Milestones
Buying a Home With an Unmarried Partner
Combining your lives and your finances — with the paperwork that protects you both.
Plenty of couples buy a home before — or without — marriage, and it works beautifully with a little planning. The key is deciding together, up front, how you hold the home and what happens if life changes.
How you hold title matters
- Joint tenancy typically means equal ownership with a right of survivorship — if one passes, the other inherits the whole.
- Tenancy in common can split ownership in unequal shares and lets each person leave their share to whomever they choose.
- The right choice depends on your contributions and your wishes — a question worth settling before closing, not after.
Both on the loan, or one?
You can both be on the mortgage, combining incomes to qualify for more, or just one of you can borrow if that produces a stronger file. Being on the title is separate from being on the loan — a distinction worth understanding, because it shapes both ownership and responsibility.
Put it in writing. An agreement covering who paid what, how the home is shared, and what happens if you part ways protects a relationship rather than doubting it. It is the unglamorous paperwork that prevents the painful conversation later.
Pro tip
Decide early whether both incomes go on the loan. Sometimes qualifying on the stronger borrower produces better terms; sometimes you need both incomes to afford the home. We will show you which structure serves you best.
Common questions
Can my partner and I buy a home together if we are not married?
Absolutely. Unmarried partners buy homes together routinely. The important choices are how you hold title — joint tenancy or tenancy in common — and whether both of you are on the loan, which affects qualifying and ownership.
Should both of us be on the mortgage?
It depends. Both on the loan combines your incomes to qualify for more; one borrower can be stronger if the other’s credit would hurt the terms. Being on the title is separate from being on the loan, so you can tailor both — we will help you choose.