Questions About Lease Options

Questions About Lease Options

Flipper/Rehabber · High Point, NC · Member since 2016 · 276 posts · 183 votes

So I get the general concept of wholesaling lease options.  It's basically the same as "regular" wholesaling except you're dealing with rent to own rather than outright purchase, and your end buyer is going to be a retail buyer rather than an investor.

But I have some questions about the mechanics of the deal...

1) When you put the house under contract, are you actually entering into the lease?  Will you be expected to make lease payments, pay a security deposit, etc?

2) When you assign the contract, does the end buyer have to make a down payment, or a security deposit?  If so, does that basically mean the end buyer will need a fairly large amount of cash in hand at signing?

3) My understanding is that there is no closing (at least not that the wholesaler is involved in), only lease signing.  If this is the case when does the wholesaler get paid?  At the time of assignment?

4) After the contract is assigned, is that the end of it?

0Reply
56 views

8 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Wilmerding, PA · Member since 2016 · 188 posts · 44 votes
    10y

    If you want to learn about lease options I would read any and all posts by @Brian Gibbons he's been doing lease options for a long time. Good Luck!

  • Investor · PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 602 votes
    10y

    I think the wholesaler normally gets paid out of the option fee and there would typically be a weasel clause in there so that you would not have to pay for anything yourself

  • Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    10y

    All your questions have been answered numerous times in the forums, please search the topic, and if you have any more unique questions I'd be happy to assist. 

    With an option you don't need any stink'n weasel clauses, Jassem. 

    :) 

  • Flipper/Rehabber · High Point, NC · Member since 2016 · 276 posts · 183 votes
    10y

    @Bill Gulley I read through 5 pages of forum topics with the search criterion of "wholesale lease options" before even posting this question.  I am no stranger to doing my own research.  However, having searched through the forums, blogs, and outside of BP, I have been so far unable to find a full explanation of exactly how it works.  LOTS of articles just covering the basics, LOTS of websites that give an outline of how it works then direct to a page to pay $100+ for personal tutoring, LOTS of topics saying "what can I do" and the response being "lease with options" and the conversation ends there.  LOTS of other people asking questions about lease options and nobody even responding.  I've even read a couple topics where each sort of answered a couple questions, but the answers were contradictory so I'm right back to square one of not actually knowing what's what.

    I am still researching, but I foresee the possibility of using a lease option with one of the leads I'm working on now so I was really hoping to have this tool in my metaphorical toolbox before I meet with the seller and make an offer.  I would hate to walk away from a motivated seller just because I can't find a clear answer.

    Hopefully one of the more experienced investors will give a newbie a helping hand.

  • Flipper/Rehabber · High Point, NC · Member since 2016 · 276 posts · 183 votes
    10y

    Oh... If anyone has suggestions for podcasts, specific links to forum topics/blogs/websites/ebooks/whatever on the topic of wholesaling lease options, that go over more than the bare minimum basics, I would definitely appreciate it!

  • Rental Property Investor · East Wenatchee, WA · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
    10y

    Try searching 'lease option assignments' or 'LOA's rather than wholesaling lease options.

    There is a big difference between these and sandwich lease options which you are on the hook for over the LO term if your TB doesn't perform.

    In general, you will put up option consideration with the seller (say 1% of PP), then assign it to a TB for larger consideration (say 3% of PP).  There are no 'down payments'.  You need knowledge and money and a heart for genuinely solving seller problems.  This is not a no money thing.

    If you have no money, work and save until you get some @Adrienne Bryson.  Study everything on LOs while doing that.

  • Flipper/Rehabber · High Point, NC · Member since 2016 · 276 posts · 183 votes
    10y

    Thanks @Steve Vaughan!  I will adjust my search.

    I'm not necessarily looking for a "no money" option.  I just want to have enough of an understanding to 1) explain this option to my seller if the purchase price is too high for me and 2) be able to do everything legally and morally.  I'm not trying to cause more grief for my seller!

  • Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    10y

    @Adrienne Bryson

    What is the end game, what do you want to do with the property, lease long term ,fix n flip, live there, etc.

    Most owners already know what an option to buy is, pretty simple to explain if they don't, I"ll give you $2,000 for the right to buy it with 3 months, if I don't buy it, you keep the money, if I do, then that money counts toward my purchase. Let's come to an agreement on the sale price.

    Or, in addition, I'd like to pay you rents for x months in addition to that option money.

    We'll have an attorney draft up the option contract and a lease!

    :) 

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.