We're not married, but we own the house together and we're splitting up. What happens?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
The deed controls, not the relationship. Minnesota doesn't recognize common-law marriage, so there's no divorce court dividing things — you're co-owners, like business partners. That cuts both ways: simpler in some respects, fewer protections in others.
On stage The 60-second answer
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The longer answer
Three paths, same as any co-owners. Sell and split. One buys the other out. Or keep co-owning, which rarely survives a breakup. How the proceeds divide depends on how you hold title and what you can document — down payments, mortgage payments, improvements. If you can't agree, either owner can ask a court to force a sale through a partition action. Most people settle long before that. An attorney should review your title and any written agreement; I'm not a lawyer, and this isn't legal advice.
If a current number for the house would help the conversation, I'll run it quietly. Just call.
The next department over
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From the editor's desk
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