Hi friends. Thanks for downloading the Money Girl Podcast.

I'm Laura Adams, the author of Moneygirls Smart Moves to Grow Rich. You can get a copy of the

paperback or e-book at your favorite bookseller. I received this question from Kate. My boyfriend and I

are professionals in our early 30s and have been talking about buying a house

together. Although we probably will get married in a few years, we don't want to wait to buy because housing

prices are rising in our area.

What are the risks of buying property together before marriage.

No matter if you're thinking about buying real estate with a romantic partner, friend, or business associate,

there are important financial, legal, and emotional issues to consider.

In this two-part series, I'll give you advice to stay safe.

An increasing number of homebuyers are teaming up to buy real estate.

Maybe you're like Kate, who's toying with the idea of committing to a house before marriage. Or perhaps you're

thinking about making a real estate investment with a friend, relative, or

coworker. There certainly are advantages to pooling funds and buying a home or investment property that you might not be able to afford on your own.

However, buying real estate with someone else can easily damage your finances and your relationship

if you're not careful. Unmarried couples don't have as many legal rights as married couples, so it's very important to consider all the potential pitfalls

of buying property with a boyfriend or girlfriend.

When you buy a home, you receive a document called a deed which shows the names of the owners and how you legally own the property.

This is one of the first decisions you'll need to make.

If you're not married, you have two main ownership

options. The first is called Tenants in Common. This is when each person owns a distinct share of the same property,

which can be in any proportion, such as 50-50 or 7525.

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