You’re Not the Problem. The Bank’s Rules Are.
Getting denied doesn’t mean you can’t buy a home. It means the traditional path didn’t fit your situation, and there are other ways to get into a home when you have income and savings. Thousands of buyers have been in your exact position. The right path just looks a little different.
Got turned down for a mortgage? You might still be able to buy in the next 3-6 months.
Takes 60 seconds. No hard credit pull. Just helps me see what’s possible for you.
Tell Us About Your Situation
Takes about 60 seconds. No credit check to see your options. No commitment.
How This Works
Fill out the short form above. It takes about 60 seconds. No credit check to see your options. No commitment.
We review your income, savings, credit situation, and timeline. No judgment, just facts.
If there’s a fit, we’ll walk you through your options on a free call and show you a real path to buying.
Common Questions After a Mortgage Denial
I was denied for a mortgage. Does that mean I cannot buy a house?
No. A denial is a snapshot of how your file looked on the day it was pulled. It is not a permanent verdict, and it usually has a specific cause with a specific timeline attached — a short employment history, a recent credit event, or self-employment income that needs two years of returns behind it. The question that matters is not whether you were denied. It is what would have to change, and how long that takes.
The bank said no, but I have a down payment saved. What are my options?
That is the most common situation we see. If you have 10% or more and income that supports the payment, the obstacle is usually documentation rather than affordability. A lease with option to purchase lets you move into the home now and buy it later at a price agreed today, while the thing that caused the denial gets resolved.
Who actually buys the house?
We do. The Option Co. purchases the property. You are not asking a seller to carry financing and you are not waiting for a bank to say yes. You lease the home from us and hold a written option to buy it later at the price set at the start.
How much do I need down?
A minimum of 10%. Most programs in this space ask 20%, and plenty will take less than 10% and hope for the best. We do not go below 10%, because below that the deal usually does not survive contact with reality.
Do you run my credit to tell me if I qualify?
No credit check to see your options. The 60-second qualifier does not touch your credit report. If it turns into a real conversation we will talk about what is in there, but you do not have to hand that over to find out whether it is worth a conversation at all.
How long before I can get a mortgage?
Typically one to five years, depending on what caused the denial. Two clean years of self-employment returns. Twelve to twenty-four months past a credit event. One full year in a new role. We put that timeline in writing before you move in, because if there is not a realistic path we would rather tell you that on a fifteen-minute call.
What is the difference between rent-to-own, a contract for deed, and seller financing?
They are three different things people often use interchangeably. In seller financing, the current owner carries the note themselves. In a contract for deed, you take possession and pay the seller directly, with title transferring at the end. In a lease with option to purchase, you lease the home and hold a separate written right to buy it at an agreed price. Which one fits depends on the property and your file.
What happens to my option money if I do not buy?
That depends on the agreement, and you should never sign one that does not say so plainly. Ask that question of anyone offering you this kind of deal. If they will not answer it in writing, walk away. We put the answer in the paperwork before you sign.
Does this help me qualify later, or am I just renting?
The point of the arrangement is the far side of it. You are a tenant until you exercise the option, so it is not a mortgage and it does not build equity the way ownership does. What it buys you is time in the specific home you want, at a price that stops moving, while you do the work that makes you financeable.
I am self-employed and my tax return is the problem. Does that disqualify me?
No — it is one of the most common reasons people land here. Your accountant's job is to make your income look small and your loan officer's job is to see it look large, and nobody warns you those two goals collide when you try to buy a house. That is a paperwork problem with a timeline.
Where do you work?
Minnesota and Wisconsin for lease-with-option, plus Ohio, Georgia and Florida. If you are outside that, we will tell you rather than waste your time.
What does it cost to find out?
Nothing. The qualifier takes 60 seconds and gives you a straight answer either way — and if it is not a fit, it tells you what would need to change.
The Option Co. is not a mortgage lender, bank, or credit repair service, and does not guarantee mortgage approval or home purchase. Lease-with-option participants may be able to buy and build toward qualifying; individual results vary and all agreements are subject to review.