Selling to the people we're buying from - odd situation

[StealthPolarBear]

Hi
I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in the legal section, sorry if this is the wrong place.
We might soon agree to sell our house to the people whose house we are buying (they would then rent ours out).
DH pointed out that they may offer less than our asking price, in which case we would counter with an offer for their house with the same amount taken off, iyswim.
To me that doesn't make sense, but I can't get my head round it! Also, if we do that, the result will be the same but we will both pay lower fees to the estate agents (as it's a %) and lower stamp duty.
What's to stop us doing that? Obviously if I've thought of that then the estate agents will have as well - what would they do to stop us?
Hope this makes sense, I'd be interested to know what you think.

I think you can actually still part exchange on house - you give them yours plus money. you would probably still be liable for estate agents fees on a valuation price, but you could save a fortune in stamp duty. Somebody will probably come on and say that it's another tax-avoidance loophole that GB closed, but worth asking your agent about.

So we can actually do it above board then? Wow, I didn't realise that!

have just had a search, from what I can tell the stamp duty is payable on the value of the house not the selling price so we'd still have to pay that, but we would save on estate agents fees (unless I suppose they might have smething in the contract).
Couldn't find very much at all though (it all seems to be related to builders doing this on new houses) so please if anyone knows differently, correct me.

bump

I think the only issue that might arise is that they will have a lower basis for their investment, so when they come to sell they will have made a bigger profit and have to pay more taxes.

That's all I can think of off hand.

right, thank you - so what they don't pay now they pay later (and more!)

if you are selling through an estate agent and they set up the viewings for you both, then you will both still have to pay the estate agent fees.

Sorry didn't see there had been another post on this thread, thank you.
How would they know?

Just be careful stealth....... as an estate agent we have taken people to court over it and won every time.......trust me there are ways and means of finding out.Its really not hard at all!!

just be careful if you do it as i wouldnt want you to get into trouble.

No, tbh that's what I thought - don't like the idea at all

If i were you i would just pay the estate agents fee stealthpolarbear......... i thought of you today as we had someone in court over same thing....... we won (as normal) and the vendor is left owing us the commission plus they have to pay all the court/legal fees.