Ownership of real property by two or more persons is commonly referred to as “co-ownership,” “cotenancy” or “concurrent ownership.” There are four traditional forms of co-ownership in California: (a) tenancy in common, (b) joint tenancy, (c) partnership, and (d) community property.
The Living Together section of Nolo also discusses various forms of contracts for unmarried people who want to share ownership of property. Also, because your shared home represents a major economic investment, you should hire a lawyer to help you prepare an agreement that meets your needs.
It's not uncommon for two people to buy a property together. In fact, it is often the only way first-time buyers can get onto the property ladder. And while spouses or partners, or a couple of friends, buying together is par for the course, there is also the option to make the circle bigger, significantly so.
With joint tenancy, when one co-owner dies, the other co-owner(s) automatically get the deceased co-owner's interest in the property — which means the surviving co-owner(s) can do with their undivided interests in the property what they please.
Ownership of real property by two or more persons is commonly referred to as “co-ownership,” “cotenancy” or “concurrent ownership.” There are four traditional forms of co-ownership in California: (a) tenancy in common, (b) joint tenancy, (c) partnership, and (d) community property.
These agreements mean spouses share assets acquired during marriage in community property states like California, Washington, Wisconsin, and Texas. Governed by marital property laws, these states ensure equal ownership rights for both spouses.
Equity sharing is another name for shared ownership or co-ownership. It takes one property, more than one owner, and blends them to maximize profit and tax deductions. Typically, the parties find a home and buy it together as co-owners, but sometimes they join to co-own a property one of them already owns.
Draft a document for the parties to sign specifying the relationship between them, such as joint tenants in common, tenants in entirety, etc. Both parties must agree to the terms of the relationship, and sign the document to ensure that it is legally binding.