Thursday, March 01, 2007

The Romance of Investment

Nowadays, it is not unusual for most couples to move into together once they realise that their relationship is fairly solid. Living in sin is living with common sense. It’s the “try before you buy” concept, and for many, it works.

Usually couples move into a unit, rent an apartment or share with another housemate. More unusual though, is when a couple invests in a property early in the relationship. So was the case with a friend I once worked with. After meeting his latest flame in a whirlwind romance – two country hearts united in a pulsating city – the new couple decided to validate their commitment to each other and purchase a home together. They’d only been dating for about four months. How serious is ‘serious’ in a relationship?

Clearly for my friend and his girlfriend, it was serious almost immediately. But how can one be sure that your other half won’t pick up and walk out or worse give you the boot and denies you access to the home that you equally invested in? It’s a tough call but it seems an increasing number of young Australian couples are investing in relationships in this way.

Maybe I am old fashioned, maybe I am too naïve, but this kind of commitment is huge and the fallout resulting from an ended relationship that shares common property is too much of a risk. Especially being so early on. Nowadays you can never be too sure how your relationship will eventuate.

This is not to say that I am a complete pessimist on relationships. In fact, if I were presented with the option of buying a home or something equally great with my better half, I most probably would shout it from the rooftops in joyous strains. But it would come down to timing and whether I knew my relationship was one for the long term. I wouldn’t be able to bear the trauma and dramas associated with fighting it out for a home as well as dealing with the fact that my relationship had ended.

So when do you know the time right? Is it dependent on your investment within the relationship itself? Is it a snap response to your intention to gain independence and learn the realities of a mortgage? Is it two weeks? Or is it four months, as was the case with my friend?

I guess the answer lies in the variance and randomness of each individual relationship. When you know – you just know. It takes guts and passion, so I suppose if both are present within your relationship, then all the best. Just read the fine print.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree Anth, mess ups are messy enough without bitter property battles thrown into the mix.

Just depends on the type of person you are at that time in your life and the type of relationship that comes along i guess.

My sister-in-law had a contract drawn up when her and her boyfriend of five years bought a house and land package together. There are so many avenues that you can take.

Single Guy said...

Great blog! just got my first loan!! committment!