General Discussion

True Dough

(24,565 posts) Wed Sep 24, 2025, 08:51 AM Wednesday

In order to afford a home, some younger people are "co-buying" with friends

On the one hand, good on them for being creative and open-minded about how to achieve homeownership in the face of what has become a very unaffordable market.

On the other hand, close to half of marriages fail. And to add the complications and stress of household decisions with another individual or another couple??? Yikes!

One couple eventually wants to invest in a major renovation. The other couple doesn't see it as worthwhile or cannot afford to pay half. One couple wants to rent out a portion of the home, the other couple is strongly opposed.

It would be fraught with headaches at times. Glad I was never in that boat!

In a housing market where rising costs have driven the median age of homebuyers to 56 years old, many younger Americans are turning to a new strategy to buy their dream homes: partnering up, platonically, with friends.

This tactic, known as “co-buying,” is becoming increasingly popular, with one study saying nearly 15% of Americans have purchased a home with someone who is not a romantic partner and that 70% of those in Gen Z would be willing to do so.

Homebuying experts say co-buying is a viable option for many but not without its risks.

https://thehill.com/homenews/5514127-co-buying-gen-z-homeownership-hack/

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

In order to afford a home, some younger people are "co-buying" with friends (Original Post) True Dough Wednesday OP

Rule #1 of home ownership Fiendish Thingy Wednesday #1

Seems like a very bad idea MichMan Wednesday #2

I think a lot of my younger workers Johonny Wednesday #5

Not close to being comparable MichMan Wednesday #6

Exactly. True Dough Wednesday #9

Lying with friends Abstractartist Wednesday #3

A lot is written about home ownership rates Johnny2X2X Wednesday #4

I know some couples who have done this and they've bought multifamily units together, not one big house. WhiskeyGrinder Wednesday #7

Stupid stupid stupid. 617Blue Wednesday #8

Fiendish Thingy

(20,860 posts)

1. Rule #1 of home ownership

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 09:04 AM

Wednesday

Never buy property with anyone you aren’t sleeping with.

Sooo many potential legal headaches and drama.

MichMan

(16,001 posts)

2. Seems like a very bad idea

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 09:05 AM

Wednesday

One co owner gets married and wants to start a family while the other is single. One wants to move for a new job and the other doesn't have the financial resources to buy them out.

I can see a lot of court cases in the future.

Johonny

(24,775 posts)

5. I think a lot of my younger workers

Reply to MichMan (Reply #2)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 09:25 AM

Wednesday

Already have roommates, so they see little difference other than paying rent instead of a mortgage. The number of people that are co-living just to get by is higher now.

MichMan

(16,001 posts)

6. Not close to being comparable

Reply to Johonny (Reply #5)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 09:43 AM

Wednesday

Co owning a home and paying a mortgage has a lot more legal obligations than a lease on a rental.

Lease expires on a rental and neither party has any obligations to the landlord or each other. They can go their separate ways with no worries.

One party wants out on a co mortgage and either a) one has to buy out the other, or b) the property will be sold and the proceeds after the lender is satisfied, will be split.

True Dough

(24,565 posts)

9. Exactly.

Reply to MichMan (Reply #2)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 10:28 AM

Wednesday

Kids in a split household could be a very divisive issue. Perhaps both individuals or both couple start out both wanting or not wanting children and everyone is comfortable with the terms. But then things change...

Abstractartist

(341 posts)

3. Lying with friends

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 09:19 AM

Wednesday

What a fantastic way to lose that friend….

Johnny2X2X

(23,436 posts)

4. A lot is written about home ownership rates

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 09:22 AM

Wednesday

But home ownership rates don't really move all that much. We crossed 60% in the early 1960s and since then it's tracked between 62 and 69. We're at 65% right now, but trending a little down. The 60 year low was in 2016 at 62%.

So people are still buying homes, and ownership is around the same as it's been for several generations now. Sure, it's more difficult now than it was 8 years ago, but it's still easier than it was in the late 70s and early 80s interest rate wise. It's such a good investment in so many ways, that people will find a way in tough times to scrape enough money together to buy. It's not a crisis anbd likely won't be. Stinks for people who can't quite buy right now, but it's not a crash in home ownership rates that would signal something big has changed.

I do think we can help people more, but we're not in a free fall or anything.

WhiskeyGrinder

(25,735 posts)

7. I know some couples who have done this and they've bought multifamily units together, not one big house.

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 09:47 AM

Wednesday

Two buy a duplex, or three buy a fourplex and rent out the fourth unit, that kind of thing.

617Blue

(2,024 posts)

8. Stupid stupid stupid.

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Wed Sep 24, 2025, 10:19 AM

Wednesday

Reply to this discussion