The programme
Eight steps between the first form and your own front door.
Acquisition takes weeks. The term takes years. Here is the whole thing, honestly timed, with our side and your side kept separate so you can see who is responsible for what.
- Apply01–03
- Match04
- Move in05–06
- Own it07–08
Step 1: You apply
12 minutes- HOS does
- We acknowledge the application the same working day and open a file with a deal code built from your surname and city.
- You do
- Tell us your household income, employment, deposit, credit picture and the city you want to live in. Nothing is verified at this stage and nothing is charged.
Step 2: Financial assessment
2 to 10 days- HOS does
- We pull your credit with consent, sense-check income against a target price of roughly five times household income, and work out what deposit and monthly payment are realistic.
- You do
- Send pay stubs, notices of assessment if you are self-employed, and bank statements showing the deposit.
Step 3: Your quote and approval
2 to 5 days- HOS does
- We issue a written quote: target purchase price, starting down payment, base rent, savings portion, total monthly payment, the future purchase price and the term. Terms are provisional and later formalised in a Letter of Intent.
- You do
- Read it, ask about anything that is not clear, and sign it twice — once at pre-approval and once at disclosure.
Step 4: Investor matching
2 to 8 weeks- HOS does
- We present the file anonymously to our investor network. The investor sees household size and verified income as a yes or no — never your name, score or exact income.
- You do
- Nothing but wait, and keep your credit and employment stable while we work.
Step 5: You choose the home
2 to 8 weeks- HOS does
- We set the budget, the region and the condition standard, then work alongside a realtor. We arrange the home inspection and appraisal.
- You do
- Pick the actual house, inside the approved budget and region. It has to be in good repair and not too rural.
Step 6: Independent legal advice, then signing
1 to 2 weeks- HOS does
- We send the lease and the option to purchase to your lawyer and we do not proceed until the ILA certificate is on file. It is a hard gate, not a formality.
- You do
- Sit with your own lawyer, at your own choosing, and get advice before you sign anything.
Step 7: Closing day and the term
36 to 60 months- HOS does
- The investor buys the home. We collect and allocate every payment, hold your savings in a tracked bucket, manage the property and check in on credit progress month by month.
- You do
- Move in. Pay on time — payments are due in advance, so the first one lands on closing day. Work the credit plan.
Step 8: The exit
Final 6 months- HOS does
- We help you assemble the mortgage application, confirm the down payment we have been saving with you, and coordinate the purchase at the price fixed on day one.
- You do
- Get approved with a lender and buy the home. Your saved down payment is applied to the purchase.
Two agreements, not one.
Rent to own is a lease plus a separate option to purchase. They are signed together and they do different jobs.
Agreement A
The lease
Sets your monthly payment and your obligations as an occupant. Base rent already includes property tax and home insurance, which the owner pays out of it. Utilities and any condo or maintenance fees are billed separately and are yours.
Agreement B
The option to purchase
Fixes the price you can buy at, at the end of the term, and records the deposit and the savings you build along the way. It is an option, not an obligation — but the deposit and savings are only released to a purchase, and the $975 program deposit is only credited back on a successful exit.
What can go wrong, and what happens then.
The honest part. Most families finish. Some do not, and it is better to know the shape of that now.
Credit does not reach bank standard
We track it monthly and intervene early — usually in the first two years, not the last six months. If it is still short near the end, the term can be extended rather than ended.
You fall behind on payments
Missed payments are missed savings; the balance is only what has actually been paid in. We work an arrears process rather than moving straight to ending the agreement.
You decide not to buy
The agreement ends and a settlement is opened. Each pot of money is dealt with case by case by a manager, and the program deposit is not refunded.
If a lender said no, that isn't the end of the conversation.
Applying costs nothing, takes about twelve minutes, and ends with a straight answer about what is realistic for your household.