Can one co-owner remove another from property title after mortgage default?

Full question:

Two persons bought an apartment in Miami, florida, they took a joint mortgage. One leaves and stop paying their share. The other person stas in apartment and keeps paying the mortage by herself for several years. Can she get the defulting person out of the property Tittle?

Answer:

To remove the co-owner from the title, you generally need a conveyance from them. Since you have been making all the mortgage payments, you may have a claim for half of the equity from the co-owner. However, the co-owner might argue for a setoff based on the rental value of the property, which could complicate matters.

To determine a fair buyout price, you could consider the following formula:
Market Value - Mortgage - 1/2 of Principal Payments - 1/2 of Taxes or Maintenance Paid.
This means you would receive credit for the principal payments, but not for the full mortgage payments.

If you lack the funds to buy out the co-owner, refinancing might be an option as part of the buyout process.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.

FAQs

No, a joint mortgage and joint ownership are not the same. A joint mortgage refers to a loan taken out by two or more individuals to purchase property, making them equally responsible for repayment. Joint ownership, on the other hand, means that two or more people hold title to the property, sharing rights and responsibilities regarding the property itself. It's possible to have a joint mortgage without joint ownership, and vice versa.