 TITLE: How to Buy a House Together—Even If You’re Not Married CONTENT: Get on the Same Financial Page\n------------------------------\nA mortgage on a home might be the biggest (not to mention longest-lasting) financial commitment you'll ever make. So before taking this major step, make sure you and your co-borrower have a deep understanding of each other's financial situations.\nIf you're buying a home with a partner and you haven't had the money talk yet, then you need to remedy that—and stat. Before even starting to browse Zillow or Redfin, you should have a good grip on each other's debts, incomes and credit scores.\nHopefully your financial habits jibe too. Once you make such a major purchase with another person, both of your spending patterns are going to be under a microscope. What if you want to get the roof replaced, but your partner says they don't have the money (despite the fact they go on vacation every other month)? How will you handle that? Getting on the same page financially is an essential first step.\nAlthough buying a house with someone you're not married to isn't all that different from buying a house with someone you are married to—this is the 21st century, after all—it can certainly add a layer of complexity to an already complex process.\nTo keep things as painless as possible, be sure to communicate openly, think carefully about who's going on the mortgage and title, and make contingency plans (in writing!) before moving forward. END