Co-Buying with Friends & Family: Event May 17th

Build Your Village: How Co-Buying Can Make Homeownership Possible — and What You Need to Know
By Eva Otto, Designated Broker, Infiniti Real Estate & Development

When I first started helping people co-buy homes in the Seattle area over a decade ago, the idea seemed unconventional. But today, co-buying is no longer a fringe concept — it’s one of the most creative and powerful ways to enter the real estate market, especially in high-cost areas  like Seattle.

Co-buying allows you to pool resources with people you trust — friends, family members, or intentional community partners — to purchase property together. It’s not just about splitting costs. It’s about building equity, creating housing stability, and designing your life around shared values and mutual support.

I’ve guided couples, siblings, friends, and even intergenerational groups through this process. Some have co-bought duplexes. Others have created co-ownership agreements around undeveloped land, tiny home clusters, or multi-unit dwellings. What they all had in common was the desire to build something — not just property, but community.

If you’re considering co-buying, here are a few things to think about:

• How will you take title? Will you all be on the mortgage, or just some of you? Washington allows for flexibility here, but you need a clear structure up front.
• What are your shared values and goals? Co-buying works best when there’s alignment around lifestyle, timelines, finances, and how decisions will be made.
• What kind of legal agreements will protect everyone involved? I work with attorneys and lenders to help my clients craft customized co-ownership agreements that address contributions, equity shares, exit plans, and conflict resolution.

I’ve seen firsthand how empowering this model can be. For many, it’s the only way to own a home in our current market. For others, it’s about living intentionally and collaboratively, moving away from the isolation of the nuclear homeownership model.

And it’s not without complexity — which is why having a team that understands co-buying is essential. I work closely with mortgage brokers who specialize in multi-party loans, and I guide clients through everything from feasibility and financing to zoning and resale strategy.

If you’re curious about co-buying — whether as a way to own your first home, create an intergenerational household, or build something aligned with your values — you’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.

I’ll be co-hosting a free event on May 17th in Kirkland called Build Your Village Through Co-Buying, where we’ll dive into all of this in detail — including real examples, current listings, and the legal and financial tools that make co-ownership successful.

My mission is to help people create the kind of housing — and the kind of lives — they actually want. Co-buying is one way to do that. And with the right planning and support, it works.

Let’s build your village.

—
Learn more at www.infinitiRED.com/co-buy/

RSVP for the free May 17th event here