In a rent-to-own agreement, you (as the buyer) pay the seller a one-time, usually nonrefundable, upfront fee called the option fee, option money, or option consideration. This fee is what gives you the option to buy the house by some date in the future. The option fee is often negotiable, as there’s no standard rate. To learn about the process for purchasing real estate using a land contract see the Nolo article, How to Close on a Land Contract. Does an Attorney Need to Review a Land Contract? Land contracts may be a good, or sometimes the only, option available to buyers and sellers of real estate. Land contracts or contracts for deed are a security agreement between a seller, called a Vendor, and a buyer called a Vendee. The Vendor agrees to sell a property by financing the purchase for the Vendee. The Vendor retains legal title and the Vendee receives equitable title.