New Hampshire Lease Purchase Agreements Package

Document everything in writing. Keep a written record of everything that is agreed on, and be careful to use the right terms in the agreement. Consult an attorney. Use separate agreements. Keep the term short. Take a security deposit. Pay like an owner. Factor in repair costs. Don't give large rent credits.

A lease purchase agreement in real estate is a rent-to-own contract between a tenant and a landlord for the former to purchase the property at a later point in time. The renter pays the seller an option fee at an agreed-upon purchase price, giving them exclusive rights to buy the property.

Lease-option contracts give you the right to buy the home when the lease expires, while lease-purchase contracts require you to buy it. You pay rent throughout the lease, and in some cases, a percentage of the payment is applied to the purchase price.

In a standard Lease-Purchase Contract, the two parties agree to a lease period during which rent is paid, and the terms of the sale at the end of the lease period, including sale price. Often, the contract is structured in two parts, one representing the lease term and the other a contract of sale.

A lease-option-to-buy arrangement can be a solution for some potential homebuyers, but it's not right for everyone. If you're not certain that you're going to be able to purchase the rental home at the end of the lease period, you might be better served with a standard rental agreement.

Most leases and rental agreements include a clause in which the tenant agrees that the premises are in habitable (livable) condition and promises to alert the landlord to any defective or dangerous condition. Tenant's repair and maintenance responsibilities.