Get approved in 24 hours! Serving Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Apply Now →

Home
>
Blog
>
Getting Started with Rent-to-Own
>
Getting Started with Rent-to-Own
Rent to Own: The Realistic Solution to Your Down Payment Problem
Imagine if you could start living right away in your dream house with an initial down payment that starts at 2%. Would this be enough of a push to get you to become a homeowner?
Apr 8th, 2022
4
 min read
Rent to Own: The Realistic Solution to Your Down Payment Problem
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
This is some text inside of a div block.

Imagine if you could start living right away in your dream house with an initial down payment that starts at 2%. Would this be enough of a push to get you to become a homeowner?

Let’s be honest: it’s not easy putting down a huge amount of money to own a house. In Canada, you can pay anywhere from 5% upwards for a downpayment, alongside other miscellaneous costs. It’s one thing to have enough money to buy a house within 5 years. It’s another to have a significant chunk of that money up front.

Saving up is the logical choice. Unfortunately, this assumes that the amount of money you’re saving can keep up with the price of real estate. A recent study by the National of Bank of Canada highlighted the growing gap between wage growth and the cost of housing in Canada and reported real estate prices have oustripped increases in salary by a significant margin, requiring many Canadians to save more money over longer periods of time.

You might be saving up, but it might not be enough to keep up with housing prices. Until that contract between you and the seller is drawn up, every single dollar you are saving up for is aiming for a moving target that keeps on moving further away.

An RBC Spring Survey has shown that this gap has discouraged 36% of non-homeowners under 40 from pursuing their dream of owning a home. Most Canadians believe they will be priced out of the housing market in the next decade. That gap is not going to close itself up, and if you can’t afford a down payment, how do you expect to ever cross the gap?

Why Rent To Own Is the Solution

Renting, when contrasted with buying a home, seems manageable. But imagine: a lifetime of paying rent is a lifetime of money that did not go towards something you could own. 

It might seem that you are stuck between two unpleasant options: renting indefinitely, or being constantly unable to pony up the down payment you need to buy a house. But there is another option. 

How Rent To Own Changes The Rules

Under a rent to own arrangement with Requity, you get started on your journey to home ownership for as low as 2% down. Once your application has been approved and you have selected your dream house from a site like realtor.ca, we buy that house for you at today’s prices, with the intent of selling it back to you in the future at a predetermined price.

Over the next few years, you will now rent that house, and a chunk of the rent you pay is set aside as savings for you to buy the house back at the end of the rent term. Your rent isn’t just being paid aimlessly this time - it’s serving a greater purpose.

When the time finally comes, we give you the choice: you can now buy back the house of your dreams at the price we’ve determined from the start, or you walk away and take your savings with you.

It’s the best of both worlds. You are renting at a rate that you can afford, but a part of your rent also works as savings for you to buy that very house in the future. You just empowered yourself to make a choice, with the financial leverage you were lacking outside of a rent to own scenario. All this while actually already living in your dream house! It’s a win-win scenario if there ever was one.

For you to know if a rent to own home is good for you, it has to follow the 3 F’s:

Feasible

You should realistically be able to see yourself in a position to buy back the house after a few years.

Flexible

Your savings towards your dream home should go back to you in the event you decide to not buy back the house.

Fair

Your regular payments should be well-documented and reported.

We at Requity Homes believe in empowering our clients, which is why we provide them with the knowledge they need to make an informed decision. Buying a house is a major decision, and we take it as seriously as you do. You are not alone in this.

Requity Homes Benefit

Requity Bridges the Gap

That growing gap between your wages and the rising prices of real estate may widen year on year, but through renting to own, Requity bridges the gap for you. You bypass the huge down payment by breaking it down one month at a time. The best part:  once you’ve saved enough  money, you’ll get to buy the dream house you’ve always wanted.

Whether you are looking to rent to own in Calgary or rent to own in Ontario or rent to own anywhere in Canada, Requity is here to make your dreams come true. Having a roof over your head to call your own is an important milestone in any Canadian’s life, and it’s one that we want to help you reach in a manageable, flexible, and realistic way.

Don’t pass that opportunity up. Inquire with us today, and we’ll help get you started on the road from renter to owner in just a couple of years. You’ll be glad you did.

The Bank Said "Not Yet." We Say "Welcome Home."
Start your path to homeownership with just 2% down.
See if you qualify for rent-to-own in under 2 minutes with zero credit impact.
Get Pre-Qualified Now →
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How does rent-to-own work?
Rent-to-own lets you live in the home now while working toward buying it later.
  • Apply online to get pre-qualified with no credit impact
  • Choose a home within your approved budget
  • We purchase the home and you move in
  • Each month you pay rent plus a fixed savings amount
  • You can buy back the home anytime during the standard three-year term, or walk away and keep your savings based on the program rules
Start your pre-qualification with Requity Homes now – it takes only minutes, and there’s no obligation to get started.
What kind of homes can I choose?
You can choose almost any move-in-ready home listed publicly or privately, as long as it meets our program criteria.
Eligible homes typically:
  • Are freehold single-family homes or townhouses
  • Are connected to municipal water and sewer
  • Are priced between $150,000 and $600,000
  • Are located in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, or Saskatchewan in communities with established municipal services and a population of 20,000 or more.
In some cases, newly built condo townhouses with reasonable condo fees may be approved. If approved, condo fees are added to your monthly payment.
Homes must be in good condition. Major systems such as roof, furnace, HVAC, and water heater should be within reasonable age limits. All properties are reviewed to confirm they meet our inspection and funding requirements.
We do not purchase rural properties, fixer-uppers, homes sold as-is, or properties with structural or safety concerns.
Once you are pre-qualified, you can tour homes with a partner agent or your own realtor and we will confirm eligibility before purchase.
How does pricing work?
Your monthly payment has two parts.
  • Rent that is aligned with the home’s carrying costs
  • Monthly savings that build your down payment
Pricing depends on the home price, your initial deposit, your monthly savings goal, and how quickly you want to buy back the home.
Want an estimate for your budget? Use our rent-to-own payment calculator
What are the basic requirements to qualify?
Eligibility varies, but here is the usual starting point.
  • Minimum household income $70,000 plus
  • Minimum credit score 500 plus
  • Minimum deposit 2% or $5,000
  • No active bankruptcy or consumer proposal
Eligibility varies, but here is the usual starting point.
We verify income and savings with documents so we can confirm the payments are affordable.
What documents do I need to verify income?
Depending on the type of income, we will ask for different supporting documents to verify your income. Our goal is to make sure you can afford rent-to-own payments during the lease term.
Traditional employment
(Hourly, Salaried or Commission)
  • Employment letter
  • Most recent pay stubs
  • Notice of assessment from the last two years
  • Bank statements for the past 6 months
Self-employed
  • T1 general tax returns
  • T2 corporate tax returns
  • Notice of assessment from the last two years
  • Personal & Corporate bank statements for the past 12 months
Pension & Disability Incomes
  • Proof that such payments are expected to be longer than three years
Alimony & Child Support
  • Proof that such payments have been made consistently in the past 6 months
What is the interest rate?
There is no interest rate during the rent-to-own term because this is not a mortgage.
When you are ready to buy the home, most clients get a mortgage from a lender to complete the purchase.

Have Questions About Rent-to-Own? Let’s Talk.

Speak to our team about your eligibility, monthly payments, and next steps toward homeownership.
Schedule My Call →
Home
Blog
Getting Started with Rent-to-Own
Rent to Own: The Realistic Solution to Your Down Payment Problem

Rent to Own: The Realistic Solution to Your Down Payment Problem

4/8/22
|
4
 min read
Rent to Own: The Realistic Solution to Your Down Payment Problem
Summary
Imagine if you could start living right away in your dream house with an initial down payment that starts at 2%. Would this be enough of a push to get you to become a homeowner?
Table of Contents

Imagine if you could start living right away in your dream house with an initial down payment that starts at 2%. Would this be enough of a push to get you to become a homeowner?

Let’s be honest: it’s not easy putting down a huge amount of money to own a house. In Canada, you can pay anywhere from 5% upwards for a downpayment, alongside other miscellaneous costs. It’s one thing to have enough money to buy a house within 5 years. It’s another to have a significant chunk of that money up front.

Saving up is the logical choice. Unfortunately, this assumes that the amount of money you’re saving can keep up with the price of real estate. A recent study by the National of Bank of Canada highlighted the growing gap between wage growth and the cost of housing in Canada and reported real estate prices have oustripped increases in salary by a significant margin, requiring many Canadians to save more money over longer periods of time.

You might be saving up, but it might not be enough to keep up with housing prices. Until that contract between you and the seller is drawn up, every single dollar you are saving up for is aiming for a moving target that keeps on moving further away.

An RBC Spring Survey has shown that this gap has discouraged 36% of non-homeowners under 40 from pursuing their dream of owning a home. Most Canadians believe they will be priced out of the housing market in the next decade. That gap is not going to close itself up, and if you can’t afford a down payment, how do you expect to ever cross the gap?

Why Rent To Own Is the Solution

Renting, when contrasted with buying a home, seems manageable. But imagine: a lifetime of paying rent is a lifetime of money that did not go towards something you could own. 

It might seem that you are stuck between two unpleasant options: renting indefinitely, or being constantly unable to pony up the down payment you need to buy a house. But there is another option. 

How Rent To Own Changes The Rules

Under a rent to own arrangement with Requity, you get started on your journey to home ownership for as low as 2% down. Once your application has been approved and you have selected your dream house from a site like realtor.ca, we buy that house for you at today’s prices, with the intent of selling it back to you in the future at a predetermined price.

Over the next few years, you will now rent that house, and a chunk of the rent you pay is set aside as savings for you to buy the house back at the end of the rent term. Your rent isn’t just being paid aimlessly this time - it’s serving a greater purpose.

When the time finally comes, we give you the choice: you can now buy back the house of your dreams at the price we’ve determined from the start, or you walk away and take your savings with you.

It’s the best of both worlds. You are renting at a rate that you can afford, but a part of your rent also works as savings for you to buy that very house in the future. You just empowered yourself to make a choice, with the financial leverage you were lacking outside of a rent to own scenario. All this while actually already living in your dream house! It’s a win-win scenario if there ever was one.

For you to know if a rent to own home is good for you, it has to follow the 3 F’s:

Feasible

You should realistically be able to see yourself in a position to buy back the house after a few years.

Flexible

Your savings towards your dream home should go back to you in the event you decide to not buy back the house.

Fair

Your regular payments should be well-documented and reported.

We at Requity Homes believe in empowering our clients, which is why we provide them with the knowledge they need to make an informed decision. Buying a house is a major decision, and we take it as seriously as you do. You are not alone in this.

Requity Homes Benefit

Requity Bridges the Gap

That growing gap between your wages and the rising prices of real estate may widen year on year, but through renting to own, Requity bridges the gap for you. You bypass the huge down payment by breaking it down one month at a time. The best part:  once you’ve saved enough  money, you’ll get to buy the dream house you’ve always wanted.

Whether you are looking to rent to own in Calgary or rent to own in Ontario or rent to own anywhere in Canada, Requity is here to make your dreams come true. Having a roof over your head to call your own is an important milestone in any Canadian’s life, and it’s one that we want to help you reach in a manageable, flexible, and realistic way.

Don’t pass that opportunity up. Inquire with us today, and we’ll help get you started on the road from renter to owner in just a couple of years. You’ll be glad you did.

a man and woman are looking at a picture of a man and woman

Your home ownership begins here.