Q: what legal document do I need to get?
My girlfriend and I bought a house and she is the one who is on the title I have put $100,000 so far into this home increasing property value and plan to put much more into it. I am worried that if something happens and we split I will be out of everything I put in. What can I do to bind a contract where if something happens I get my money back that I put in and possibly a portion of the increased value rate if she sells it?
A: You are very wise to be concerned about this. There is more than one way to handle this, and the correct choice depends on a lot of factors that you should discuss with an attorney. Maybe you need to be put on title with a percentage interest in the house. Or, maybe you should have your girlfriend sign a note and deed of trust to secure the loan of money. And there are other possibilities. This is not a do it yourself project. Do yourself a giant favor and hire a real estate attorney to help you with this.
Julie King and Yelena Gurevich agree with this answer
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