It is, because there is an entire legal framework around marriage and asset ownership whereas there's no legal framework around BFFs. A married couple has the "

It is, because there is an entire legal framework around marriage and asset ownership whereas there's no legal framework around BFFs. A married couple has the "benefit" of going through divorce proceedings where a judge divides up assets equitably and it's legally enforced with a divorce decree. If you're buying a house with a friend you're going to want to draft up an contract to avoid "no man's land." Then there's the "mixing business and friendship" issue. Civil marriage is already a type of business partnership, whereas friendship is not, so you're adding a new business partnership. If your buying with friends you're risking your friendship. I know someone who owns a house with her brother and it's a shit show. You're also tripling your exposure (3 people rather than 1)