As more career-minded adults find love later in life, it isn’t uncommon for these two merging lives to have to figure out what to do with the homes their bringing into the marriage.

The most common solution is to sell one (or both) and find their perfect together home. When thinking of this situation, you have several options to explore and we’ll explore a few of those options in this article.

1. Sell one home, live in the other home.
2. Sell both homes, buy a new house together.
3. Rent out one of the homes, live in the other.
4. Rent out both homes, buy a new house together.




Sell one home, live in the other home


Selling one home and living in the other often sounds the most reasonable – and often it is. Especially, if one of the homes meets all the requirements of the newlywed couple.


We’re not going to spend any time reinforcing the reasons to stay in a home as often the reasons for doing so do not require a list of reasons to do so. Selling a home, now that often requires some discussion.


First, you ought to recognize that regardless if you keep one home and sell the other, both people will need to do some major decluttering – two fully furnished, fully decorated, fully lived-in homes simply do not merge together within one of the preexisting living spaces. In fact, we’re not even talking about one person declutter by half and the other matching, we’re suggesting each person declutter by over 50%. Of course, this isn’t a hard fast rule, but generally speaking, people have a lot more stuff then they really recognize.


Sell both homes, buy a new house together


Selling both homes is often is the best option when neither home truly matches the needs and/or wants of the couple. When you think about it both homes often represent a time of different priorities, purchased around a different stage in life, and with entirely different needs in mind. Merging a household often requires a new understanding of future priorities, interests, and needs; hence the need for a new bigger or smaller home.


Selling both homes is often the best option when merging families that include children; it prevents one set of kids from feeling like their space has been invaded by another group of kids who feel like the invaders. Homes often come with a years of good (and bad) memories – moving on (literally) is way to build new memories with your spouse.


When selling both homes comes into view, establishing a comprehensive plan becomes necessary to simplify the process – talk with a REALTOR® to establish a game plan.


Rent out one (or both homes)
There are a lot of reasons why you may want to rent out one or both homes – real estate is often a sound investment, and like any investment be sure to weigh the benefits against the risks. Since you already recognize the tremendous benefits of real estate investment let’s cover some of the most common risks that may not be at the top of your mind.

1. If your home(s) still have a mortgage payment it often doesn’t take much of a hiccup to add financial strain. Be sure you can comfortably afford periods of rental vacancy.


2.Unlike most stocks, selling a home isn’t instantaneous; and to prevent emotional decisions regarding your new real estate holdings you ought to have a written understanding of your financial goals related to the properties AND a firm understanding of the conditions in which you will sell.


3. Becoming market unaware. When you’re living in the neighborhood it’s easy to see what’s going on, who’s selling, who’s moving in, and what new developments are going on around you. These small changes over time influence your local market – and as such, you’re in a better position to understand when you might want to sell or even improve your property. When you’re not around, these things could land up being a bad surprise that diminishes property value hurting your ability to maximize your investment potential.


HERE TO HELP

Let’s Discuss Your Options

Jerod Lee

Broker Associate | AB30242

+1(208) 991-8505

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REVIEWS

  • zuser20171209062055191
    Jerod Lee was very awesome, the best realtor my husband and I have ever had . My husband sold our 3rd house for almost 21 yrs and he was very professional, friendly, honest, personable and not a fast talker or a game player which my husband and I have had before, he was a fresh of breath air.Jerod made selling our house fast and very easy for us since we have not lived in Idaho for 8 years and was using our house in Boise as a 2 nd home,I highly recommend Jerod as a realtor and when my husband and I do move back to Idaho., I will use Jerod once again,
  • frankk7
    Knowledgeable, responsive, and kind -- Jerod helped us quickly navigate a challenging seller's market in downtown Boise to purchase a condo that hit each of our needs (and most of our wants).Jerod suggested offering a quick close to help bring the seller closer to our preferred price (and it worked!), and his team delivered on getting an inspection done within a few days, organizing Title, utilities, documents, etc... they were so on top of each of the details, in such a short period. Jerod responded to early morning texts and late night calls, and we appreciated his (and team's) expertise at each step.Along with the above, Jerod is wonderful to work with. He was kind and attentive to our young children, friendly and respectful to us, and expecially thoughtful to our COVID concerns. His team left us the wonderful surprise of an Idaho gift basked when we moved in, and Jerod treated us to a celebratory lunch at a cafe down the block. We'll look forward to staying in touch, even when not buying/selling a home.
  • YousefNasri8
    I could not have asked for a better home buying experience. As a first time buyer, I was very nervous and not the most knowledgeable on the process. Jerod is extremely transparent, knowledgeable and a delight to work with. He is communicative in all aspects and will explain anything you want to know about the process. He made my home purchase a breeze and I will gladly work with him again. I highly recommend anybody to work with Jerod for their real estate needs. True professional.