Stages in the Co-buying Process

Going through the co-buying process without a roadmap is like assembling a complex puzzle without the picture on the box. At best, you'll waste time and energy. At worst, you risk costly errors, financial setbacks, and even strained relationships. It's not a journey to take lightly; you don't want to just "wing it."

Unfortunately, many people start with house-hunting. Kicking off the process before you're fully prepared usually leads to disappointment and can even cause some co-buyers to drop out.

The most effective strategy to tackle this complicated process is to break it down into smaller pieces.

Co-buying is a series of micro-processes. We highlight the stages in their relative order below, and we'll unpack them in that order in the following sections of this course.

1. Plan & build consensus
2. Get a joint mortgage
3. Navigate the home search, negotiate, & transact
4. Structure co-ownership
5. Develop an exit strategy
6. Manage risks

Putting these stages in order provides structure. As you’ll discover, the co-buying journey isn’t strictly linear.