	Typical rent-to-own	Earned Equity Program
Who picks the house	Often the company, from its inventory	You do, on the open market
Landlord	The owner can change their mind and end the deal with a notice	No landlord hassles. It is yours to live in as long as you make the payments
Purchase price	Often set later, at future market value	Locked at your negotiated price on day one
Your payment	Rent, plus a small credit	Amortizes on a 40-year schedule
Who gets appreciation	Often the company	You. No shared appreciation or shared equity
Time to buy	Typically 3 to 5 years	Up to the term of the agreement
Underlying financing	Varies, often opaque	FHA 203(b) insured mortgage

	Regular FHA mortgage	Earned Equity Program
Who is on the note	You	The agency
Who is on the deed at closing	You	The agency
Income, W2 employee	Usually 2 years of W2s plus pay stubs	Pay stubs and the prior year W2
Income, self-employed	Usually 2 full years of tax returns	3 months of bank statements can be enough
Credit standard	FHA minimums, lender overlays	580, with exceptions below that
ITIN accepted	No	Yes
DACA	Not eligible since May 2025: FHA requires citizenship or a green card	Can qualify
Amortization	30 years	40-year agreement schedule

Why it's different

Why this isn’t rent-to-own