Moving in with your partner is undeniably an exciting milestone. Whether you’re looking to build a new home together or simply take your relationship to the next stage, combining households comes with a lot of important decisions.
One of the biggest choices you and your partner will need to make is if one person will move into the other’s current home, or if you would like to start fresh and find a new space together.
This post will look at the pros and cons of each path, and the common emotional and logistical considerations that come with them. By having a better understanding of each option, you and your partner can make the best choice for your next chapter together.
First Things First
Combining households is fun, but before you get too far into the process it’s important to keep a few things in mind. Making decisions as a couple is a two-way street and open communication is key. Always be as honest as possible with your partner about how you’re feeling, and be cognizant of their needs too.
Talk regularly about the process and what you’re looking for in a shared home. Ensure you’re clear about major elements like your budget and any “must haves” in a living space.
Whether you buy a new place together or share an existing home, merging households will require compromises from both partners. This is especially true if you both have more belongings than your shared space can accommodate. Joint decluttering can seem overwhelming on the surface, but with clear communication and a strong game plan, you can make the process relatively stress-free.
Looking for insights about selling your current home and starting fresh in today’s market? Explore these blog posts.
- How Buying Your Second Home is Different Than Buying Your First
- Selling Your Home? Here’s Why Choosing the Right Agent Matters
- How Long Will it Take to Sell My Toronto Home (in Today’s Market)
Starting Fresh
For some couples who are looking to build a home together, starting fresh is the way to go. Buying a new home with your partner provides a blank canvas for your next chapter. Not only does buying new allow you to find a great property that meets your shared needs, but it can also simplify the process of deciding which furniture will work best in the home.
Key Decisions
While buying a new home with your partner introduces new freedoms and opportunities, it does require navigating a handful of considerable logistics. First and foremost, if you plan on buying a home with your partner you’ll need to decide what to do with your current home. Most often, this means selling it.
A home sale is no small process. Although it’s an exciting time, you’ll want to avoid getting so caught up in the house-hunting journey that you underestimate your home sale. Thankfully, by working with the right real estate agent you take most of the selling work off your plate. A great agent can make your sale feel automated to ensure you have time to focus on what’s important to you.
Ready to begin your house-hunting journey? Explore our featured listings here.
Merging Households
Instead of buying new, some couples go the path of one partner moving in with the other. There are two main advantages to this path – it’s a lot easier, and it’s fairly cost-friendly.
Rather than selling two homes and navigating the market as a buyer, moving in with your partner (or vice versa) means dealing with far fewer logistics. In addition, beyond the cost of property in today’s market, the processes of buying, selling, and moving come with a fair bit of expenses. When one partner moves into the other’s home, there are fewer of these costs between the two of you.
Key Decisions
One of the major considerations of moving into a partner’s existing home is sharing costs. Of course, it’s completely fine to leave the mortgage in the name of the existing partner and work out an alternative arrangement for expenses between the two of you, however, where this can become complicated is in the event of separation, or the legal homeowner passing away.
Looking for helpful tips about decluttering in preparation for moving in with a partner? Check out these posts from our blog.
- How to Successfully Merge Households With a New Partner
- Options For Storing Furniture When You Run Out of Room
- Downsizing: 5 Tips For a Less Cluttered Life
Whether you’re looking to merge households or sell and buy a new place together, our team is here to help! Call 416-587-3300 to get started! Or send us an email.
