Buying to Owner Occupy with a Partner with lower a down payment

[Chris Hardy]

Hey everyone! I'm brand new so hello! Glad to be here. Hope I post this in the correct place!

I'm making a purchase of a multi-family home in the Burlington Vt area with a business partner. The partner is a trusted friend and professional, however the size of his potential down payment is about half the size of mine. Not a huge problem but still a variable. 

Some background: We're planning on a joint mortgage, to live in the home (owner occupied) and to improve it as much as possible. The improvement money will come from our incomes and a war-chest fund made up of money leftover from the down payment fund and general wealth. 

My question is, does anyone have experience with a situation like this where two partners have different financial commitments to the property? I've seen different approaches to answer these questions: All income going to the larger investor until the ratios equal out, 50/50 splits and rectifying the disparity at the time of sale, hybrid of the two, and so on. 

Obviously this agreement will take the form of a legal document we would both sign. 

Now we have plans to meet with an attorney, but I'm interested in any ideas the community might have so we can begin to weigh options before we seek legal help. 

Anyone have experience investing with a 'weaker' partner