Buying A Home Jointly – Facts You Need To Know
If you’ve been dreaming of buying a home but your finances aren’t strong enough to qualify, you may want to partner up with another family member or roommate in the same situation. By pooling your resources together, you’ll be in a much better position to buy a home. One benefit of cobuying with your roommates is there will be less adjustment because you’re already living together.
One type of property to consider is a dwelling with separate units, like a duplex or triplex. Each of you would enjoy the benefits of a separate entrance, kitchen, and more. While you may physically be living in separate units, you still have the joint responsibility regarding ownership and maintenance costs associated with the land and roof.
One cost effective option is to buy a single home and divide the living area into separate sections. The only problem with this setup is you lose the benefit of having your own private space. If possible, try to buy a house where the layout allows you to easily separate the living space.
Before you hastily jump into a joint arrangement, you’ll have to discuss major financial issues and other issues particular to a joint ownership. One of the biggest issues will be concerning splitting the down payment and monthly expenses. Will this be an even split or a percentage split depending on the amount of down payment put in, the size of bedroom occupied, or some other factors. Be aware your tax benefits will be dependent on how you split ownership.
Another major concern is who inherits the property if one joint owner dies? Will it pass to the other owner or to the deceased heirs? What about if one owner wants to move out-can he or she rent their part of the home, sell it, or force the other owners to sell or buy their portion out?
You need to get some good legal advice concerning these issues because how you and the other joint owners list the ownership on the deed legally determines what happens in these circumstances. Common ways to hold title on a property can include tenants in common or joint tenants with right of survivorship. It’s best to consult with a local attorney to determine which ownership is best for you.
Other cobuying concerns include agreeing on how long everyone plans to stay in the house (and what happens when someone gets married or when a parent needs long term care); how the monthly expenses will be covered when one owner goes through tough financial times; how the house will be decorated; and rules about how the space will be shared (cleaning up, buying house supplies, music volume, and rules regarding overnight guests).
Buying a home jointly with another party is a huge commitment and it’s vital you choose the right person to partner with. Be sure to discuss all issues with your future co-owner and put the agreement in writing with the help of an attorney.
Want to find out more about buying a home in Orange County, CA? Check out these Tustin realtors and Yorba Linda Realtors to help you find one!
























































