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‘‘It’s not something we usually see in the new home arena, even in this market,” said Katie Maloney, executive vice president of the Maryland State Builders Association.

Atkinson, an Oxon Hill resident who worked as a seamstress before getting into real estate, self-financed her operation through previous renovation work in Washington D.C. in the ‘80s. She originally ran into trouble getting credit from banks since none of them believed she wanted to build homes.

‘‘I wanted to make homeownership possible for as many people as I could, people who wanted to buy a home but thought it was out of their reach because of past credit problems or those who did not have a large down payment to put down,” she said.

Atkinson grew up in Tappahannock, Va., and completed high school before going to work for the international credit information company Dun and Bradstreet, in Arlington, Va. She has been married to her husband, Bennie, for 24 years and has three children and five grandchildren. Bennie Atkinson retired from working with the Washington Post to help his wife with her housing ventures.

Atkinson said she specifically caters to families. Crystal Mitchell and her family of four are among the Atkinson renters planning to buy a home in Atkinson’s Addition to Waldon’s Woods subdivision within the next few months.

The family had been looking for a home but kept running into credit issues after both Mitchell and her husband were laid off, Crystal Mitchell said. Mitchell heard about Atkinson from a friend and started lease payments in August 2006.

‘‘A lot of times, people are not willing to give you a second chance. She’s willing to work with people,” Mitchell said, adding that she aids Atkinson in finding prospective leases. ‘‘The house is wonderful. What I really love is you could tell a woman had a hand in it. She provides amenities that you would pay extra for in other homes.”

Atkinson homes, which are at least 3,000 square feet and brick-based, feature four to five bedrooms with ceiling fans, four or more bathrooms, whirlpool baths, gas fireplaces, in-law suites or sun rooms and fully finished basements.

She designs her lease purchase agreements so potential buyers sign a 12-month lease and then continue monthly payments until they buy within 24 months, without having to sign any additional leases. She has never placed a time limit for purchase on her renters.

‘‘My goal is to make homeowners out of my tenants,” she said.

Hoping to expand from her nine-home Clinton subdivision, Atkinson is working with an Annapolis bank to mortgage 16 lots in Brandywine, but she is holding off development until the housing market improves. She expects to have to sell off some of the lots to pay for the infrastructure and construction required in the future Summergreen Estates, her name for the Brandywine subdivision. Atkinson has already invested more than $600,000 in the project.

Most Atkinson homes go for around $600,000, with renters paying about $3,700 each month; $1,000 of this goes toward the final purchase. She took in more than $309,000 in revenues last tax period but says she is closer to breaking even now.

‘‘I’ve had a tenant now that still hasn’t bought in almost five years. I’ve had to refinance her house; it was either that or ask her to leave,” Atkinson said. ‘‘They have realized it’s cheaper to rent the house as long as they can without buying.”

Atkinson has a goal of finding affordable homes for 50 families, possibly through more renovations and foreclosures.

‘‘She’s a go-getter, especially for a young lady in that type of environment,” said Glenwood Foye, owner of G. Foye Electrical Services in Temple Hills, one of Atkinson’s subcontractors. ‘‘It’s easier working with her than her male counterparts since she’s no nonsense and straight to the point.”