Why So Many of My Clients Don't Buy Homes in Their Own Name

A new client asked me last week if it was "shady" to buy his house under an LLC instead of his own name.

It's not shady. It's actually one of the most common things I set up for athletes, executives, and high-profile buyers on the Eastside, and almost nobody explains why until they're already deep into a purchase. So let's talk about it before you're the one asking the question mid-escrow.

Your name on a deed is public record, permanently

Here's the part most buyers don't think about until it's too late: once a home closes in your personal name, that sale becomes public record. Your name, your new address, sometimes even the purchase price, all searchable by anyone with an internet connection and five minutes.

For most buyers, that's a non-issue. For a professional athlete, an executive relocating for a high-profile role, or anyone whose name draws attention, that's a real problem. It's the difference between a private life and an address strangers can look up in seconds.

What buying under an LLC actually does

An LLC purchase means the property is held by a business entity instead of your personal name. The deed lists the LLC, not you. Anyone searching public records sees a company name, not a person.

It doesn't hide the fact that a sale happened, real estate transactions are still public. What it does is separate your personal identity from the transaction, which is exactly the layer of privacy most high-profile buyers are after.

It's not just about privacy, either

Liability protection. An LLC can shield personal assets if something ever goes wrong on the property, a slip and fall, a dispute, anything that could otherwise expose personal wealth.

Cleaner structure for multiple properties. Clients who own homes in more than one state often hold each one under a separate entity, which keeps everything organized and contained.

Smoother succession planning. For clients thinking long-term, holding property in an entity can simplify how it eventually transfers, whether that's to family, a trust, or a future sale.

What people get wrong about it

This isn't a workaround, and it isn't free. Setting up an LLC means legal fees, ongoing state filings, and in some cases different financing rules, jumbo loans and LLC purchases don't always play well together, and cash deals are common for exactly this reason.

It also isn't something to set up the week before closing. This needs to happen with an attorney and often a CPA involved from the start, not bolted on after an offer is already accepted.

Who this actually makes sense for

Not every buyer needs this. If privacy isn't a concern and you're financing with a conventional mortgage, buying in your own name is simpler and usually cheaper. But if you're a public figure, relocating for a role that draws attention, or building a real estate portfolio across multiple states, this is a conversation worth having before you write an offer, not after.

The bottom line

Buying under an LLC isn't about hiding something. It's about controlling who gets to know where you live. For the athletes and executives I work with, that control is exactly what they're paying for when they hire someone who's done this before.

If you're relocating and privacy is part of the equation, this is the kind of conversation we have before we ever look at a single property.

Amanda Aguiar eXp Luxury Realtor® | Seattle, WA 📍 Concierge Real Estate for Athletes & Executives