In its simplest form, shared ownership of real estate is simply ownership by more than one person of a home, apartment or other real estate. It’s really like owning your house with several of your friends. In this instance your friends would be located all over the world. Each owner has separate periods of time for which the ownership carries the right to sole and exclusive occupancy of the property.
In order to allow for efficient and inexpensive transfer of ownership rights, most shared ownership projects encompass the ownership rights within a legal entity structure: a corporation, limited liability Company, non-profit organization or a foreign entity. This allows for change of ownership interests without the need for modification of the vesting title in the jurisdiction where the property is located.
Utilizing a legal entity becomes even more practical when the number of owners exceeds 2 or 3. In addition, using a legal entity allows for easy application of a uniform set of rules and regulations governing the operation of the property and the various ownership interests.
The most obvious benefit of shared ownership is that it increases one’s purchasing power to acquire an ownership interest in an asset which one could not otherwise afford or choose to purchase. That is why one commonly sees the fractional ownership concept utilized for corporate aircraft, yachts, and luxury houseboats. This concept is particularly attractive where one does not need or expect to use the asset 100% of the time. In essence it increases the efficiency of the money spent by maximizing the utilization of the asset.
Secondary potential benefits are possible appreciation of the fractional ownership via appreciation in value of the underlying asset, diversification of assets by virtue of ownership in an asset denominated in a foreign currency which could provide a hedge against devaluation of the native currency. Finally, there is the intangible benefit of having the opportunity to meet and know other ownership members who share similar interests.
For more information, please see our Shared Ownership FAQ and the Villa Chiara Rotating Usage Schedule.