Does it feel as though you’re never going to be able to purchase a home? Millennials have been going through a housing crisis for years — fewer than 13% of millennials have been able to purchase their own homes in the United States. But that doesn’t mean that you have to give up your dream of owning property. More and more, millennials are coming to a realization: that fractal ownership could be the way. Not only is tenants in common buying open to many individuals, but it still allows you to take advantage of many special financing programs.

Purchasing a Home as Tenants in Common

Fractional ownership is a trend that can make it possible for any individual to own a home — or, at least, part of one. Rather than renting an apartment, a couple could instead endeavor to purchase a home with another couple. This splits the cost of the home four ways, rather than two ways or even one way. Further, it still conveys all the benefits of homeownership. Homeowners will be able to modify their properties as they please, can build equity rather than paying rent, and can sell their property for profit if it accumulates value.

Fractional ownership is one of the most versatile of all affordability crisis solutions, because multiple buyers are not treated any differently from an individual buyer when procuring financing. Whether you are a single buyer or purchasing a home with five other individuals, you can still be considered an owner occupant and you can still be able to procure virtually any type of conventional or special financing.

Owners don’t have to be couples; tenants in common buying can be completed with friends and family members. Anyone who passes the mortgage financial and credit checks will be accepted. From then on, the property will usually be owned by all involved individuals — often with shares distributed based on the amount that each individual paid in for the down payment.

America has already gone through a trend of developing too large homes that can house far more than a single family. Millennials can now take advantage of this trend by joining multiple families and still getting everything they want out of their property.

The Advantages of Fractional Ownership in Financing

When you don’t have a down payment, you often have to rely upon low down payment financing programs. These programs usually require you to be an owner occupant. Fractional ownership allows for this. And not all of the individuals need to be owner occupants; as an example, a couple could sign up alongside a relative, even if the relative isn’t intending on purchasing a home. For the relative, they will still receive their equity share of the property, and can consider it a financial investment.

Financing is available right now for fractional ownership with 5% down and a max combined loan amount of $1,136,150. As long as participants have a minimum FICO score of 680, they may be able to qualify — and they must intend to use the residence as a primary residence for at least one of the borrowers. Both single family homes and condominiums can be financed through equity sharing, and financing options are available with no PMI and no prepayment penalty.

Millennials no longer need to feel as though they will never be able to purchase a home. There are many financing options available, especially if they are willing to “think outside the box” and utilize new, revolutionary tools such as fractional ownership. There are currently a multitude of loan programs available, ranging from interest only programs to 80% loans with a 10% carry back. There are even loans available with no minimum FICO requirements or minimum requirements of as low as 620.