A row of colorful tiny homes in pastel colors
A row of colorful tiny homes in pastel colors

Services for friends and family cobuyers

Coliving Counsel provides legal support to families and friends cobuying real estate. Services include:

  • development support services reviewing state ministerial approval laws, state ADU laws, and local laws to help clients add bedrooms, add ADUs, add dwelling units, and build friend and family compounds;

  • arrangement choice services helping clients decide on initial real estate co-ownership structures and financing options, understand possible subsequent real estate co-ownership structures, and create a plan for conversion to a subsequent ownership structure, if desired; and

  • agreement drafting for the arrangement of your choice.

A home foundation on a lot under construction
A home foundation on a lot under construction

Development Support for Cobuyers

Coliving Counsel provides development support to cobuyers on the following matters:

  • the process and possibility of adding bedrooms to a home;

  • the process and possibility of adding an additional kitchen to a dwelling unit;

  • reviewing ability to add dwelling units on the same lot under local zoning laws, including Berkeley’s Middle Housing Zoning changes, Oakland’s Missing Middle zoning amendments, and Sacramento’s Missing Middle Housing Interim Ordinance;

  • subdividing and adding additional units through state law ministerial options like SB 9, SB 684, and SB 1123;

  • subdividing and adding additional units through local administrative and ministerial options like Berkeley’s Middle Housing Infill Project program; and

  • adding accessory dwelling units.

Often, Coliving Counsel helps cobuying groups understand how development choice influences real estate co-ownership legal structure.

Two roads diverging in a yellow wood
Two roads diverging in a yellow wood

Arrangement Choice for Cobuyers

Coliving Counsel helps cobuyers with arrangement choice. This advice typically includes a memo providing:

  • analysis of available initial ownership structures based on number of units needed, California subdivision law, on-market timelines, available loan products, and the group’s finances;

  • analysis of possible ultimate ownership structures based on number of units purchased, chosen initial ownership structure, local condo conversion laws, local real property transfer tax structure, the loan product used for the initial ownership structure, and the group’s finances; and

  • a recommendation of initial ownership structure and ultimate ownership structure most suitable for your group.

A hand holding a orange pen and writing in a notebook with orange pages
A hand holding a orange pen and writing in a notebook with orange pages

Agreement drafting for Cobuyers

Coliving Counsel provides agreement drafting services to cobuyers. Coliving Counsel will draft the agreements necessary to implement your chosen real estate co-ownership arrangement. Typical documents include:

  • space assignment tenancy in common agreements;

  • limited liability company operating agreements for 5+ unit properties and as a second-stage ownership structure for some 1-4 unit properties;

  • condo project bylaws and conditions, covenants, and restrictions (“CC&Rs”); and

  • leases for projects involving some rental units.

Contact Coliving Counsel about cobuying services