How does a property buyout benefit me? Is it a fair deal?

How does a property buyout benefit me? Is it a fair deal?

Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes

Hi first time poster, still fairly a beginner in my real estate knowledge. Looking for some sound advice. 

My brother and I have inherited a property and we moved back into our parents home so we can rent it out the past year and hopefully build some savings. But due to changing life circumstances we are trying to consider our options. Our renters have stopped paying rent the last 3 months as result of circumstances of Covid19, severely throwing off our original plans. He is thinking about married soon and his financial future whereas I am very much single and not looking to get married. I've always believed in buying/ holding onto property as a way to build wealth and have been trying to avoid selling if possible, which he agrees. But I knew deep down at some point our views / goals would change/ come to a crossroads, so we have 3 options we are now considering:

1) Eventually find new tenants, continue renting the property and split the rent (property is essentially paid off)

2) Sell the property altogether and split the profit

3) Tap into the home equity with a line of credit (or cash-out refinance) and split that loan so we can EACH invest our portion into buying a property of our own

And today he brought a 4th option which is essentially he'd 'buy me out' so he would become the sole owner, so he can lock in a low interest rate, refinance the house (with a 15 year loan).

I'm not quite sure how to evaluate if this would be a fair deal on my end as I don't know too much about buyouts. In my understanding, he would get a loan to pay me out of ownership on the house and he would become the sole owner. I would get the benefit of a quick cash out but he would be reaping the long term rewards of home ownership (yes he would be taking on more risk buy refinancing and taking on a new mortgage, but after 15 years, it would be paid off and he'd own a property with no mortgage). Where as I would probably invest that cash into a property and take on a traditional 30 year mortgage. 

It's hard for me to see this entirely as fair trade, especially since I've been the one pushing to hold onto the property since the very beginning. In my mind a fair way to proceed would be to either keep collecting and splitting the rent equally OR sell and split the profit and each starting fresh. 

Am I wrong? Am I missing something?

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  • Investor · Clairemont, CA · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    You're not wrong necessarily, but you are missing that his option is the same as selling except that he doesn't need to look for a new property. For example let's say the home is worth 100K. If you sell you each walk away with 50K and go invest in whatever you'd like. If he buys you out, you walk away with 50K to go invest in something and he keep the current investment. The result is more or less the same to you, but he can just move forward with the home he already has. 

    The one possible benefit...if you sell you have sales cost (6% commission, listing prep ect) If you decide on a value today that everyone is agreeable to splitting 50-50 then you could actually net a bit more than if you sold on the open market.

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