Buying a home with a partner, friend, sibling, or other person can make homeownership possible sooner and allow two people to combine their financial resources. But when two people who are not married purchase a home together, there are financial conversations worth having before they begin looking at properties. A mortgage may be shared, but income, debts, savings, credit profiles, and expectations about ownership can be very different.
Applying Together Means Sharing the Financial Picture
When two people apply for a mortgage together, the lender evaluates information from both borrowers. That can include income, employment, debts, assets, and credit histories.
One person earning significantly more does not necessarily cancel out financial obligations carried by the other. Buyers should understand what each person brings to the application before deciding how much home they want to pursue.
This is also a good time to discuss how much each person is actually comfortable spending. Qualifying together for a certain amount does not mean both buyers will feel equally comfortable with the resulting payment.
Decide How the Upfront Costs Will Be Divided
The down payment is only one expense involved in purchasing a home. Buyers may also need funds for closing costs, inspections, moving expenses, immediate repairs, furnishings, and reserves.
Will everything be divided equally? Will one buyer contribute more toward the down payment? If so, does that change how the buyers view their respective ownership interests?
Having these conversations before money changes hands can prevent very different assumptions from developing later.
Ownership and Mortgage Responsibility Are Different Issues
Being responsible for a mortgage and having legal ownership of a property are related, but they are not exactly the same thing.
Buyers should understand how title will be held and what that means for each person’s ownership interest. This becomes especially important when contributions are unequal or when buyers want to establish what should happen if one person eventually wants to sell.
Questions involving title and ownership rights may also warrant a conversation with an appropriate legal professional before closing.
Talk About the Unexpected Before It Happens
What happens if one person wants to move? What if someone cannot contribute to the payment for several months? Who pays for a major repair? What happens if one buyer wants to keep the property while the other wants out?
These conversations may feel premature when everyone is excited about buying a home, but that is precisely when expectations should be established.
Purchasing a home together can be a strong financial partnership. The key is making sure both buyers understand not only how they will get into the home, but how they plan to handle the financial responsibilities that come with owning it.
