Should You Sell First or Buy First When You Downsize?

I'm Holli Cobb, a REALTOR® with REAL Broker in Redmond, and this comes up in almost every downsizing conversation: do you sell your current home first, or find the next one first? There are three real ways to sequence it, and the right one depends on your finances and your tolerance for uncertainty, not on which is generally "better."

This is the lowest-risk option financially, you know exactly what you have to work with before you commit to anything. The tradeoff is you may need temporary housing between closing on your sale and closing on your next home, which is an extra move and an extra cost to plan for.

This means one move instead of two, which a lot of clients prefer. The tradeoff is you need to be able to qualify for and carry two homes, at least briefly, which isn't realistic for every buyer's financial situation. If your equity and income support it, this route removes a lot of the logistical stress.

A contingent offer (your purchase depends on your current home selling), a rent-back (you sell but stay in your home for an agreed period after closing), or bridge financing can all close the gap between the two other options. Each has its own mechanics and its own cost, and which one makes sense depends on the specific homes and timeline involved.

The right sequence depends on your comfort with financial risk, whether you can qualify to carry two homes, and how much moving-twice would actually cost and stress you out. There's no default answer I'd give everyone. Get in touch and we'll map out which of the three actually fits your situation, and build a real timeline around it.