Dilemma: sell first or buy first? Disability and chronic illness involved

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We could really do with some advice on this, please.

DH and I are in our late 60s, both disabled/ill and struggling. He can potter around the house, tidy up and cook. I spend most of my day in bed. He could drive and do the shopping etc. but can no longer do that and hasn’t left the house for months. We both struggling with depression.

We have two DSs in their 30s. DS1 lives with us, has ASD, and gives us a lot of support (as we do him), but can be very volatile. DS2 is very able and lives away, coming over every few months.

Our present home is a typical older semi, which we have lived in for a long time. We were able to do it up and have decorated every room over the years, putting in a new bathroom and kitchen. Unfortunately, all that work stopped about 10 years ago as our health collapsed and the house now looks very shabby and tatty with blown double glazing, cracks in the walls, and worn carpets and decoration.

So, we really want to move into a bungalow or a house with a downstairs bedroom and bathroom with a walk in shower. We need more than one toilet and three reasonable bedrooms. Luckily, our area means that we could get what we need for around £300,000 to £400,000.

We are also fortunate that we have enough savings to buy what we need outright, without a mortgage and without selling our present house first.

That is the dilemma! I think that we should buy our new home as soon as possible, have it decorated etc. before moving in, and then sell this house afterwards. DH is worried that, if we do this, we might have huge problems in selling our house, with all of its issues.

Can anyone help us with the pros and cons? Very grateful for any advice!

I have been in your situation to an extent, although I am not as disabled ( just inconvenienced by age) and the house we were leaving was in good nick.

We bought our current house from capital, even though it did mean cutting back on other things until we had sold the first house. One of the biggest advantages was that we could move gradually, inessentials first and then finally the living furniture like the beds. It wasn’t such a hassle getting the services sorted, either. The reduction in stress was wonderful compared to previous moves.

Of course you have to be prudent and husband your resources, but ultimately the greatest resource you have is your ( fragile) well being, so do whatever you can to maximise it.

Any issues with your existing house will be there regardless. You either price it to reflect what needs doing or you spend money to get it up to scratch and then sell. Given your health issues I would go for the path of least stress. Buy nice new house and sell existing one priced to reflect it's condition.

How easy or difficult do you envisage it being to find something that meets your needs? If it's likely to be tricky in your area, that's an argument for buying first in order to secure something suitable. If it's easy enough to find the sort of thing you're after, then I'd probably just sell and buy in one go.

I have a disabling chronic illness. I would always buy first if possible. We did that when we moved into our current place, it was so much easier being able to move over the course of a few weeks and then easier keeping old house clean while we waited for it to sell. Will have to sell first this time. That's going to be a whole heap more stressful.

If your finances allow, buy and move first. But do so with a firm plan in place otherwise it’s easy to take a lot longer over getting things done and cost a lot more in the long run. (Remember it’s two lots of council tax, insurances etc)
As op say, your current home will still have the same issues it has now, unless you plan to fix them, which will still be easier with an empty house. Any potential purchaser will be able to see an empty home for the future promise it has, surprisingly some people are unable to see past a current incumbent’s possessions/decor etc. so it might be easier to sell empty in the current climate.

Given bungalows are in demand more than 3 bed semis, I'd buy first, adapt to your needs thoroughly eg wet room, handrails, slopes in and out for wheelchair etc and redecorate, recarpet such that it's likely you'll both be in a care home before you ever need to do it again.
Then move in, and simply sell the old house afterwards, once you've moved out just as it is - a do-er upper priced accordingly. Or spend a little to do up anything that might hinder a sale - eg filling the cracks, redecorate, new carpet throughout replacing worn, replace the most obviously blown DG units, pay for the garden to be tidied, and gutter, windows, frontage to be cleaned.

Given your situation, I'd buy first.

Yes, selling your house could be tricky, but if you price it low enough, it is likely to appeal to someone. Possibly better a house that clearly needs work than something that you dislike most of the internals for but us priced as perfect condition.

Oh, thank you all so much for your helpful replies! We already have two suitable places on our list. I just hope that no one else jumps in before we can get our act together!