Loan, deposits and repayments: buying a house as a couple

Hello Ozbargain,

Recently, I am considering buying my first home in Brisbane. I am in a defacto relationship. My partner and I both want to buy a house but I am starting to think about how to calculate a fair way to split costs.

I have a bit of savings (about $85,000 at present). I am good at saving so this should exceed $100,000 before the end of the year.

My partner is also good at saving, better than me even but she is paid less and hence, we save about the same each week. She has about $25,000 now as she only just bought a car.

We are both employed full-time.

Two questions arise:

  • How do I calculate both our shares of a loan over 10 years based on the initial deposit amount if, for argument's sake, we borrowed $300,000 with a deposit on $130,000 (100,000 from me and 30,000 from her)? (Buy property at $430,000). To make up for the different amount paid at the start, what is the formula to know how to calculate fair repayments, with the intention of owning the property 50/50 by the end?

  • What if I buy a property on my own, borrowing $300,000 with a deposit of $100,000 (property valued at $400,000). I understand repayments would be my responsibility, but how would I calculate a fair share of the rent she could pay me over 10 years?

What are your thoughts and what other suggestions would you make? Maybe you know of a better way? These are the early stages and I haven't seen a bank or spoken to anybody about this.

Comments

  • +7

    either you commit or you don't.

    1) what's yours = hers , vice versa. No % split/share BS.

    2) buy your own, pay repayments by yourself, charge her rent. - Get a BFA done. (Binding financial agreement)

    • Thanks for your reply. 2) seems to be the way to go. Neither she or I are the 1) type though. Anything we buy with our joint account is 50/50 though.

  • just buy 50/50 tennants in common you use your 100k she uses her 30k and split your loans respectively

  • +2

    Hi Urzu,

    Have you considered the fact you are based in QLD and eligible for stamp duty exemption of up to 500k for your first home?

    It may be better to "preserve" your partners eligibility for this concession and you purchase the property solo.

    It is great you are avoiding LMI with a 20% deposit; an excellent start!

    • Hi qantas21,

      Thanks for the advice. That's a good point that I hadn't considered. I'm very new to all this so I need to learn as much as possible before taking the jump.

  • +1

    I bought a property under my name to harness the first home owners grant. My partner will do the same thing (we have to live in each place for at least a year).

    We both agreed that the non owner pays half of what the property would be rented out for - and half of all bills that one would pay if they were a Tennant (so no body corp, water rates, council rates etc).

    That way, all financials are clearly split, there is no STD involved (s-ually transmitted debt).

    This plan really works for us because we are both in our early 20's.. We are constantly changing as people and whilst we are happy as a pig in mud.. Anything could happen.

    The overall plan is to then go ahead and buy something together later in life.

    • Going solo seems like a good idea in order to harness the first home buyer Granta for both of us.

      I am looking for some sort of mathematical way to make things fair for both of us. I don't want her to feel like she's paying my mortgage, but I don't either want anyone freeloading.

      • If you think about it nothing is really going to be 'fair' while one person is earning more than the other. It would be extremely rare to find a couple contributing equally in the finance area.

        You need to discuss with your partner openly and frankly about how the process will work. Especially along the lines of the 1st reply either chuck everything in a big pot and act as if you will be together forever or buy it alone and determine a mutually appropriate system for your partner to contribute just in case you split up.

    • +1

      I bought a property under my name to harness the first home owners grant. My partner will do the same thing (we have to live in each place for at least a year).

      If I lied/was going to lie on my FHOG application/declaration, I probably wouldn't advertise it on the internet…

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