Coming to Rent2Buy: FREE LEADS for Real Estate Agents

The new Rent2Buy Agent Network program will offer FREE LEADS if you: List one rent to buy property a month. Your exclusive zip code will be for free!

Reserve an Exclusive Zip Code!

Rent2Buy Agent Network program will increase your experience, value and potential by being a member of our agent network program. Our Agent Network Program will allow you, the real estate agent, to be in direct contact with our buyers and sellers. You will have the opportunity to be the EXCLUSIVE AGENT in your TERRITORY. We only allow one agent per zip code, so you will not have any competition from other real estate professionals in your EXCLUSIVE area.

Once signed up, you will receive the following:

• Free buyers and sellers leads
• Access to property photos
• EXCLUSIVE TERRITORIES starting as low as $60.00 per month
• For sale by owner leads
• No contracts

For more information, visit Rent2Buy.com

Or, Conact Us at:
USA: 888.386.6660
(T) 973.695.4323

Rent2Buy Unveils Virtual Auto Mall

Rent2Buy.com, an online marketplace to rent or lease products with the option to buy, announced plans to launch the Rent2Buy Virtual Auto Mall in January 2011.

With the Virtual Auto Mall consumers, who are in the market to purchase a used rental car, can visit one online location and view inventory for sale from a variety of rental car companies in their area. The inventory appears in a search results matrix similar to results screens on Expedia, Orbitz and Kayak.

“The Virtual Auto Mall marries Rent2Buy’s unique ‘try-before-you-buy’ concept with a traditional auto mall,” says Moti Kahana, founder of Rent2Buy.

The Rent2Buy system allows participating rental car companies to list units for sale that are still on rent, therefore avoiding the traditional fees and time associated with a traditional auction sale. In turn, car shoppers have the option to buy the vehicle and apply the rental fee to the purchase, or simply pay the rental rate and walk away.

“Car dealers in a traditional auto mall benefit from the ability to pool resources, while the concentration of inventory and variety of brands make the auto mall a car buying destination,” says Kahana. “This type of marketing alliance empowers dealers – or in this case, rental car companies – to sell more cars with less money spent on marketing.”

If the Rent2Buy concept does not fit a particular sales situation, sellers have other solutions to offer the customer, such as rent-to-own, lease-to-buy or “make an offer” arrangements.

For more information, contact Moti Kahana at (888) 386-6660 or info@rent2buy.com.

To view the original article in the Auto Rental News, click here.

Homeownership out of reach for 1/3 of Americans; No better time to Rent2Buy

The reality of the economic turmoil of recent years means homes are more affordable now than they have been in the past. But despite lower home prices, banks have tightened their restrictions. Though mortgage rates are at historically low levels, it is harder than ever to get a loan.

Zillow.com analyzed over 25,000 loan requests on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace on top of credit score data from myFico.com in order to determine who is eligible for loans and who is getting the best rates. What they found is that the 47% of Americans with credit scores at or above 720 have access to the best interest rates and most expansive choice in loans. For the 29.3% of Americans with scores below 620, getting a mortgage is nearly impossible. According to zillow.com, even those who can offer a down payment of 15 to 25% will rarely be offered even one loan quote by lenders. For those with credit scores between 620 and 719, the APR (Annual Percentage Rate) decreases as the credit score increases.

What this means is that homeownership is out of reach for 1/3 of Americans. Over 100 million Americans cannot get a mortgage, cannot take out a loan, and cannot own their own home.

BUT homeownership doesn’t have to be out of reach. The option to rent to buy a home is becoming increasingly relevant, opening up the possibility of homeownership for people across the country for which homeownership wouldn’t otherwise be an option.

Owning a home is the American Dream, and Rent2Buy is allowing more and more Americans to achieve it.

Rent2Buy Real Estate Updated With 2,310,380 Homes!

The Rent2Buy real estate site is now up and running with a full real estate inventory. The live server includes real estate data in the categories of foreclosure, homes for sale, and user inventory. You can now access over 2,310,380 records on the Rent2Buy real estate site.

We’ve shown you bits and pieces of what the new Rent2Buy real estate site would look like over the past few months, but now you can see for yourself! The new site makes it easy to search for homes in your area and allows you to act on those leads. Rent2Buy real estate is easy to navigate, and with over 2 million records, you’re bound to find the perfect home.

Click here to browse the new Rent2Buy real estate site. Check back again on Monday as about 200 additional rent to buy homes will be added to Rent2Buy’s inventory.

Let us know what you think of the new look and functionality of Rent2Buy Real Estate! We look forward to hearing your feedback.

Rent2Buy 2011 Automotive Marketplace: Virtual Auto Mall

Coming in 2011, rent2buy will be the online marketplace providing you with access to rental inventory in your area. On rent2buy, you will be able to compare and see available inventory in and around your zip code. The new rent2buy automotive section will enable you to make educated decisions about who you want to do business with by allowing you to choose which rental car company you want to rent to buy  from.

The rent2buy automotive platform will allow you to compare pricing between rental companies. You can then make an informed decision about which company you want to use to ‘try it before you buy it.’

The image below is what the rent2buy search result page will look like.  Please give us feedback.

The rent2buy automotive marketplace is in essence, a virtual auto mall. Auto malls come about when car companies set up stores near each other so that they can defer the cost of getting you, the customer, to visit their location. The same goes for the online marketplace. The rent2buy automotive section will showcase various rental car companies. These companies want to have their inventory searchable on the rent2buy platform so that they can best reach you; it benefits rental car companies to be listed amongst all competing companies. You, the customer, also benefit from the comprehensive online listing of all rental car companies; all of the information and inventory you need to make the best possible decision about which car to try before you buy is right at your fingertips.

For rental car companies, having their company listed on the rent2buy site means less money spent on advertising and driving customers to their own site. Like an auto mall, it allows them to spend less money on marketing overall. Instead of one company spending more money, every company can spend less on marketing but get more traffic because everybody is helping in a joint marketing effort.

New homepage for auto.rent2buy.com to launch 2011

What do you think about auto.rent2buy.com’s new homepage? The homepage, shown below, will be your go-to portal for searching autos of any kind on the rent2buy site.

The auto section of rent2buy will be coming in early 2011. On the rent2buy site, you will be able to browse cars by type, make and model. You will also be able to search for rent to buy, rent to own, lease to buy or make an offer.

The rent2buy site is about all 4 search options : rent to buy, rent to own, lease to buy, and make an offer to a dealer. You can search specifically for each kind of transaction, or explore them all! This means there are four entirely different options available for how to structure your transaction.

The rent to buy transaction is short term, and all about giving you an opportunity to ‘try it before you buy it.’ The rent to own transaction is more long term and entails monthly payments over a longer period of time until you eventually own your vehicle. Lease to buy is similar to rent to own in that you make a monthly payment over a period of time; the difference is that with lease to buy, your payments are smaller, and there is a large balloon payment at the end of your transaction if you want to purchase the vehicle. If you decide not to purchase it, you can return the car at the end of the lease term and you do not need to make a final balloon payment. The last option is to make an offer to a dealer. This means setting your own parameters in terms of how long you would like to rent the vehicle and how much you are willing to pay to do so. The make an offer option allows you to make an offer to a dealer and then work out an agreement that is suitable to you both.

On the site, you will also be able to search used rental cars by make, model, zip code, and desired pick-up date. With all of the available search options, you are guaranteed to find a car that suits your needs.

The idea behind auto.rent2buy.com is to allow you, the consumer, to easily search for autos that fit your needs. What makes rent2buy unique in the auto industry is that you have various options for purchasing a vehicle. The rent to buy process is a valuable option that many are not aware exists and have not considered exploring.

Rent to buy allows you to try out a car before you buy it. Let’s say, for example, you have searched used rental cars by make and model and have located a car near you. You aren’t sure if this car is going to be big enough for you and your family to fit comfortably. Constantly shuttling your kids around town to various sports and other activities, you know how important it is to find a car that fits just right.

The rent2buy site allows you to rent a car for a short period of time and try it out before you buy it. After the rental period is over, you can choose whether or not to buy the car. If it was a great fit, go ahead and buy it! If you think there’s another option that might be better for you, go ahead and try out something different.

Because you can try it before you buy it, the vehicle that you purchase in the end is guaranteed to be exactly what you want. There is no commitment at all to buy the car. So hop in that red Camaro, take your wife for a spin, and convince her you really, really need it. Who knows, at the end of a few short days of chauffeuring her around town in it, you may just be the owner of that bright red sports car you always dreamed of.

Thoughts on the rent to buy process? Thoughts on the look of the new auto.rent2buy.com homepage? Let us know!

University of Kentucky Lets Students Rent Books With Option to Buy

Offering students the option to rent textbooks has become increasingly widespread. Colleges across the country have adopted new practices that allow their students to take advantage of rental and rent-to-buy programs.

The University of Kentucky is one such school that has recognized the need for more affordable ways for students to obtain textbooks. The UK Bookstore’s parent company, Follett Higher Education Group, offers students the option to rent instead of buy. This option can save students more than 50% of what they would pay to purchase a text.

With the rent-to-buy program, each student can treat the text like it is his own. Students are free to highlight and take notes in rented books. At the end of the semester, students can return the book or have the option to buy it. The national pilot program put in place by the Follett Higher Education Group has received positive feedback, with more than 90% of students surveyed as being satisfied. The Group found that the rental program saved students close to $2 million on course texts in one semester at seven different schools.

Students have the option of renting or buying texts in the campus store or online at the book store’s website. There are various different payment options to accommodate students’ needs. The rent-to-buy program makes textbooks more easily accessible to all students, and eases the financial burden placed on students who may not have the means to afford a full courseload worth of books each semester.

Sally Wiatrowski, store director at UK’s Bookstore, said that “the results and feedback from UK students who were able to select rental as an option were very positive. In response, the Rent-A-Text at the UK Bookstore is now offering a much wider expanse of titles.” Student feedback on the ease and financially less burdensome option of renting texts is decidedly positive.

Click here to read the original article.

Jackson State Community College Offers Rent-To-Buy Books

Jackson State Community College has come up with new options for students faced with expensive textbook prices. Walking through the bookstore, you will find green and white “Rent Me” signs next to each textbook. The bookstore offers several options for students to rent, buy, or rent-to-buy these texts.

One such option is a one-semester rental. Students can rent a textbook they need for the current semester and then return the book when they are finished. The rental fee for one semester is 50% of the purchase price of the book. For a $120 textbook, the rental fee for one semester would be $60.

Another option available caters to students who need to rent a textbook for two semesters. In this case, the student can rent the book for the first semester, and then re-rent the book for the next semester for the same price (in this case, $60).

This option is helpful for those who don’t have the money to pay the full purchase price upfront. It frees up students’ and parents’ cash flow by spreading the cost of the book over two semesters instead of having to pay for it right at the start of the school year in one lump sum payment. Tuition is paid upfront and in one payment, so the two-semester rental option will give students some extra time to come up with the money needed to buy the book.

Rental reminders are sent to students via email to let them know when the end of the rental contract is approaching. If students do not return the book on time after ample reminder, they are charged the full price of the book, minus the rental fee, plus an additional 10% fee. In the end the 10% fee is the only real penalty of the rental program, and it only applied to those students not returning texts on time.

Yet another option exists for Jackson Community College students. There are some books in the store that have a 50% guaranteed return if students return the books after the semester ends. In this case, students purchase the book in full at the beginning of the semester and then get 50% back when they return the book at the end of the semester.

It could make sense for students to buy a book at the beginning of the semester and then sell it back instead of renting that book for two semesters. Buying the book and selling it back may end up being cheaper than renting the book, as long as the buy-back option is available for that text.

The option described above is essentially a rent-to-buy transaction. Even those who cannot afford to purchase the book in its entirety at the beginning of the first semester can take advantage of this option. Students could rent a text for the first semester, pay the difference in order to buy it in the second, and then sell back the book at the end of two semesters in order to make the full 50% on it (assuming the book qualifies for buy-back).

A rental or rent-to-buy program in college bookstores would benefit both students and the college itself. Keeping students involved in on-campus establishments is essential to fostering a sense of community. Students will have immediate access to the texts they purchase at the college book store.

If students order their texts online instead of taking advantage of one of the above in-store purchase options, they will either have to wait for the book to arrive or pay an extra fee for expedited shipping. Offering rental and rent-to-buy options in college bookstores clearly benefits everybody involved in the transaction.

Click here for a link to the original article.

Sony Allows Customers to ‘Try Before They Buy’ PlayStation Move

Sony’s strategy for marketing the new PlayStation Move is to let people to try it before they buy it. The PlayStation Move is set to hit stores next month.

The idea behind Sony’s big marketing push, said to start September 11^th, is to allow customers to demo the PlayStation Move before deciding to buy it. The motion controller peripheral and platform will be placed in malls, stores, kiosks, and driven across the country in Sony’s Patrol Truck. The Move will also be showcased at festivals across the country, including the Voodoo Festival and Lollapalooza.

Sony is in the midst of a hiring rush in order to accommodate Move exposure at kiosks in stores such as Walmart and Best Buy. Users will be able to try it before they buy it until January.

The goal of  Sony’s marketing of the Move is to have customers make informed decisions about whether or not to purchase the Move. Allowing people to try it before they buy it will benefit Sony by providing wide exposure of their product. Trying it before they buy it will benefit customers because they will know exactly what they’re purchasing and if it’s what they truly want.

Click here to read the original article.

Mexican Mortgage Giant Launches Rent-To-Buy Program

Infonavit is Mexico’s largest home lender. The federal housing fund announced on Monday that it would launch a rent-to-buy program.

The rent-to-buy program is aimed at potential home buyers who are considered low-income and therefore are not eligible for a mortgage loan.

The terms of the program are as follows: individuals enrolled in the program will have to pay the equivalent of at minimum 10% of the home’s value in rent within an allotted period. Participants in the program will have to pay the 10% for at least six months before they will be able to request a mortgage for up to 314,420 pesos (or the equivalent of $24,910).

The pilot rent-to-buy product will initially be provided in Tijuana and Aguascalientes through Urbi Desarrollos Urbanos SAB, a Mexican home construction company. The company reached a deal with Aureos Capital Ltd., a private-equity shop, in an attempt to enhance its rent-to-buy option for home sales.

Infonavit is financed by its lending operations, employer contributions on behalf of the country’s 14.5 million salaried workers, and through mortgage bonds.  In the past year, Infonavit has budgeted somewhere between 475,000 to 525,000 mortgages.

Click here for a link to the original article in the Wall Street Journal.