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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Buy and Selling

11 replies

sunshine240778474 · 01/10/2025 08:02

Hi,

Looking for some advice,
I'm a first time buyer with a 30k deposit. My partner owns the house we live in. We have seen a house we really like, and want to buy. Only issue is we still need to sell the one we live in.

He doesn't want to be paying two mortgages at one time. My worry is, and understandably, the seller will not wait for us to sell our house. I mean why should they.

I was wondering, does anyone have any experience with this or been in a similar situation? Any advice or tips on how to bridge the gap?

Thank you very much

OP posts:

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 01/10/2025 08:15

This is how the property market works, estate agents co-ordinate the sales.

canyon2000 · 01/10/2025 08:29

Your partner needs to get his house up for sale ASAP, possibly with the same estate agent as the one who is selling the house you like, as he will have the incentive of trying to sell your partner's house quickly to secure the deal. As oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends says, this is how the property market works. You can get bridging loans but that is expensive.

TMMC1 · 01/10/2025 08:39

Totally normal. Put an offer in and if accepted get his for sale ASAP.

Bluevelvetsofa · 01/10/2025 09:14

Is the deposit yours alone and is your partner contributing from the sale of his property?

Original poster

sunshine240778474 · 01/10/2025 12:15

@Bluevelvetsofa it's mine, but he only has 40k left on his mortgage so he will get a lot of money back and then pay me half of the deposit money

OP posts:

user1471538283 · 01/10/2025 13:42

You either sell his and then look for somewhere else or you sell his and move onto rented until you find somewhere. You need to be SSTC before you view anywhere really otherwise you are not proceedable

Whaleadthesnail · 01/10/2025 15:08

That's how house buying works!

I would also add....If you need the proceeds from his sale to afford your onward purchase then please don't sell yourself as a first time buyer, or at least be clear that you're not technically chain free.

We accepted 'first time buyers' but it turned out their mum was selling and they were using some proceeds from that as a deposit, so we were in a chain we didn't realise we were in and they caused lots of delays. Very annoying

C152 · 01/10/2025 17:12

Most good estate agents won't put forward offers from people who don't have their existing property on the market (unless they have another way of paying for the new property). In the UK, buying/selling usually takes an average of 5 months, so no one wants to make the painful process any longer by wasting time with people who aren't actually in the financial position to proceed with the purchase. That being said, if the place you want to buy has had little interest, the sellers may be willing to wait, as long as you show that you're moving as quickly as possible ie. put your property on the market as soon as you've made the offer, keep the seller's estate agent updated with your own sale etc.

Also agree with @Whaleadthesnail . Since your partner needs to sell his property in order for you to buy a joint property together, you are not first time buyers.

BeFastDreamer · 01/10/2025 17:49

Get his on the market asap. You generally have to say how quickly you’re looking to move when you put in an offer with an entry date you’d be looking for, seller is likely to be put off if yours isn’t even on the market yet. This happened to us and we got knocked back for a lower offer but who could move faster.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 01/10/2025 18:52

user1471538283 · 01/10/2025 13:42

Someone has to make the first move.
If you were correct, no-one would move unless there's a FTB at the bottom of the chain.

I welcomed viewers who had not sold STC, & we viewed properties where we had not sold STC.
We've just sold - exchanged today - and our buyers hadn't even put their property on the market when they viewed.

TinyFlamingo · 02/10/2025 04:34

Most estate agents won't let you out offers in if you don't have an offer already on a property your selling right now.

If you're buying together you need to be honest your not a first time buyer and there is a chain.

They won't wait unless you are proactive, communicative and they can see action.
TBH your situation sounds like a bit of a mess and your partner seems lackluster at best. This would be a red flag to me. If I didn't see action from you quite quickly I'd move too because you're right why should they wait for you to sort it out. If you're putting in offers you should have sorted it out between you and be ready to be proceedable.

I hope it all works out for you. If you can buy without partner. Do it. When it comes round to remortgage you can add him to property at a later date, and remortgage with him.

If you can't you're not FTB and you need to be honest about the situation.

Good luck though, it's exciting it will be your first property, and first property together and that's a wonderful milestone. Don't let the house buying redtape deminish that!

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