant. A tenant who opts for lease has to pay a higher rental when compared to a normal tenant who is on a rental agreement. The lessee has to pay the insurance, tax and has to take care of all the repair works too. In exchange for this the tenant gets tax benefits. Buy a house using a lease option is attached with a time limit and has to be completed within the stipulated period of time. The tenant takes the property on lease for a particular period and needs to purchase the property at the end of the term. This term needs to be mentioned elaborately in the lease agreement to avoid any confusion in the future. If the lease option agreement is followed to the word, both the owner and the tenant can benefit from the deal, else it will lead to unnecessary complications.

Both the parties agree on a price and mention it in the agreement. This price is called the strike price. The tenant needs to pay the strike price at the end of the transaction period or even can walk out of the deal. The tenant suffers huge loss if he walks out of the deal in the middle, because the down payment is retained by the owner. In case the tenant is unable to arrange for the money he can request the owner to extend the date of the contract and if the owner agrees the dates can be changed legally. Suppose the owner is not interested in extending the date of the agreement, he can ask the tenant to walk out and sell the house to an outsider. The tenant cannot fight legally because the term has expired. The seller benefits both ways, suppose the deal is executed he sells the house and in case the deal is not executed, he gain the house plus the premium amount. The premium amount is not standard and is fixed by both the buyer and the seller. It is advised that the lessee opt for a lower premium, so that in case he walks out of the deal, the buyer does not suffer much loss.

The leases option agreement should be drafted with the help of a legal expert. Only they can design an agreement that is impartial and neutral. Only with a strong legal document can both the parties feel secure, in case of a violation. The agreement can be in two forms, one for lease and the other for the option; else both can be combined together for convenience. Whatever be the case, the strike amount, term of the lease should be mentioned in detail in the agreement. Buy a house using a lease option is the best means to own a house, with lending rules becoming stricter day by day.

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Real Estate