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.
- Plan & build consensus
- Get a joint mortgage
- Navigate the home search, negotiate, & transact
- Structure co-ownership
- Develop an exit strategy
- Manage risks
Putting these stages in order provides structure. As you’ll discover, the co-buying journey isn’t strictly linear.
Course Authors
Matt Holmes (LinkedIn) is co-founder and CEO of CoBuy, formed in 2016 to unlock homeownership for everyone. Before hopping a flight to Seattle to start CoBuy with his mother, Matt worked in investment banking and financial markets in London for a decade. He holds degrees from University College London (BSc Economics) and ESCP Business School (Masters, London & Turin).
Pam Hughes (LinkedIn) is Co-founder and COO at CoBuy. She has over 40 years of experience across finance, real estate, insurance, and construction. Pam has committed to personal empowerment through financial education for decades, which inspired her to start CoBuy with her son in 2016. She's best friends with a small dog known as Francis.
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