Today’s Wall Street Journal has an article about creative home buying by friends. Is this a good idea?
Well, economically, it could make sense. A single person may not need a 4-bedroom home, but could easily share the cost of loan principal and interest, taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance costs with another friend with the same housing needs. But what happens when one friend loses their job? Has a drug or alcohol problem? Has a bad boyfriend (or girlfriend)? Likes to party too much? Gets a job out of town? Gets married? Has a different standard for maintenance and improvements to the home? No longer can afford “their share” of the expenses?
Let us assure you that without documenting the agreement carefully laying out expectations and contingencies of the parties going forward, co-ownership (known as co-tenancy in Ohio law, as counterintuitive as that may sound) could turn out to be expensive and legally problematic.
The bottom line is that co-owners, whether buying as an investment or to live in the property, should have a clear understanding in advance and in writing as to (a) the standard of maintenance and who decides, (b) the division of monthly expenses, and (c) an exit strategy on death, disability, or one co-owner just wanting “out.”
Finney Law Firm has drafted many LLC operating agreements, corporate buy-sell agreements, and co-tenancy agreements. Contact Eli Krafte-Jacobs (513.797.2853) or Jennings Kleeman (513.943.6650) for help with such an agreement.
