# We bought a house with my in-laws

> A couple in their late 30s who couldn't afford a down payment on their own bought a house with the wife's parents. Eight months in, they say it's working.
- Title: We bought a house with my in-laws · Business Insider
- Summary: A couple in their late 30s who couldn't afford a down payment on their own bought a house with the wife's parents. Eight months in, they say it's working…
- Keywords: bill coberly, frederick maryland, home buying, multigenerational housing, down payment, shared living, business, technology, bought, house, in-laws, Business Insider
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/in-laws-helped-us-buy-home-we-all-live-together-2026-10
- Author: Bill Coberly
- Published: 2026-10-29T16:31:59.527+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: bill coberly, frederick maryland, home buying, multigenerational housing, down payment, shared living, business, technology
## The problem: no down payment
Bill Coberly and his wife, both lawyers in their late thirties, couldn't afford a down payment on a house near Frederick, Maryland.
## The solution: buy with in-laws
His wife proposed buying a house together with her parents.Her parents would provide the down payment, and Bill and his wife would cover more than half of the mortgage.

> How would you feel about buying a house with my mom and dad?
## Finding the right house
They searched for months for a place with bedrooms on both floors, crucial for the in-laws in their late sixties.
## How the space was divided
Upstairs, Bill and his wife had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a laundry space.Downstairs, the in-laws had the main kitchen and living room, a small den, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a small back kitchen.
## Learning to live together
The first months were chaotic with boxes everywhere.Bill's wife and mother-in-law argued about furniture for shared spaces.
## Privacy and finances work
Despite sharing a house, Bill and his wife have ample privacy in their large bedroom and the basement, where they built a library.
## Unexpected benefits emerge
Bill's mother-in-law makes dinner most nights for all four of them.The in-laws watch their pets when they travel.
## The long-term plan
When Bill and his wife have children, grandma and grandpa will be there to help. As his in-laws age, they will be there to assist them. The plan is never to move again.

> The arrangement has turned us into a family and given us more financial security, and the plan is never to move again.
## Key takeaway

Bill Coberly and his wife, both lawyers, bought a house with her parents in Frederick, Maryland after the in-laws provided the down payment and the couple covered more than half the mortgage.