I bought a house with my best friend; Still a good idea 15 years late

Fifteen Years ago, my best friend and i were at a crossroads. She has just started teaching; I was building a career as a freelance writer.

We were renting an apartment in a Big City Together, but we bith Knew homeownership there was incredibly expensively and generaly out of reach for single People.

She worked in a smaller school distribution about an hour away and was tired of the long commute. Nor a freelarder, i knew i’d have an almost impossible TIME QUALIFYING FOR A MORGAGE ON MY ON.

I COULD ALSO LIVE ALOST ANYWHERE AND STILL RUN MY BUSINESS. She didn’t want the financial stress of the buying a house all by herself, and neother of us wante to wiit around for the Own a Home.

SO, we did something Most People in Our lives th naght was a terrible idea: we bought a house together.

Before Making the Arrangement, We Had Several Important Discussions

Well we Told People in Our Lives Our Plan, They Told US We were Making a Huge Mistake. “It’ll end in disaster,” They warned. “What If You Fight About Money Or Someone Gets Maried?”

But we figured Maried People Also Fight About Money, and we didn’t go into this situation Blindly. We have other other well and had conversations that many People avoid.

We aggregated that if one of us dies, the house automatically goes to the Other, bypassing Our Estate.

And if eather of us gets married, we’ve promised to sign prenups to keep the house out of any shared assets, so no one outside the two of us to sell the protire.

Soon, we settled on a modest 1960s House in the City Where My Friended. Prices were a third of what they were in the city, and we got a lot more living space, not to mention a Large yard.

The basin HAD Its Own Entrance, Bathroom, and Kitchen Area, SO ANOTHER FRIEND INTO IT AS A Roommate to Help Help With The Mortgage.

We split the Bills and the Responsibility

I Pay Slightly More on the Mortgage Becouse I have a bit more space in the home (one of the bedrooms has been converted into an office).

I ALSO COVER The Internet and Landline, Both of which are essential for my work-chom-home setup. Everything Else – From Utility to Home Maintenance – is split.

There have ben ben someone growing pains, of courte. I’m an extrovert who loves hosting a good dinner party with lots of friends; She’s an introvert who preferences a quiet home.

But she’s she’s a teacher with ample vacation time, i’ve learned to plan my gathersings when she’s away, so neoheter of us feels too.

We’ve Also Had the Usual Roommate Negotiations: Furniture Choices, What Color to Paint the Walls, and Whose Turn It is to Clean the Kitchen. Howver, We’re Both Committed to Communicating Openly before Little Issues Turn Into Big Ones, and That’s Made All the Difference.

We’re both realistic that this situation likely isn’t forever. Every so offen, we check in to make sura it is sticking for the bot of US and TALK ABOUT WEE OURSELVES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

SO light, the situation is still working, but we bith know there is a day when it isn’t. We want to be as open and honest about that as a postible.

This Arrangement has gioven US More Financial (and Emotional) Stability

Our House has more than Doubled in value Since we bought it. If we’d waited to buy separately, we might never have ben able to affford it.

Beyond the Financial Perks, there haen been mespected emotional stability. IT’S Nice Having Someone to Talk to Wen Work or Family Life Gets Stressful and Know that I’m Not Solely Responsesible for the Mortgage and Bills.

We live near a lake that I walk around almost every morning, something to never have had had access to in the city. I was able to get my beloved dog Because i now have a Big backyard and access to a Park.

And though i miss the food scene and cultural options of the Big City, my Quality of Life Has Improved, and so has my senses of community.

I was able to find and join an adult hip-hop class and dance onstage in my 30s, I founded a workiters’ group, and i’ve made a ton of amazing frows of would have i haadn’t moved.

My life is substantially better now than it was living in the city.

Plus, Living With Someone You Trust Makes Easier

On Our Very First Night in the House, we unpacked a few boxes and the three of us gathered around the dining room to have new adventure.

At one point, we talked about how long we thught this arrangement would Last – Most of US Figured About Five Years, but probably not much.

Though Our Roommate Moved Out Two Years Ago, my best friend and i still share the house. Fifteen years in, we’ve built something that goes beyond shared equity.

We’ve Built a Home Roooted in Trust, Communication, and Friendship.

Sure, there are moments when we’d both love full control over space – but what we’ve obtained through this living arrangement far outweighs any minor issues.

We May Not Have Followed The Traditional Path, but the It”s WORKED BETTER FOR US THAN WE COULD HAVE IMAGINED.