Selling and buying a house at the same time can feel like a high-stakes juggling act, especially in today’s market, where high interest rates and steep prices have slowed sales to some of their lowest levels in three decades. If you’re like most sellers, your worry isn’t just about finding a buyer; it’s about lining up the timing. What happens if your dream home hits the market before your current place sells? Or if your house sits for months, leaving you unable to move forward? Fortunately, new programs such as HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell (BBYS) give homeowners more flexibility. These solutions allow you to unlock your equity, buy first, and sell later — a major shift from the stressful contingent offers of the past. To understand the risks, benefits, and timing considerations of selling and buying at the same time, we spoke with Christine Marion, a Sarasota-based agent with more than 20 years of experience and a HomeLight Buy Before You Sell Certified specialist. If you have ever tried to sync up more than one major transaction — whether in business or family life — you know it’s rarely simple. Without the right planning or support, home sellers can run into some emotional or financial roadblocks: Marion says the emotional pressure can be just as tough as the financial side: “The benefit of buying a house before selling your current home is often about peace of mind,” she explains. “With the right (BBYS) program, you can purchase a home before selling by using some of your equity in advance. This gives you the opportunity to move out after the purchase of your new home, when there is less pressure to sell. It removes the fear of not having a place to live, and can even lead to a more profitable sale of your old home.” Before modern solutions existed, most sellers had to choose between imperfect options: “Bridge loans allow the seller to bridge the gap between buying their next home and selling their existing one,” Marion says. “They can use equity for a down payment and closing costs, or even to fund renovations that can help sell the old home for a higher price.” The tradeoff is that bridge loans use your current home as collateral and come with interest and fees, so they’re best for those confident in a quick sale. Today, sellers don’t have to choose between stress and risk. Innovative programs like HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell allow you to tap into your equity upfront. That means you can: Marion says programs like this can be a game-changer: “It helps you secure your dream home before someone else does, without having to sell your current home first. You might get a higher price for your home, or you might just want the peace of mind of knowing that you can move into your new home without the stress of selling your original one.” Watch the short video below to see how HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell works: Top agents like Marion and loan officers throughout the U.S. have helped hundreds of home sellers buy before they sell. “We not only had the advantage of moving into our new home before listing our old home, but also were able to sell for more than expected,” wrote Hunter W. and Angela B. of Sunland, California, who used HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program. Their old home sold for $159,000 over the asking price.The challenge of selling and buying at the same time
Traditional approaches home sellers consider
Modern solutions that simplify the process
A proven, trusted solution
