Creative Ways To Buy Parents House (Save Money In 2023!)

Are you looking for creative ways to buy parents house to keep the family home?

Many adults will consider where their parents are or need to be, living at some time during their lives.

Perhaps you’re looking to help your parents out financially. Thinking: ‘Buying my parents house’ is a good way to do that or you are wondering: Can I buy my parents house and let them live in it rent free? or Can I buy my parents house and rent it back to them?

Are there tax consequences of buying your parents house?

Maybe they’re looking to downsize.

Buying the house you grew up in will preserve all the memories that come along with it.

I’ll show you the most important buying parents house benefits for all those involved, alongside the risks and pitfalls that can potentially cause more financial stress and heartache than you’d like.

Let’s get straight in and explore the options of creative ways to buy parents house.

Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.

Let’s look into some creative ways to buy a house (which obviously also includes a few creative ways to sell a house!).

21 Creative Ways To Buy Parents House

1. Standard Mortgaged Home Purchase

You want to purchase your parents home to live in alongside them, for them to live in without you, or for you to live in after they have moved out. 

For a formal and straightforward purchase where you are applying for a mortgage and have agreed on a market-standard price for your parents house, these steps lay out the usual process:

1. Get yourselves pre-approved for a mortgage.
2. Settle on a mutually-agreed sale price with your parents.
3. Bring in the relevant professionals: real estate agent, financial adviser, tax attorney.
4. Ensure you have your purchase agreement or contract completed and signed.
5. Formally apply for your mortgage and go through underwriting.
6. Finalize the sale.

Here are some tips about to help you successfully achieve steps 1 and 3 of this process:

Get Yourselves Pre-Approved For A Mortgage – Tips

For this, you need to choose the best mortgage company for your needs. 

When checking out the best mortgage companies, look for ones that offer: 

• Competitive rates 
• Have a good reputation (you can check review sites like consumeraffairs.com)
• Be excellent with customer and client service 

Also, you can use interactive tools such as The Mortgage Reports Tool, where you can get a customized recommendation of the best mortgage for you!

Also, it is very important to study which type of loan option is best for buying your parents house. 

In this thorough article about the best type of home loan, you can learn more about the different options.

Plus, here is a brief list of some options that could be good based on your life circumstances:

Good for first time or low-income buyers:

• Fannie Mae HomeReady Loan
• FHA Loans

Good for buyers that are Mississippi veterans or current members of the Mississippi National Guard or Reserves:

• VA Home Purchase

Excellent option if your parents house is in a rural area or small town:

• USDA loans

Note – Obviously, if you purchase your parents home at full market value, they don’t incur any additional gift tax, and the property sale is treated the same as any other. 

You also win by saving costs on fees and agents.

Settle On A Mutually-Agreed Sale Price With Your Parents – Tips 

Even if you’re buying a house from your parents, it is advisable that you communicate and are on the same page about how much the house is going to cost. 

In order to avoid future problems that could arise if unexpected costs surge because you didn’t do a house inspection, or if your parents experience seller’s remorse because they thought their home was worth more.

So, this is definitely one of the most important steps to protect both your finances and healthy family relationships.

So, how to settle a fair price for your parents house? 

There are 3 main popular tactics:

1. Get A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) 

This is made by a real estate agent that accesses data between similar sold houses in your area and makes a comparison.

If you want to learn how to do a comparative market analysis to be clear about your parent’s house worth, check this article:

• How to Do a Comparative Market Analysis: A Step By Step Guide

2.Get A Home Appraisal Report 

This is made by a licensed real estate appraiser that makes a professional comparison of your parents home to other similar sold homes in your area. 

If you want to learn what is a home appraisal report and what to expect, check this article:

• Here’s What to Expect From A Home Appraisal So You Don’t Blow It

3.Use Online Valuation Tools

Online valuations tools are a quick way to have an approximate of your house worth. 

Some of the most popular tools are:

• Redfin
• Zillow
• iBuyer
• OntheMarket

Note- Bear in mind you should also consider the reason WHY you are buying your parents house. 

If in the end, you are going to rent the property or remodel the house to then sell it as an investment, it would be advisable to take that into consideration when setting the price.

Bring In The Relevant Professionals – Tips

In general, these are the 3 aspects you would need help with, and the type of professional you’ll need:

• Prepare the purchase contract – The contract should be well prepared to avoid any legal issues, so it is best to hire a licensed real estate agent or an escrow officer to write the escrow instructions.

• Review the purchase agreements – In this case, this can be done by the licensed real estate attorney you previously hired, as it is also important to review the contract and that everyone agrees on the terms.

• Tax implications – Hiring a tax professional is a must to avoid any negative implications regarding taxes both for you and your parents finances.

2. Become Their Landlord

If your parents can’t afford to keep their current home, one way to support them is to become their landlord. 

If they are in financial difficulties, you might want to buy your parents house and rent it back to them. 

This option can bring you all the benefits of creating a rental income, but with the guarantee of knowing that you have reliable and trustworthy long-term tenants in situ. 

Talk about creative ways to buy parents house.

Again, you will need to ensure that you have taken sound legal advice, especially if you plan to rent the property to them at a below-market rental price. 

You will need to declare your intentions during the purchase process, as some lenders will not entertain this kind of arrangement. 

It can also have tax implications, although there is a caveat in U.S. law allowing landlords to reduce the rent charged to relatives by up to 20% of the market value.

So find out the tax consequences of buying your parents’ house if you want to become their landlord.

Remember that buy-to-let mortgages (U.K.) or investment property loans (U.S.) come with higher interest rates and fees than standard mortgages, so be sure to factor these additional costs into your purchase plans.

3. Life Estate

A life estate is where there are two joint legal owners of a property. 

The possession of the property remains with the inhabitant until the time of their death when it passes to the second owner. The joint owners are often parents and children.

A life estate can be a way to transfer the ownership of a property from a parent to children whilst avoiding probate at the time of the parent’s death.

However, this can vary from case to case and it is vital to know the law in your country of residence before creating a life estate agreement.

There are risks associated with buying your parents home and renting it to them, for example, if you were to die before your parents. 

Creating a life estate arrangement eliminates this risk as it protects your parents and guarantees that they can remain in the property until their deaths, regardless of who is the next owner of the home.

Some of you might ask: ‘can I buy my parents house and let them live in it rent-free?’ Yes!

Medicaid Complications When Buying House From Parents

Another important setback when buying your parents house with this method is the possibility of being disqualified for receiving Medicaid assistance.

But…Is it possible to avoid this?

Well, I did my research and it is not easy, but not impossible in some cases. 

This is a brief explanation:

If you want your parents to be eligible for Medicaid, they cannot have recently transferred assets without receiving fair value in return.

In this case, there is a penalty where your parents can’t access Medicaid for a certain period of time. However, this can be avoided ( in some states) if the transferred asset is returned in its entirety, or partially returned.

OR, if you are a “caretaker child”; someone who has lived at least 2 years prior to your parent’s institutionalization and that you provided care in that period. 

If you are interested in knowing more about this and the legal implications, check out this article:

• How Much Money Can You Give Away and Still Qualify for Medicaid?

4.  Gift Of Equity On The Property

Some parents choose to gift the equity in their property to their children while they are still living.

Note- Be aware that there are financial and taxation implications in both the U.S. and the U.K. when gifting equity or property.

A gift of equity is where the parents gift all or part of the equity in their property to their children.

 ‘Equity’ is the difference between the market value and what is owed on the property. The parents sign over some or all of the equity value to their children as a downpayment on the property.

There are very specific rules around this type of transaction and not all mortgage lenders are willing to accept a gift of equity as the deposit for the property, so be sure to research your lender thoroughly beforehand.

5. Make A Second Home Purchase

This one is a slightly different option to the above pathways, but if you are looking to purchase a new home for your parents to live in, rather than purchasing your parents home, the best move might be for you to purchase a second home and have them live in the property.

Some of you might ask: ‘can I buy a house for my parents to live in rent free?’

You might decide to take this route because your parents are in financial difficulty, or you want your parents to move closer to where you live, but property prices are proving insurmountable for them. 

It also creates a property investment for you by purchasing a quality property at the current market price, knowing you have a great tenant to move in and take care of the property. 

If you have a good income and substantial assets, this could be a smart move that works well for both you and your parents. 

This article details key information about second home purchases, including the how-tos, the benefits, and the risks.

6. Buyout

You would offer to buy your parent’s share of the home and take over the mortgage payments.

This is a good option if your parents want to retire or downsize and asked, ‘can I sell my house to my son?’

7. Seller Financing

In this creative ways to buy parents house, your parents act as the lender, and you make monthly mortgage payments to them instead of a bank.

Go for this option if you have difficulty obtaining a mortgage from a bank or want to avoid the fees and requirements of traditional financing. 

Make sure you and your parents negotiate the loan terms, including the interest rate, repayment period, and other conditions. 

8. Lease-to-Own Agreement

You could work out a lease-to-own agreement with your parents, where you make monthly payments towards the purchase of the home.

This could be a good option if you don’t have enough money for a down payment but can afford to make regular payments.

9. Personal Loan

If you have a strong credit score and income, you could take out a personal loan as a down payment on the home.

But take note that personal loans usually come with higher interest rates than traditional mortgages.

10. Cash-out Refinance

With cash-out refinance, you would take out a new mortgage on your own home with a larger balance and use the cash you receive to buying home from parents.

This can be a good option if you have been paying your mortgage for some time and own equity in that property. 

11. Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

You would use your home as collateral for a loan and take out a line of credit to pay the down payment on your parents home.

The amount you can borrow depends on the equity you have in your home. 

HELOC is a line of credit you can draw from as needed, while a cash-out refinance is a one-time loan that gives you a lump sum of cash.

Compare the interest rates to see which is a better option for you. 

12. Co-Buying

If you have siblings or other family members interested in purchasing the home with you, you could consider co-buying.

This would allow you to split the cost of the down payment and mortgage payments.

Make sure you both agree to the payment terms and division of ownership. 

13. Family Loan

If your parents or other family members have the means, they could lend you the money to purchase the home. This would allow you to avoid going through a bank or other lender.

14. Equity Sharing

Consider this if you’re buying a house with parents, and each own a percentage of the home.

When you sell the home, you would split the profits based on your ownership percentages.

This can be a good option if you’re not ready to take on the full responsibility of owning your parent’s house and it’s a case of ‘I want to buy half my parents house’.

15. Refinance

You would refinance your parent’s home mortgage by negotiating a lower interest rate or a different loan term.

With a lower payment term, you can then take over the mortgage from your parents.

16. Bridge Loan

This creative ways to buy parents house requires you to take out a short-term loan to cover the cost of the down payment and then pay it off when you sell your current home. 

However, bridge loans can be expensive, with higher interest rates and fees, and they typically require collateral or security, such as the equity in your current home.

17. Gift

If your parents can afford it, they could gift you the down payment so that you only need to take out a mortgage on the remaining amount to buy the home. 

18. Crowdfunding

With crowdfunding, you can pitch your plan to a large audience and ask them to invest in your purchase of your parents home.

Invite them to become investors by offering them a stake in the property in exchange for a small sum.

This is definitely one of the creative ways to buy parents house UK or anywhere in the world.

19. Bartering 

If you have a valuable asset your parents are interested in, such as a piece of artwork or property, you could negotiate a trade for the home’s value. 

This can mean you won’t have to take out a loan from the bank or fork out a large sum of money and probably buying house from parents with no mortgage.

20. Sweat Equity

Thinking of buying a house from family below market value?

Instead of paying your parents cash for the house, you could offer to renovate or improve the property in exchange for a reduced purchase price or even the entire property. 

Alternatively, you could offer to perform ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the property if you are willing to invest the time and effort. 

21. Buy a portion of the property

Buying a house from a parent is a big investment.

If your parents own a large property, you could offer to purchase a portion rather than the entire property. This could be a good option if you don’t need the entire property and want to reduce the purchase price.

Should I Buy My Parents House?

Firstly, we need to look at the benefits and risks, the positives and negatives of buying a house from your parents. 

These will be different for everyone and can have a huge impact on whether it is a good idea or whether it is best left well alone.

Whichever of the creative ways to buy your parents house you settle on, make sure you get proper legal advice from a lawyer/attorney in your country/state. 

You need to be 100% certain that both parties have explored every avenue, discussed every possibility, and followed every protocol before committing to the sale/purchase.

Benefits Of Buying My Parents House 

There could be many reasons why you might be discussing buying your parents home:

• Buying a house for parents to live in enables you to help them financially, for example, if they are unable to keep up with their mortgage repayments or support their relocation to a more expensive area to be closer to you.
• Buying from your parents allows them to help you financially, e.g. offering you a below-market-value price, requesting a smaller deposit, your parents taking on a mortgage when you are not able to.
• It allows the family home to remain owned by your family.
• It’s a sound investment, e.g. flipping the property or keeping the house as a rental investment.
• It can save you both a lot of money, by avoiding fees, commission, contingencies, and more.
• It can help them to avoid Gift Tax (US)/Inheritance Tax (UK) in the future.

However, in the interests of honesty, we also need to consider the possibility that it simply may not be a good idea, or even possible, for you to do this.

Buying Parents House Risks And Downsides 

• It can cause ill-feeling from other family members.
• Emotional attachment to the house can make it hard to let go: for you and your parents if you rent the property out; for your parents if you move in and make significant alterations or redecorate.
• Your parents might suffer seller’s remorse after the event.
• There could be tax implications and some work involved to avoid a tangled estate in the future.
• Make sure you don’t skip essential costs, such as lending surveys, home inspection, and relevant insurances.
• You could face future implications preventing your parents from accessing Medicaid if buying a house from parents below market value.
• The house could be repossessed if your parents declare bankruptcy in the future.
• Significant repairs or modifications arising after the sale could cause resentment or guilt between the parties.

Buying your parents home can be an excellent way to support your parents financially, or to keep your family home in your family. 

However, don’t buy simply to ease your parents out of a financial sticky spot or out of a sense of filial duty.

You need to want to purchase their home, not just buying a house for a family member to live in.

Lending Tree has an excellent, detailed article covering all of the steps, legal aspects, and financial implications involved when buying property from your parents.

How Do I Buy A House From My Parents?

So you’ve reached the decision and declared, “I want to buy my parents house!”

So what happens next?

There are a number of ways to buy a house from your parents. Traditional, time-worn ways and newer, less obvious paths that you could take.

All carry risks but can be more than worth it if you choose to go down this road to buy house from parents.

Communicate Openly

Apart from the financial considerations, the other key aspect involved in buying a home from your parents is communication.

 It is vital that the purchase of the property is completely transparent and by the book in order to ensure that no one can be accused of manipulation.

Involving a third party or mediator, such as a real estate agent, is usually key for in-family transactions.

Financing The Deal: Creative Ways To Buy Parents House

How to buy your parents house?

Firstly, consider how you will finance the deal. Will you:

•  take out a loan or
•  mortgage from a financial institution? 

What size of deposit are you bringing to the table? 

Are you choosing to take the seller-financed route, where your parents are acting as guarantors of the financial aspects of the sale/purchase?

If you are planning to finance it yourselves, here are a few ways to raise or create additional funds:

• Ways to save a large sum of money
• What to do with a large sum of money
• Ways to save a tax-free sum of money

Remember to watch out for Gift Tax (US)/Inheritance Tax (UK). 

Again you must seek out sound legal advice on this and find out can you buy your parents house, or you could find yourself living through a repossession nightmare in the future.

 This article lays out the points to consider around taxation in the U.K.

 And this one is excellent for U.S. readers.

FAQs on Creative Ways To Buy Parents House

Is Buying Your Parents House A Good Idea?

Buying your parents house can be a good idea to save money for both parties, increase your credit for mortgage qualifying,  and it can even be a smart investment decision.

However, there are some disadvantages such as affecting your family relationships, tax issues, and even penalties to your parent’s access to Medicaid services.

So,  buying your parents house is a good idea if you study all the legal and emotional implications and plan ahead every step of the process.  

Can I Buy My Parents’ House And Let Them Live In It Rent Free UK And US?

Yes, you can buy your parents house and let them live in it, even for free. It is not illegal. 

But, you still need to declare your intentions during the purchase process, as this can have some tax implications. 

Also, some lenders will just not approve this type of arrangement, and for conventional mortgages, this could mean higher interest rates and fees.

So, be sure to research this with your mortgage company, and tax professionals to plan accordingly. 

Can I Pay Off My Parents Mortgage Tax-Free?

If you pay off the mortgage of your parents house your parents won’t need to pay any gift tax.

But, you will have to file a gift tax return when the gift exceeds the annual gift tax exclusion amount, which is $15,000 per recipient for 2021 in the US.

Can I Buy My Parents House For What They Owe?

Yes, you can buy your parents house for what they owe as some lenders allow parents to offer an “equity gift” to their child or family members. 

This means your parents can give you all, or a portion of the equity they have of the house.

Should I Buy My Parents House Before They Die?

You are not obligated to buy your parents house before they die. 

However, buying your parents house before dying will make the process of selling the house easier, especially if they don’t prepare a will before dying. 

Plus, you can also save on taxes and make a sound investment if you flip the house and make a profit.

Consider all this if you’re thinking of buying parents house before they die.

How To Buy My Mom A House?

The simplest ways you can buy your mom a house are:

1. Purchasing the home jointly with your mom to help her qualify for the mortgage
2. Co-sign on your mom’s mortgage to help her qualify for a loan or get a better interest rate
3. Assisting with the down payment to lower the monthly mortgage payments

Can I Buy Equity In My Parents House?

Yes, you can buy equity in your parent’s house. It’s known as a ‘home equity buyout’ where you purchase a portion of the equity in their home in exchange for a stake in the property.

You must agree on the terms, such as the price of the equity stake, payment terms, and ownership percentages. 

How Do You Move Out Of Your Parents House?

Follow these steps to move out of your parent’s house:

1. Determine your monthly income and expenses to see how much you can afford for rent
2. Look for housing options that fit your budget
3. Talk to your parents and tell them your reasons
4. Plan your move. Pack, schedule movers, or ask your friends for help
5. Move out and celebrate!

How To Buy A House With Parents?

Here are some easy ways to buy a house with your parents:

1. Combine your savings to increase your down payment and reduce mortgage payments
2. Co-sign the mortgage
3. Own the house as joint tenants and have an equal share
4. Get your parents to loan you the money
5. Use a first-time homebuyer program to save money

How To Buy A House From A Family Member?

Take these steps to buy a house from a family member:

1. Get the house appraised for a fair market value
2. Hire a real estate attorney to draft a purchase agreement
3. Secure financing before making an offer
4. Negotiate the terms, such as the sale price and down payment
5. Conduct a home inspection
6. Close the deal

How To Buy A Percentage Of Parents House?

To buy a percentage of your parent’s house, the general steps are:

1. Decide on the percentage you want to buy
2. Get the house appraised for a fair market value
3. Negotiate the purchase price with your parents
4. Agree on the terms, such as payment method and schedule
5. Sign a legal agreement
6. Register the change of ownership with the authorities

Can I Buy My Parents House And Avoid Inheritance Tax?

The answer depends on the laws and regulations in your location. It is best to consult a tax professional and read inheritance tax rules. In some cases, buying your parents house may be a way to avoid or minimize inheritance tax. But you should talk to an estate planning attorney to be sure. 

How To Take Over Parents Mortgage?

Here are several ways you can take over your parents mortgage:

1. Assume the mortgage and take over the payments and terms as the new borrower
2. Refinance the mortgage in your name
3. Have your parents transfer ownership to you by adding your name to the title

You may need to go through a credit check.

There are many creative ways to buy parents house!

Whatever you decide, make sure to follow due diligence. 

Whilst you are buying from close family, you would still be wise to have everything carried out legally – buying a house is still a legal transaction after all. 

And make sure you have everything in writing. This protects both you and your parents should any issues arise further down the road.

Doing your research beforehand, thoroughly and wisely is vital as you look into the options detailed here.

Discuss everything thoroughly with your parents and any siblings or wider family that the purchase may affect. Ensure you have everything agreed and recorded legally.

Once you have made the decision, choose one of the creative ways to buy parents house detailed here. Get sound legal advice relevant to your country of residence and go for it!

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Creative Ways To Buy Parents House (And Is It A Good Idea?)