Also, you likley never want to own a home 50/50 without the other owner being equally liable for the loan as it gives that person no incentive to play nice regarding the real estate.

The problem is that we (the joint venture parties) consider the lots to have equal value and we want to call them both worth $62.5k/lot.

Check how much cash you have to spend.Then see if you can get financed.FHA you go with 3.5% down.Preserve your liquid cash for other investments.For about every 10,000 you pay down you will chop off about 60 a month in mortgage payment.So for putting 50,000 down you will save about 300 a month or 3,600 a year.At that rate it would take about 14 years to equal the offset of savings.So see if you can get the loan with little down first.Otherwise if you put too much down you have "dead equity" that is not working for you.

Had I been born a minority, had I been born a woman, had I been born to an uneducated and/or poor family, had I been born in another country or had I been born in another time period, I very well may have still be successful -- but, it's much, much, much, much, much, much less likely.There have been plenty of studies done that have indicated that not everyone in this country has equal opportunity -- just look at the school systems in places that tend to be poor and heavily minority.I'm not saying that many people don't work hard and earn their success, but I always find it a bit comical when those people tend to be like me (white, male, educated family, etc) and like to spout off about how it was strictly due to their hard work and go-getter attitude.As you said, Brian, there are many people who will never seriously consider that they may just have a major head-start in life, and that is the basis of their success.

There are things you can do to pull the rent down, but as long as your rental is similar to others in the area, its very difficult to get a premium over the general market.If your rent is only equal to your PITI payment, the house will be a loser.

Whoever puts up the cash should have control of the property until the other partners defined contribution equals the cash.

Have you asked what the minimum loan amount is in your area and then offer points as an origination fee equal to what they would want?

A participation agreement, simple one pager, can explain that losses will be divided equally as well as income, not part of the note.WOuld the seller go for a 15 yr note?

You are cutting out the process of looking at dozens if not hundreds of properties in search of opportunity, and then financing and managing it once you do find it.I think that carefully selected investments with the right sponsors can not just equal the returns of direct investing, but in many cases exceed it.

If the deposit is equal to a month's rent, you allowed to claim it for unpaid rent.