Are you referring to “rent to own” and/or “land contracts?”
In my area the true Dechets Blancs seek out rent to own. They never end up buying the place and you end up with a destroyed building.
We bought one such person out of their contract. Basically a 4 bdrm SFH for 11K. Normally would sell (pre 2021 market) for 80K. Fleas and all.
The poison word in “rent to own” is “rent.”
In my contract it’s explicit that it is NOT rent to own and the buyer is a buyer, not a tenant.