A shared equity mortgage is an arrangement under which a mortgage lender and a borrower share ownership of a property. Shared equity mortgages can also occur when there are multiple buyers of a single property. The borrower must occupy the property.
Home equity sharing may also be wise if you don't want extra debt reflected on your credit profile. "These agreements allow homeowners to access their home equity without incurring additional debt," says Michael Crute, a real estate agent and operations strategist with Keller Williams in Atlanta.
In general, lenders don't want you to spend more than 43 percent of your income on a mortgage and any other debt payments, like student loans. With some first-time buyer programs, there are also income limits. These typically vary based on location and are often capped at 80 percent of the area's median income (AMI).
When the property sells, the allocation of equity goes to each part, ing to their equity contribution; each party also shares any losses accrued from the sold property. A shared equity mortgage can be a good solution for homebuyers.