September 19, 2026 · Upswing Homes
How to get pre-approved for a mortgage during your rent to own lease
A month-by-month plan for turning 36 months in an Upswing home into a mortgage approval: credit, income documents, savings, and when to talk to a lender.
The lease gives you time. Here's how to spend it.
Months 1 to 6: set the foundation
- Pay rent and any option payment on time. Every single month. This is the most important line in this article.
- Pull your credit reports (free at annualcreditreport.com) and dispute anything wrong.
- Open one secured card if you have no credit at all. Use it lightly, pay it off monthly.
Months 6 to 18: build the file
- File your taxes on time and keep copies. Two years of returns is the standard ask.
- Keep pay stubs, 1099s and bank statements in one folder.
- Start saving for closing costs. Your lender will tell you the number; plan on a few percent of the purchase price.
Months 18 to 30: talk to lenders
- Meet two or three: a bank, a credit union, and a broker who does FHA, portfolio and ITIN loans. Tell them your purchase price is locked and ask what they'd need to see by month 30.
- Ask us for your payment ledger. We'll send it to any lender you name.
Months 30 to 36: close
Get the pre-approval letter, send us written notice that you're exercising the option, and we open title. If you're not there yet, the 24-month extension exists for exactly this. Here's how each ending works.
Upswing Homes offers rent to own (dueño a dueño) homes in Tulsa under a 36-month lease and a separate option to purchase. The advertised price is the total cost (option fee + purchase price). No rent credits; option fee non-refundable; financing not guaranteed. General information, not legal advice.