Purpose of this Guide:
This guide will help to explain the different approaches that same-sex
couples can take to getting a mortgage, establishing ownership of a home,
and creating legal documents that anticipate any legal or property-ownership
issues that might occur if the couple breaks up or one partner dies. After
evaluating this document, readers will have a better understanding of:
Introduction
Gay and Lesbian couples are in a unique situation when it comes to mortgages
and home purchases. The problem lies less in getting a mortgage or purchasing a
home than in what happens to the property if the relationship breaks up or one
of the partners dies.
"Most states do not recognize lesbian and gay relationships," says attorney Joan M. Burda. "The laws in those states were not written with the legal rights of lesbian and gay couples in mind. Many states predicate their property statutes on marriage. In most states, lesbians and gay men have no or limited legal rights. But, a good lawyer can help you protect yourself, your partner, and your property—separate and joint." It's funny to approach starting a new phase in a relationship and buying property by thinking about what might happen if that relationship ends. But that kind of planning is crucial. "If a couple is buying, they need an agreement in writing," says Burda. "If you have one partner who puts down more and they break up ten years later, and the house has to be divided, you have a mess. They need to work this out in the beginning."
Navigating the home buying process and the mortgage maze is intimidating enough. Add to it the societal and legal complications of being a same-sex couple and you are potentially in for a stressful ride. Knowing what to prepare for and thinking ahead can only make that ride a little bit smoother.
Talk to a Lawyer
This guide will give readers a better understanding of the issues involved in
purchasing or financing a home. It will also help readers to ask the right questions
when speaking to a legal professional. This guide is NOT a substitute for specific,
tailored advice from a licensed attorney. Having a real estate lawyer who is
knowledgeable about same-sex issues is essential. The laws differ from state to
state and things change all the time. Legal advice can be expensive, but as one
attorney told us, it's a lot more expensive to clean up a legal mess after the fact.
"I'm often asked," says Joan M. Burda, "Can I do this myself? Or, do I REALLY need a lawyer?" My answer: yes, you can prepare all your legal documents yourself. BUT, if you do it wrong, you may not find out until after you're dead or you break up. Then, it's too late. You cannot change anything."
Part 1: Potential Pitfalls
Here are a few of the types of situations that can occur if you don’t establish your property rights ahead of time:
Part 2: Getting a Mortgage
In terms of getting a mortgage, there’s no real advantage for legally married
couples over same-sex couples. With a husband and wife, the bank pulls credit on
both. If friends want to buy a house together, both people also have their credit
pulled. Whatever the situation, everyone on the application has to have their
credit pulled individually.
The only time that there is an advantage to being married over single is when you are pursuing a VA mortgage. If you qualify for a VA loan, your spouse can go on the mortgage. However, if you are an unmarried couple, both people need to be veterans.
As always, it makes sense to talk to your lender and figure out how much and what type of loan you can qualify for before you even start looking for a home. This can help you to streamline any issues that might prevent you from jumping on a dream home. Burda always advises her clients, "Make sure that you have your mortgage in hand before you start looking for a house so that you know what you can afford."
Part 3: Approaches to Jointly Owning Property
Whether or not a same-sex couple should own property jointly is a big decision.
"I recommend that a couple talk to a financial planner before they make a big
decision about whether to own property jointly," says Burda. "If the partners
aren't equal financially, then jointly held property may not be in their best
interest." If a couple speaks to their financial planner and does decide that
owning property jointly makes sense, they have two basic options to legally establish
ownership: 1) create a joint tenancy or 2) have tenants in common. Both of these
terms mean that there is more than one person on the title for the house.
Joint Tenancy with the Right of Survivorship
This is a special type of property ownership where two or more people have
equal ownership of a property and also have the equal right to keep or dispose
of the property. The Right of Survivorship means that if one of the partners
dies, the rights to the property go to the surviving partner. The negative side
to this arrangement is that a partner cannot sell his or her share and cannot
leave his or her share to anyone except the other person or people in the tenancy.
If the relationship breaks up, the couple has to sell jointly or one person has
to buy the other one out. And if one partner does want to stay, that person needs
to qualify for a new mortgage.
Tenants in Common
This is another way that a property can be owned by two or more individuals.
With Tenants in Common, there is no limit to the number of people who can hold
the title to one piece of real estate. The ownership can be held in equal shares
or unequal shares. Upon death, the interest of the deceased co-tenant passes to
the co-tenant's heirs or whoever is designated in the person's will. To dissolve
a Tenants in Common agreement, one or more tenants can always buy out the other
tenants. The property can be dissolved and the proceeds distributed among the
owners.
Note: Married People
When married people purchase a home, they are automatically made Joint Owners
with the Right of Survivorship. They can be made Tenants in Common, but this needs
to be established. In the U.S., same-sex marriages are only legal in New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Vermont.
Mortgages and Joint Ownership
"You can have a joint tenancy agreement for the title of the home, but still
have only one person on the mortgage IF the mortgage company agrees," says Burda.
"I think it would be difficult to get the mortgagee to sign off on that." Mortgage
companies give a mortgage loan based on the applicant's financials. The mortgage
is secured by the property. If another name is added and that person isn't on the
mortgage, the secured interest is diluted. Burda suggests that the couple get it
in writing if that’s what they want. “Without a written agreement, it would be
difficult to prove. And, where real estate is concerned, all agreements must be
in writing. That's a requirement under the Statute of Frauds and that statute is
universal in the U.S.."
Part 4: Establishing Your Legal Relationship
Before getting started with your home purchase, it's a good idea to work with
a lawyer to create something commonly called a Domestic Partnership Agreement.
There are many names for this kind of document, but the content is always the same:
this written (not verbal) agreement establishes your property rights and is especially
important if you do not have joint ownership. A domestic partnership agreement
should address these kinds of questions and concerns in the case of a breakup:
Additionally, you may also want to draw up or change your will in the case of one partner passing away suddenly. According to Burda, "In terms of creating an estate plan, you need a will. Otherwise, the surviving partner gets nothing. You also need a transfer on death deed—an affidavit that the house goes to the other person immediately."
Part 5: What If You Are Already Legally Married?
Unfortunately, you aren't in the clear just because you are a married, same-sex
couple living in a state that recognizes that union. "You should still draw up a
Domestic Partnership Agreement even if you have a marriage," says Burda. "The
Defense of Marriage Act is still in effect. Because the feds don't recognize these
unions, you have to think about the tax consequences if the union dissolves. Nobody
considers this till it happens." This is especially important if you were married
in one state but live in a different state or have a vacation property in a
different state.
States that Recognize Same-Sex Unions
In the U.S., same-sex marriages are legal in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Iowa, and Vermont. Same-sex marriages legally performed in other states are recognized
in New York, California, Rhode Island, New Mexico, and Washington D.C.. A more
complete listing of state by state information can be found here:
Click Here.
Part 6: Finding a Real Estate Attorney and a Real Estate Agent
When you are looking for a lawyer, make sure to find a true real estate lawyer
who specializes in Gay and Lesbian issues. It's a specific sub-set of the law and
worth your while to find someone who specializes in it. Don’t just pick someone
out of the yellow pages. You need someone who really knows everything. Ask someone
who has had a good experience and can recommend the person that they went to.
On the other hand, it is not necessary to get a real estate agent who specializes in Gay and Lesbian clients. Though it might make for a more comfortable experience, it's not essential. Look for the best, most highly-recommended real estate person who truly understands your budget and needs.
Part 7: Conclusion
Purchasing or financing a property is one of the biggest financial decisions
that you can make. Though the process can be fraught with stress and worry, it
makes sense to go that extra step to protect your finances should things not work
out.
Again, this guide is a solid overview of how to approach purchasing or financing property if you are a same-sex couple. It should help you to understand the process and will hopefully help you to ask the right questions. It should not be a substitute for sound legal advice from an actual lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, we've included some links below that will help you to get help or to find an attorney in your area.
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Article by MortgageLoan.com