Would it put you off if your buyer had two houses to sell?

[Somanyquestionsss]

My partner and I live separately and are looking to buy a nice big house together. We will need to sell both our houses to get the funds for the nice big house. I am worried that a seller would be put off by us having two houses to sell. Am I right?

I know the answer is that one of us moves into the other person's house and sell the other one, but both our houses are small and we have two sets of furniture that will not fit in one house! I know we could put furniture in storage but we are really pushing the money boat out to get this nice big house so we need to save every penny we can. Plus it could be years until the houses we like go up for sale!

I think you should broaden your search... there must be others roads which are still nice just slightly less good? Is this one road really that much better?

Our last purchase we were looking in a specific area and we waited 2 years to buy something that was right and it's not perfect; more work than we wanted to do and it's slightly smaller than we'd have liked (but big enough). You could be waiting a long time if you are waiting for one of 7 houses to sell.

My parents sort of did this but it didn't matter because the sale of one house + savings out right bought the new house in cash so the second house had no impact really.

Sounds to me like you need to put both houses on the market and see which one sells first, AND when that sale is going through put notes through the doors of all 7 houses asking (very, very nicely) if they are considering selling and if so now or in future to contact you please.

Thank you all for the responses! Much food for thought.

To confirm, it is just myself and my partner. No kids or anything.

I really want to live with my partner, but I am also very house proud and dearly love my own house. I always thought that I would never want to move unless a dream house came up, which these houses we love are! I would be absolutely gutted if I sold my house and the dream house came up and it turns out we can't afford it or something. I'd be devastated that I'd lost my house for nothing! As much as I love my partner and want to live with him, I really wouldn't be happy living in his house, effectively in limbo, for however many years.

Hmm. This has sparked a thought. Did they put both their names on the new mortgage, and did it affect the stamp duty?

There is a tiny chance that if our parents have enough money (I have no idea if they do) we could make up the cost of my house (to buy the new house with) and then pay them back afterwards when my house sells. Would that mean I'd have to pay second home stamp duty?

You would have to pay additional rate SDLT but you'd be able to claim in back when you sold your property (I think you get 2 years but check that)

Do you mind me asking why you feel the need for 5/6 bedrooms if there is just the two of you. If there’s just the two of you and you insist on it though…then sell one house…sell furniture you won’t need want and use the third bedroom as storage room while you look for a house. That way you’re not paying for storage.

Not the slightest chance I’d accept I’m afraid OP!
and your house would have to be under offer first as wellm

Definitely put them both up for sale now and move into the unsold one pending new purchase. I wouldn't consider you a serious buyer

why do you keep repeating the phrase nice big house?

It would be a big red flag for me, and probably my vendors up the chain.

And if you have a niche road / house in mind you need to be the best buyer you can be in order to get your offer accepted.

Why would you need to live in his house for ‘years’?

Sell yours, widen your search a bit and then go all out to sell his as fast as possible.

Yes, you will probably need to pay storage but you will be saving on 2 lots of council tax, insurance, utility bills and overheads etc.

Yep I wouldn’t accept an offer either.
if you really think it could be years (and it does sound like a possibility!), could you make yours bigger - attic room or large garden room?

I agree with everyone else, it would put me off massively.

A property chain is risky enough without it relying on you and your partner selling 2 houses!

Either sell both and move into a rental until the perfect house comes up or sell one and hire a storage unit for all the extra furniture.

You would not be proceedable for me, particularly if you are looking for a particularly desirable road with little turnover. There will be other better qualified buyers.

I take it you are not married?

There no way I would sell my house and move into my partner's. What if it doesn't work out? Living together to can change relationships.

If it doesn't work it will be you that is homeless.

Do you both have kids? If so keep it how it is, stability is priceless.

I'm going against the general grain here only based on my own experience. When we bought our current house we were selling my old flat and my parents house after they passed. I don't remember it being an issue. Both properties had offers accepted when we offered on our house.

But did you need to sell both to buy the new place?

I would accept an offer from two separate households as my last resort if I was desperate

The Op is telling porkies

on her thread last week she had two children aged 7 and 10

So what happened to your 7 and 10 year old last week op 🤔

You're not surely limiting your search to seven houses, which presumably you've never been inside, that aren't for sale? That's mad.

Lol. Bit tragic.

Yes it would. When this was me and DH we sold his first and stored his stuff.

Isn’t it

denying the existence of your children. To what end OP?

I agree.

Also, considering using your parents money seem like you are taking more of a risk than your partner.

Why do the two of you need such a big house. Are you planning on having lots of children?

Your circumstances would put me off.