What options are out there to help your children into their first property? Let’s take a look.
Guarantor loans
One of the most common ways that parents help their children is by agreeing to a guarantor loan.
A guarantor loan is a loan product that offers up some of the parents’ equity to their child or children to assist with the deposit.
For example, perhaps your daughter could only save $30,000 but needs $60,000 to qualify for a home loan.
As a parent you could offer the additional $30,000 as cash or through the equity in your own property to make up the difference, which can make a big difference to Lenders Mortgage Insurance, especially.
It’s important to recognise, however, that while you may not have ownership rights over the property, you may be wholly and severally responsible for the entire loan if your child defaults.
That’s why if you’re considering this option, you should access expert advice before proceeding, which could limit your exposure to risk.
A financial gift
As a parent, we all want our children to have good lives and to be successful, if that’s what they desire to do.
But does that mindset extend to giving them a financial gift to buy property?
It really is a personal decision and will depend on factors such as your child’s capability to manage a home loan.
If your son or daughter has been spending every cent that they’ve earned for years, which is why they haven’t saved a property deposit, is it a good idea to just give them a handout?
Will they have the necessary financial discipline and know-how to not default on their mortgage repayments?
Perhaps a better idea could be to suggest a financial gift that matches their savings.
So, if they work hard and save $25,000, then you will tip in an equal amount to bump it up to $50,000.
That way, your child will learn how to save and you will be more confident that they’re not taking on more than they can financially handle.
Better still may be to loan them the money so as to protect it from unintended persons who could claim part of the assets.
The bottom line
It’s natural for parents to want to financially help their children.
But before you decide on a strategy to help your children buy property, you must ensure you have accessed expert advice.
While it’s always a nice thing to do, financially helping your children needs to be well thought-out and well-managed.
That way, it reduces the chance of any messy fallouts which could totally undo your original good intentions.
For more financial advice and helpful hints, check out our related blog posts here.
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