Rent-to-own leases promise American dream, but experts say they’re often designed to fail homeowners

An exclusive 5 On Your Side investigation reveals how a form of predatory lending took hold of Ohio’s housing market after the foreclosure crisis. We uncovered rent-to-own leases and land contracts can leave aspiring homeowners broke and homeless, as they contribute to depreciating home values and force cities to use taxpayer dollars to pick up the pieces.