I am buying a house with my boyfriend. Does anyone know where I can find a contract that protects both of us?

Answer 1

I've run into this situation more times than I care to count.

It is NEVER a good idea to buy a house with a boyfriend/girfrend. Over the course of time you likely will no longer be a "couple" then there is the distribution of non-marital assets, the home. It s difficult enough when married people separate. At least they have martial rights to protect them in a court of law.

You already have acknowledged that you need "protection". That is a big clue to the future. Statistics are that if you live together then marry you have an 80% chance of divorcing. So you are stacking the odds against your success of happy homeownership up front. Don't get me wrong, I am not "moralizing" or preaching to you, just quoting stats as I deal with stats in my business. I do real estate.

I have sold more than one couple a home who insisted they were not typical live-ins, they were firmly "committed" to each other. All bought against my advice, went ahead and bought anyway, then later split. I, the attorneys and the courts profited; they lost their collective assets. So consider long and hard the road you are about to travel, choose wisely, best of luck.

Answer 2

Your local attorney's office. Any competent, licensed attorney should be able to draft a contract that protects the interests of both parties. But there probably isn't a contract just lying around that you could use.

What you're trying to do isn't a very good idea. Joining households in this way without getting legally married is a recipe for some really unpleasant times should the two of you break up, as is much more likely to happen if you're just living together. A good attorney will be able to draft a contract that gives you both what you want, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Answer 3

It is much too common, to a traditional person like myself, for unmarried people to buy property together. And, frankly, seeing just how much suffering married people who divorce have when settling property issues, I don't really think there is any special problem for joint ownership by people who are "shacking up". Nor will the contract be a really unusual thing.

In both cases, the problem is if you break up, the house has to be either sold and divided, which means one will have to find another place to live for a while, until it's sold, and yet contribute to the costs until it's sold.. That is true for marrieds also.

Or, one will have to assume payments, which is not always practical.

Answer 4

This situation will test your relationship, because you have to speak about end-of-relationship matters to do it right. It is an entirely bad idea to buy a house with someone if you're not married, but if you are determined to do it, I'm sure a good contract lawyer could protect you. I've seen one situation like this before, in total meltdown. BIG problems for everyone involved.

Answer 5

Buying is almost always better than renting! But remember that it's an investment. There is no generic contract. You need to go to an investment attorney and get a contract agreeable to both of you. Don't be shortsighted in setting up the "rules". Such as what each party's responsibility is to the mortgage/taxes/upkeep. AND, who gets what in the event the house is sold. There's also a possiblity you can have a "buyout" clause. Bottom line...invest in a good contract before you invest in your future.

Answer 6

Ryan is correct.

Only one of two things can happen. You'll stay together or you'll split up. If you stay together, it doesn't matter whose name is on the contract. If you split up, no matter what the contract states, you've complicated the breakup.

Answer 7

I agree with answer #1.

Answer 8

unless you get married, i wouldn't do it.