FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Everything we get asked most often, answered properly.
What does Rose Rock Realty do, in one paragraph?
Rose Rock Realty is an investor-focused real estate brokerage in Moore, Oklahoma, serving the Oklahoma City metro. We represent investors buying rental property, flips, and portfolios; list and sell investment property including occupied rentals; run broker price opinions, rent estimates, and deal analysis; and sell homes on rent-to-own and owner-financed terms. We are paid a disclosed commission on closed transactions and charge no consulting or membership fees.
General
Do you work with first-time investors?
Yes. Most of the people we work with bought their first rental within the last few years. Expect us to ask what you want the property to do for you before we show you anything — that conversation is the part that prevents expensive mistakes.
Do you charge investors a fee?
On a purchase, the commission is normally paid out of the transaction as set out in your buyer agreement — we will put the actual numbers in writing before you sign anything. On a sale, the listing commission is agreed up front. There are no separate consulting fees, retainers, or membership charges.
Do you sell to people who want to live in the house?
Our brokerage is built around investors, and that is where we are genuinely useful. The exception is our rent-to-own homes, which are sold to people who intend to live in them. If you are buying or selling the home you live in on the open market, we will refer you to a good retail agent rather than pretend it is our specialty.
Can you manage the property after I buy it?
Our sister company, 1907 Property Management, does full-service management out of the same office in Moore. You are under no obligation to use them, and plenty of our clients self-manage or use someone else.
What if I need to sell fast and do not care about top dollar?
Then a listed sale may be the wrong tool. Landrun Home Buyers, also ours, buys directly for cash and closes quickly — at a price below full retail, which is the honest tradeoff. We will show you both numbers and let you pick.
What areas do you cover?
The Oklahoma City metro: Oklahoma City itself plus Moore, Norman, Edmond, Yukon, Midwest City, Del City, Mustang, Newcastle, Bethany, Warr Acres, Choctaw, Harrah, and The Village. We say no to properties far outside the metro rather than pretend to know a market we do not.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Se habla español.
Selling investment property
Can you sell my rental while the tenant is still in it?
Yes, and usually you should. An occupied property with a solid lease and payment history is an asset to an investor buyer, not an obstacle. We market the rent roll alongside the property. Oklahoma leases survive a sale, so the buyer takes the property subject to the existing tenancy.
What is my rental actually worth?
Two different numbers, and they are often far apart: what a retail owner-occupant would pay, and what an investor would pay based on the income. Which one applies depends on condition, the lease, and who can realistically finance it. We will run both.
Do I have to fix it up first?
Usually not for an investor buyer — they are pricing in the repairs anyway, and a cosmetic renovation rarely returns what it costs at sale. If the property could attract a retail buyer with modest work, we will say so and show you the difference.
What about capital gains and depreciation recapture?
Real and often larger than people expect, particularly the depreciation recapture on a property you have held a long time. A 1031 exchange can defer it, but it has strict deadlines that start at closing. Talk to your CPA early — not after you are under contract. We are not tax advisors.
Rent-to-own
What does rent-to-own actually mean?
It is a way to buy a house over time when conventional financing is not available yet. You move in now and make monthly payments, and at the end of the agreed term the house is yours — either automatically, or by exercising an option to buy. The exact mechanics depend on which of two very different structures the deal uses.
What is the difference between a lease-option and a contract for deed?
A lease-option is a lease with the right to buy later; you are a tenant until you exercise the option. A contract for deed makes you the buyer immediately — you hold equitable title and build equity with each payment. Oklahoma law treats the two very differently, especially if you fall behind. We explain both in detail here.
If I miss payments, can you just evict me?
Not on a contract for deed. Under 16 O.S. § 11A, an Oklahoma contract for deed is a constructive mortgage, which means the seller has to go through foreclosure and cannot remove you with a normal eviction. On a lease-option you are a tenant, and the ordinary eviction process does apply. This is the single biggest reason to know which one you are signing.
Do I need good credit?
Not the way you would for a mortgage. We look at your down payment, your income, and whether the monthly payment is realistic for you. We would rather turn down someone who cannot comfortably afford a house than put them in one they will lose.
How much do I need to put down?
It varies by property, and the required amount is listed on each home. Rent-to-own generally requires meaningfully less up front than a conventional purchase, but it is not nothing — the down payment is what makes the structure work for both sides.
Does my monthly payment build equity?
On a contract for deed, yes — your equity is measured against the payments you have made. On a lease-option, only the option consideration and any rent credit specifically written into the agreement count. Anything else is rent.
Should I have a lawyer look at it?
Yes, and we mean that. Have an Oklahoma real estate attorney read the contract before you sign — ours included. Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma also publishes a free plain-English guide to rent-to-own contracts. A seller who discourages you from getting the contract reviewed is telling you something important about the deal.
Are the payments and price negotiable?
Sometimes. A larger down payment often buys a lower monthly payment or a shorter term. Ask — the worst outcome is that the answer is no.