The Trick to Buying and Selling at the Same Time

Anyone getting ready to move who already owns a home comes across the question of whether to buy a house before or after they sell their current home. On one hand, buying before selling means you don’t have to risk being without a place to stay or having to deal with finding a short-term rental as you buy a house. However, you could risk being stuck with two mortgages. On the other hand, you could sell before you buy and only be responsible for one mortgage. But this means you may need to consider short-term rental options or determine a place to stay while you look for a new house. While this decision can be tricky, there are steps you can take to sell and buy as close to at the same time as possible.

If this is something you’re considering, reach out to a Loan Originator. They can help you assess your current financial situation to determine what’s the right move for you. They’ll help you understand what options are available to you and if buying a new home and selling your old makes financial sense for you.

1. Evaluate the Markets‍

First, assess the state of the market you’re buying and selling in. Once you understand what type of market you are in, your Loan Originator and Real Estate Agent can help you get an idea of how to time buying and selling. Of course, it’s ideal to be selling in a seller’s market and buying in a buyer’s market, but if this isn’t the case, there are tools available to you to help you achieve ideal timing. Remember to ask your Loan Originator about what you can financially handle. This will help you stay away from situations that might not be ideal for you such as ending up with more than one mortgage.  

Buyer’s Market‍

If you’re buying in a buyer’s market, you can make an offer with a sale contingency – meaning, your offer is valid as long as your house sells. This can protect you from ending up with two mortgages if your house doesn’t sell. Just be aware that it could make your offer less competitive.

If you’re selling in a buyer’s market, try to request an extended closing which will allow you more time to stay in your home before buying your new house.

Seller’s Market‍

If you’re buying in a seller’s market, you can make an offer with a settlement contingency. This means that your offer to buy a home is contingent on the closing of the home you’re selling. That way, you don’t have to buy the new house unless your home is sold. Again, remember that contingencies can decrease the competitiveness of your offer.

2. Prepare Your Home to Show

After you’ve determined the status of the market, you’ll need to start preparing your home to be shown. This includes hiring a Real Estate Agent, pricing your home right, and fixing it up to look appealing. Consider hiring a Home Inspector so you can take care of anything that needs fixing early on instead of waiting for the buyer’s inspector to find something unexpectedly which could mess up your timeline.

Another thing you can do to prepare your house to be shown to buyers is staging your home. You can do this yourself or hire a professional service to do the staging for you. While you are staging make sure you thoroughly clean the entire house or hire a cleaning service. These kinds of efforts can make a huge difference in attracting buyers and getting more money from the sale of your house.

3. List Your Home‍

Now that your house is in pristine shape for the market, have your agent list it and start accepting showings. Speak with your agent about what you’re looking for in contract negotiations to best stay on track with your timelines. This may also be the time to start viewing home listings you’re interested in buying.

4. Buy Your New Home

While you’re waiting on the closing of your current home, start the process of buying your new home. Determine your budget, work with your Loan Originator to get pre-approved for a mortgage, go house hunting if you haven’t yet, submit an offer, get an inspection on the home, and close.

We understand that this process can be overwhelming. That’s why we’re here for you. Our Loan Originators are happy to help guide you through your homebuying journey to help make it as simple and straightforward as possible. They’ll guide you through your options and help you make the choices that will satisfy your goals. Contact us today to get started.