Fractional ownership agreement sample

Larger groups should consider a different governance structure to ease management and decision-making. This form agreement can be used for property in any U.S. state.

Note that this agreement form is not suitable for use where any owner will live in the property. It is also inappropriate for situations where the property will be held by a limited liability company (an “LLC”, which requires an LLC Operating Agreement), limited partnership (an “LP”, which requires a limited partnership agreement), or corporation (which requires corporate bylaws and also, generally, a shareholders agreement). The agreement template is suitable for the increasingly common arrangement where the property will be held in tenancy in common, but one or more of the tenant in common investors will hold/her her TIC share in an LLC. Each of these various legal forms of ownership has pros and cons from an owner liability, asset protection, tax, and operating cost perspective, and there is no structure that is best for every property and every ownership group. Investors should carefully consider the options before making a final decision

This sample agreement is comprehensive and complete, and is designed to protect the parties in case of unforeseen events or disagreements, as well as following death. It is plain English designed to be easy to understand and customize. The agreement is eighteen pages in length and includes a detailed table of contents for easy reference.

This sample agreement includes the following sections:

CO-OWNERSHIP SHARES AND CO-OWNERS
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
OWNERSHIP, TITLE, AND ALLOCATIONS
OWNER USAGE RIGHTS WAIVER
ESTABLISHING RENTAL AMOUNT
TENANT SELECTION
RENTAL INCOME ALLOCATION
EXPENSE AUTHORIZATIONS AND ALLOCATIONS
OPERATING BUDGET
SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS/CASH CALLS
DISTRIBUTION OF OPERATING SURPLUS
OPERATING ACCOUNT
MEETINGS AND AGENDA
VOTING POWER AND ABSTENTION
MANAGEMENT
MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, REPLACEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT
ACCOUNTING
REMOVAL OR RESIGNATION OF MANAGER
TRANSFER RESTRICTION
LIENS/ENCUMBRANCE PROHIBITION
TRANSFEREE AND SUCCESSOR OBLIGATIONS
MANDATORY SALE OR BUYOUT
ACTIONABLE VIOLATION
DEFAULT AND ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURE
VALUATION
NOTICES
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
INDEMNITY
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
PARTITION
DISTRIBUTION OF SALE PROCEEDS
AMENDMENTS
OTHER GENERAL PROVISIONS
ATTORNEY FEES

Important issues covered by this agreement template include:

• Rental Procedures: How is the asking and acceptable rent amount determined? Who prepares vacant units for rentals, advertises and shows the unit to tenants, evaluates tenant qualifications, selects the tenant, and handles the rental agreement and move in? Who collects rent and responds to tenant complaints? What if the owners disagree about rent amount of tenant selection?
• Allocations: How will rental income and ownership expenses be shared? How will proceeds from the sale of the property be split? This form agreement is structured so that all income and expenses can be shared according to the same percentages, or so that different items can be shared according to different percentages (as when, for example, one party invests a disproportionate share of the down payment).
• Budgeting: How can the owners ensure that there is always money on hand to pay the bills? If the property is cash-flow positive, who decides whether and when income will be distributed to owners?
• Assessments and Cash Calls: If the property is expected to be cash-flow negative, how and when are owner contributions made? If vacancies or other problems cause net cash flow to be less than expected or create unforeseen cash needs, what are the procedures for establishing owner contributions, notifying owners, and collecting funds
• Management and Accounting: Who is responsible for day-to-day operation of the property? How much decision-making autonomy does the manager have? What happens if an owner is unhappy with the way the property is being operated? What records must be kept, and how and when are records distributed to owners?
• Decision-Making and Disputes:How are decisions made? How does the percentage of ownership affect owner voting power? Which decisions can be made by the majority of voting power, and which require unanimous agreement? What happens if an owner refuses to participate in decision-making or simply stops responding to calls or emails from the other owner
• Enforcement: What happens when one co-owner is not paying or doing his/her share? What happens when an owner is violating the agreement in another way? This sample agreement provides a variety of remedies for owner default including loans from one owner to another, dilution of a defaulting owner’s interest, and the right of a non-defaulting owner to buy out a defaulting owner.
• Exit Strategy: Can one owner sell his/her share? What restrictions apply to a partial sale? When and how will the property be sold? Can one owner force the other to co-own the property forever? Under what circumstances can one owner force a sale? How will the pricing and sale process work if one owner is more anxious to sell?
• Death:What happens if an owner dies? Can the deceased owner’s heirs force a sale of the property?

This agreement template will require only fill-in-the-blank modifications for the vast majority of investments. It can be used as a stand-alone document, or together with our Memorandum of Agreement [link here] for even greater protection. For those co-owners with more complicated arrangements, our attorneys can assist with suggestions and modifications for a modest additional fee.

• Fractional Ownership Resources and Articles
  • General Information on Fractional Ownership
  • Creating Fractional Ownership and Shared Vacation Home Arrangements and Offerings
  • Marketing and Selling Fractional Ownership
  • Fractional Ownership and Residence Club Buyer Guide
  • Operating and Managing Fractional Ownership Groups
  • Fractional Ownership and Timeshare Law
  • Fractional Ownership Resources
  • Understanding Basic TIC Concepts and Structure
  • Operating and Managing a Tenancy In Common Group
  • TIC Essentials For Buyers and Their Realtors
  • TIC Guidance For Sellers and Their Realtors
  • TIC Law, Regulation, and Government Approval
  • San Francisco Rent Control and Tenants Rights
  • More TIC Resources and Publications
  • Condominium Conversion Eligibility
  • Condominium Conversion Procedures
  • Condominium Documents
  • The Law of Condominium Conversion

  Additional Resources

  • Real Estate Basics
  • Resource Links
  • Sample Agreements, Forms and Templates
    • Real Estate Investment – Owners on Title/Deed
    • Real Estate Investment — Property Owned By Limited Liability Company
    • Sample Equity Sharing Agreements
    • Unmarried Couples Sample Agreement
    • Vacation Property Rental and Exchanges