Should we buy a house if we are not married?

Should I buy a house with my girlfriend or boyfriend or friend or….?

East Valley Team memberDean Ouellette talks how buying a house with someone you are not married to may be a disaster.

So you have been living with your girlfriend for a year, or you are engaged to be married next year, why not just buy a house together? If anyone ever gives you this type of advice I would say RUN!!!!

It is not a good idea to buy a house together with anyone if you are not married or don’t have a formal business agreement. For every one success story there seem to be a dozen disasters. The mess that is created when two people who are not married go on a mortgage together is not worth it, wait.

You are different thought right? “But we are engaged” or we are in love or we will never break up… right and how many people get together thinking they are going to break up? This sentiment is exactly what a couple who recently sent me an email was thinking. They has been together for years, they were engaged, and they purchased a house together seven months ago. Now…. well now they are no longer engaged and the situation is a mess.

Why do it? Why not just wait? There is no rush and no reason to put yourself into this situation. No one will change my mind, they have tried. I would never advise a couple or even friends to buy a house together unless they are either married or have a formal business agreement with an exit strategy.