Buying a Home Together — Before or After Marriage

More and more couples are buying homes together before getting married. It’s an exciting milestone — but it’s also a legal one. When unmarried couples purchase property, the way the deed is titled determines what happens if one partner dies, if the relationship ends, or if one person faces financial trouble.

Many unmarried couples in North Carolina take title as joint tenants with right of survivorship. That structure ensures the surviving partner automatically inherits the property if one owner passes away. However, it does not protect the home from the creditors of just one owner.