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What to consider when co-buying a property?

  Written by 
Bill Tsouvalas
Bill Tsouvalas is the managing director and a key company spokesperson at Savvy. As a personal finance expert, he often shares his insights on a range of topics, being featured on leading news outlets including News Corp publications such as the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun, Fairfax Media publications such as the Australian Financial Review, the Seven Network and more. Bill has over 15 years of experience working in the finance industry and founded Savvy in 2010 with a vision to provide affordable and accessible finance options to all Australians. He has built Savvy from a small asset finance brokerage into a financial comparison website which now attracts close to 2 million Aussies per year and was included in the BRW’s Fast 100 in 2015 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. He’s passionate about helping Australians make financially savvy decisions and reviews content across the brand to ensure its accuracy. You can follow Bill on LinkedIn.
Our authors

Published on November 25th, 2020

Last updated on November 25th, 2021



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Getting onto the property market can be a financial stretch for many first-time home buyers. Even if you have managed to scrape up enough savings for a deposit on your mortgage, there are still many costs that come with a house that can be expensive for first-time property buyers. Here are six things you need to consider if you are considering to co-buying a house with a friend or family member.

Understand what it means to co-buy a house

There are various ways to crack the property market, and co-buying is becoming an increasing option for many Australians. Co-buying is when you enter into an agreement with a friend, family member, or colleague to purchase a property. This also means that you will both co-sign a loan to make this possible. Both parties will shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that the monthly repayments on the mortgage are met which is vital that you choose someone responsible and reliable to get into an agreement with.

Assess the financial risk

A recent survey by Kohab found that 31% of Australians said that they are considering co-buying property. It also revealed that Millennials formed a large group of co-buyers in order to get a foot into the property market. However, it is vital that you assess the financial risk of getting into an agreement with a person to purchase a property. It is advisable that you choose someone who will be able to help you shoulder half of the payments that come with the house and will be able to do so consistently.

When it comes to an important such as purchasing property you want to ensure that you have safety procedures in place. It is also important that you both agree in terms of who plays what role and what are your expectations when it comes to such agreements to avoid any confusion or fallouts. It is not uncommon for things to go sour between family and friends. Therefore, drafting a legal agreement will ensure that both parties get a fair deal and separate with less stress as possible.

You will have to compromise

Buying a property together is a partnership. There will be times where you will not agree with each other either on the size of the property, its location, and the budget. You must consider the fact that you will have to compromise to find a solution that is suitable for both parties. This also means that you need to discuss back up plans such as what you plan to do should your circumstances change, or the other party wants to move out because they are now able to afford a place on their own.

Be open with your finance

Think of buying your house as a business transaction. If you are purchasing it with someone you both need to be honest and open about your financial standing to avoid making the other person feel shortchanged. It will also help you set a realistic budget in terms of how much you can afford without having to bite off more than you can chew. You both need to be present during loan discussions, legal agreements, and other financial decisions so that you remain on the s

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  Written by 
Bill Tsouvalas
Bill Tsouvalas is the managing director and a key company spokesperson at Savvy. As a personal finance expert, he often shares his insights on a range of topics, being featured on leading news outlets including News Corp publications such as the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun, Fairfax Media publications such as the Australian Financial Review, the Seven Network and more. Bill has over 15 years of experience working in the finance industry and founded Savvy in 2010 with a vision to provide affordable and accessible finance options to all Australians. He has built Savvy from a small asset finance brokerage into a financial comparison website which now attracts close to 2 million Aussies per year and was included in the BRW’s Fast 100 in 2015 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. He’s passionate about helping Australians make financially savvy decisions and reviews content across the brand to ensure its accuracy. You can follow Bill on LinkedIn.
Our authors

Published on November 25th, 2020

Last updated on November 25th, 2021



Fact checked

At Savvy, we are committed to providing accurate information. Our content undergoes a rigorous process of fact-checking before it is published. Learn more about our editorial policy.

This guide provides general information and does not consider your individual needs, finances or objectives. We do not make any recommendation or suggestion about which product is best for you based on your specific situation and we do not compare all companies in the market, or all products offered by all companies. It’s always important to consider whether professional financial, legal or taxation advice is appropriate for you before choosing or purchasing a financial product.

The content on our website is produced by experts in the field of finance and reviewed as part of our editorial guidelines. We endeavour to keep all information across our site updated with accurate information.

Approval for home loans is always subject to our lender’s terms, conditions and qualification criteria. Lenders will undertake a credit check in line with responsible lending obligations to help determine whether you’re in a position to take on the loan you’re applying for.

The interest rate, comparison rate, fees and monthly repayments will depend on factors specific to your profile, such as your financial situation, as well as others, such as the loan’s size and your chosen repayment term. Costs such as broker fees, redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, aren’t included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts may result in a different comparison rate.

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