Property advice needed please!

[DJHMMC]

Hello,

My partner and I are in our late thirties, we live together and have a 1 year old daughter.

I bought a house in the countryside last year as a home for us, I own it without a mortgage, we currently live in this house.

We now need to move to the city and we want to buy a flat there and use that as our primary residence instead.

I have enough cash to buy this city flat outright without selling the countryside house.

I like the idea of keeping the countryside house as somewhere to holiday (it's near my family) or a rental but I can't see us ever living here again.

My partner doesn’t own any property yet but wants to and can get a mortgage.

How do we do this in a way that supports my partner getting on the property ladder whilst also protecting my interests?

Do I buy the city flat with my cash but in my partners name? Do I buy the city flat with my cash (inc. higher stamp duty) for us all to live in but suggest my partner buys his own place? Do I get a joint mortgage the countryside house with him and rent that place out? Do I sell the countryside house?

I know it's a really privileged problem to have but I haven't come from money so I would appreciated any advice, particularly about stamp duty and capital gains tax.

Thanks!

You could jointly buy a city place 50/50 or whatever proportion you agree between you. You portion could be cash, your partner's portion could be mortgage, and have your partner be solely responsible for paying the mortgage.

Though I'll be honest, if you are in a committed relationship, you live together and intend to stay that way, I'm not sure why your partner needs to get on the property ladder themselves.

Why can’t your partner buy the 2nd property and then you each have an independent property

I feel that too. You seem to be looking at this as two individuals. So is that what you intend? Why don’t you get a legal agreement stating who put in what and who has the mortgage. It then defines who gets what if you split, I suggest both of you are on the mortgage or you might lose your home if partner defaults. As you will own two homes you will pay CGT if you sell one in the future.