How to Apply for a Rent-to-Own Property in Estonia: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Most people who look into rent-to-own agreements have one moment where they think: "This sounds good, but how does it actually work in practice?" The concept makes sense. The financials add up. But the actual process — what you do, when you do it, and what to expect at each stage — feels unclear.

This article closes that gap. Here's how the Bryan Estates rent-to-own process works from start to finish.

Step 1: Browse the Available Listings

The first step is simply looking at what's available. Bryan Estates maintains a live list of rent-to-own properties across Estonia, including listings in Loksa, Jõhvi, Viru-Nigula, Kohtla-Järve, and Luganuse Vald.

Each listing shows the full financial picture upfront: purchase price, option fee, adjusted financed amount, monthly payment, and the split between tenancy cost and equity credit. Nothing is hidden and nothing requires a phone call to find out.

You can see everything currently on offer at our rent-to-own properties page. Take your time with this step. Look at the numbers for each property, consider the location, and think about how the monthly payment fits your budget.

If you want to model different scenarios before choosing, our mortgage calculator lets you adjust the figures and see how the term and payments work across different inputs.

Step 2: Submit Your Application

Once you've identified the property you want, the next step is submitting an application. The application form is available directly on the rent-to-own properties page, with a dropdown to select your preferred listing.

The application asks for basic personal and financial information. This isn't a credit check in the traditional banking sense — Bryan Estates is assessing your ability to sustain the monthly payments over the agreement term, not your history with a lending institution.

Being clear and accurate in your application speeds the process up. If you have questions about what's being asked or why, the team is available to walk you through it. Booking a quick call before submitting is a good option if you want to talk through anything first.

Step 3: Review and Discussion

After your application is received, the Bryan Estates team reviews it and gets back to you. This stage is a conversation, not a yes or no at a distance. If there are questions about your application or details that need clarifying, this is where that happens.

It's also the right time to ask anything you want to understand before moving forward — about the specific property, the payment structure, what early completion looks like, or how exit scenarios work. The FAQ page covers many of the common questions, but the team is always available for the specific ones.

Step 4: Pay the Option Fee

Once your application is approved and both parties are happy to proceed, you pay the option fee. This is 10% of the purchase price on all current Bryan Estates listings.

This payment is the moment the agreement becomes real. It locks in your purchase price, removes the property from the open market, and formally begins your path to ownership. The option fee is applied directly to your purchase price — it's not a separate charge that disappears. From the moment you pay it, it's already working toward your ownership.

Bryan Estates accepts payment by bank transfer and by cryptocurrency, which gives international buyers and digital asset holders a practical route that doesn't require an Estonian bank account.

Step 5: Sign the Notarized Agreement

The agreement is signed in front of an Estonian notary. This is a legal requirement under Estonian law and a genuine protection for both parties.

The notary verifies both parties' identities, confirms the agreement is understood by everyone involved, and registers the transaction. The agreement sets out the full terms: purchase price, monthly payment schedule, equity credit structure, the 15-year amortization timeline, and the conditions for title transfer at the end of the term.

If you're not physically in Estonia at the time of signing, the process can be handled via a notarized power of attorney, which allows a representative to sign on your behalf. The Bryan Estates team can advise on how this works for international buyers.

Step 6: Move In and Start Building Equity

Once the agreement is signed, you take possession of the property and move in. From this point, your monthly payments begin and your equity credit starts accumulating.

You don't need to do anything special to track your equity — the agreement documents it clearly, and Bryan Estates maintains records throughout the term. Every month you pay, 30% of that payment is credited toward your purchase price, quietly building your ownership stake in the background.

Step 7: Complete the Purchase

At the end of the 15-year term — or earlier if you choose to pay out the remaining balance ahead of schedule — you complete the purchase and the property title transfers to your name.

This is recorded through the Estonian Land Register, giving you full legal ownership with public documentation. The process at this final stage is straightforward because all the groundwork was laid in the original notarized agreement.

Ready to get started? Browse the current listings and submit your application directly on the page, or contact the team if you'd prefer to talk through the process before applying.