How to Sell and Buy at the Same Time

There are three basic sequences. Sell first creates the clearest budget and strongest purchase funds but may require temporary housing. Buy first gives moving certainty but requires enough liquidity and borrowing capacity to carry two properties. Coordinate both closings can reduce the gap, but every legal, financing, and moving dependency must work on schedule.

Before choosing, ask a lender how the current mortgage, expected proceeds, bridge options, and debt-to-income rules affect approval. Ask both attorneys how deposits, contingencies, closing dates, possession, and a possible post-closing occupancy agreement would work. Never assume one closing's proceeds will be available for the other without written coordination.

Build a fallback budget for delay. Storage, short-term housing, rate-lock extensions, double carrying costs, and moving changes are cheaper to plan before they become emergencies.