Buying a house - USC Visitor

Hi all! I thought I'd turn to you for some advice is that is okay.

It's been awhile so just in case....I am a USC with IRL (married to a UKC). My mother (a USC) likes to come to visit us (every couple of months for about two weeks a time). Anyway, she is interested in buying a house to stay in while she's here.

What are people's thoughts on this (re taxes, visa). She has a job and has sufficient ties to the US but I know there is always a chance that she could have problems with UKBA. Also, if she did go for it, should she have me buy it rather than her (she would be a cash buyer and we have a joint account in the US that she could put money in and then I could bring over...).

Any thoughts or experience with this would be so appreciated!

Outside of the immigration issue, you will probably have some challenges finding a decent mortgage rate, or even a mortgage at all, unless is an all-cash purchase?

To be fair, half of London seems to be owned by Russian/Chinese investors so there must be some way* to do this. I think the bigger hurdle would be UKBA potentially flagging her many visits and if in some way it came to light she owned a place here, that she wasn't attempting to live in the UK on a visitor visa.

Another potential option - could she go in with you to buy a property that either has a bit of land attached to it or some way to make a 'mother in law' suite in a separate building? That may be more cost effective/secure than trying to sort out the legal and financial logistics of an entirely separate dwelling.

(*for the right price)

If she’s a cash buyer, it would be easy to buy.  Insurance could be very expensive as she’s not a resident.

As mentioned it will be a real struggle to convince immigration she’s not trying to circumvent immigration rules and live in the UK without a visa.  But she can own a home.  The government will happily take her money.   

As you suggest she could give you the money to buy a house in your own name. As a 2nd house you would pay more in Stamp Duty when buying it but as an overseas buyer she might be paying extra Stamp Duty anyway. She would also have to file a gift tax form in the USA, although no tax would be due, it just subtracts from her lifetime allowance of $11+ million estate tax exemption. Not sure how her State would treat it as some States have estate taxes and others don't. (We gave our son money to buy his house in the UK by sending money to his US bank which he transferred over and the gift tax form filing was easy enough)

Thank you all so much! Really appreciate the input - I think we have quite a bit to consider!