Do an online search, ask for references and see if they have a record with the Better Business Bureau. If you don’t have the down payment or the credit score to get a mortgage, a rent-to-own arrangement may seem like a good option to buy a home. In a typical rent-to-own plan, the tenant signs an Option to Purchase agreement with the existing owner of the property. Even if you trust that the seller offering the arrangement is legitimate, it doesn’t mean that it’s a good deal. Since the rent-to-own arrangement typically includes those extra fees, you might be better off moving into a traditional rental and saving up for the down payment on your own.

Source: thestar September 17, 2016 09:00 UTC