Should You Help Your Kids Buy Property? Lessons From 5 Family Property Purchases That Ended in Court

Buying property with family can seem like a smart way to help your kids, pool your money or make a deal possible that none of you could manage alone.  Until someone wants out.  But what happens if someone wants out, a relationship breaks down, or the family disagrees about who owns what?  In this episode, Nick and Paul unpack five real family property deals that ended in court. Each case reveals a different risk, from unclear loans and ownership to unpaid work, missing wills and promises that were never properly documented.  Inside this episode:  The family loan that looked legitimate on paper but didn't hold up when it mattered  Whether money given to your child could end up caught in their relationship breakdown  What you could be risking by contributing to a property without being on the title  Why paying the deposit, mortgage and renovation costs may still leave you with no ownership  The man who put more than 1,000 hours into a family property deal and discovered what his work was legally worth  Helping family does not have to end badly. But these cases show why good intentions and a handshake may not be enough when large sums of money and valuable property are involved.  Listen before you buy, build, lend or invest with family.    FURTHER LISTENING You can find our playlist full of episodes about investing here.   WANT PERSONALISED ADVICE FOR YOUR INVESTMENT STRATEGY?: Book an appointment with Guidance Financial Services here.   READY TO SORT YOUR FINANCES AND BUILD WEALTH WITH A CLEAR PLAN?: Wealth Builder is our specialised 12-month financial advice program for people in their 30s and 40s. You can learn more about it here.   FOLLOW NICK ON LINKEDIN HERE.  WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.  GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.  You can also find all our links here  General advice disclaimer