What Is Co-Buying?
If you’re renting, flat-sharing or living at home because you feel that you cannot afford to buy, then think again. What started out as an idea has grown into a movement, the co-buyer revolution is here. Thousands across the nation have decided not to simply sit back and accept that they cannot afford to buy what they want, they’ve decided to do something about it. By teaming up with others they have discovered that they can double or even triple their budget, halve their costs and own years sooner than they could alone.
Basically, co-buying is a little like rental flat-sharing. You find someone to share with then a property to live in (or visa versa) and can afford to spend or save so much more through splitting all the bills and responsibilities. The main difference is that instead of wasting money paying off someone else’s mortgage you are contributing to your own, and have made it onto that all important first rung of the property ladder.
Two’s Company, Three’s Not A Crowd
Of course finding a mortgage mate is not for everyone. If you’re wealthy, a hermit or a wealthy hermit then you can probably stop reading now as you will not gain much from this article. For everyone else, struggling to afford a studio flat over shops miles from where you want to be that eats up all your savings and stretches you to your financial limits is not exactly living the property dream.
So if you’d prefer to take control of your property future look at some of the advantages of co-buying:
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage
Multiply your budget:
Just imagine what you could buy with double or even triple your spending money. Afford to step onto the property ladder or buy bigger, better and sooner than you could on your own.
Live where you want to:
Why compromise when you could afford a location that’s closer to work, family, shops, transport, or a better investment by co-buying with one or more others.
Spend less and add value:
Splitting all the costs of purchasing and running a home means spending less to buy more. With the money you save you could add value to your home by extending, improving or updating it; or to your life by affording all those things you’d deny yourself if you stretched your finances to buy on your own.
Buy bigger and better:
Together you could afford a 3 bedroom home and, with lender permission, rent out the extra room to supplement both your mortgage payments. If you can afford a four bedroom house, rent out two rooms and you could reduce your mortgage payments even further.
Profit from rising prices:
In a rising market it’s easy to be left behind kicking yourself for not having bought, watching prices sail out of reach. Co-buying can help you step onto the property escalator sooner than you could on your own so you can benefit from this market.
Protection from a falling market:
Sometimes property prices go down and interest rates go up, and in these circumstances those who bought beyond their means could find themselves in trouble. Because co-buying means splitting all the costs of buying and owning a home you should be in a stronger financial position to ride out the rough times with more savings than someone who stretched themselves to buy alone.
Armchair investors stand up:
If you’re evenings are spent watching property programs convinced that you could do better than those dozy first time property investors, why don’t you? The answer is probably that you don’t have enough time, money or experience to be confident of the leap into property investing. Co-investing is just co-buying when you don’t living in the property, joining with others to combine your finances and knowledge into a formidable investment partnership. Whether you decide to renovate or buy-to-let, buy property or land in the UK or abroad, there are thousands of potential partners out there that you could share the risks and rewards of co-investing with.
If you would like mortgage advice on co-buying with up to 4 people be it friends or strangers, please complete are mortgage advice form for co buying mortgage advice. With any joint mortgage its also advisable to take advise on your options for a joint life insurance to protect your financial stability should the unthinkable happen and one of the parties to the mortgage dies during the mortgage term.
