<prompt> Human: My girlfriend and I best friends since middle school and dating for 7 years so no worries there are planning to buy within the next few years. We live in NJ, our jobs are steady, we have savings, and were maxing our Roths. So Id like to say we are financially sound and can handle a mortgage.Ive been doing some research but Im not sure I have the full picture yet. For example, I stumbled upon PMI not every article mentions this. Are there any other things that can sneak up on us that arent explicitly called out? What are some things that you wish you knew before diving into your first mortgage? I believe I understand the process but real-world examples would be great. Any thoughts on the market in general?Im a tad nervous because I have trouble believing that the agents will truly be on our side and have my best interests in mind. Walls of text to ease my concerns are welcome!Assistant: DO NOT BUY A HOUSE TOGETHER IF YOU ARE NOT MARRIEDJust search this sub to find how badly that can turn out. One of you buys, the other pays rent. If you cant afford it on your own, you arent ready to buy. Human: I just did a quick search and found that the horror stories typically occur after a breakup and a marriage can tank just as quickly as any other relationship. Couldnt we put both of our names on the mortgage just like a married couple so we are both buying technically not one of us buying and the other renting?Assistant: Divorce has structure and sometimes laws surrounding how property gets split up. Its very different from two people who are just dating.Human: Gotcha! Lets say we buy while we are dating and get married shortly after. Is it a pain to get the mortgage updated accordingly?  <response>: Just get married beforehand. 