01
Real buying power
Your lender qualifies you on the numbers as they stand today, not on the equity you expect once the current home sells. Get pre-approval on both scenarios so you know which sequence your lender will actually support.
Move-up and trade-up buyers
Buying power, sell-first vs buy-first, contingency structures, and the timing overlap when you sell and buy at once.
The move-up problem is a timing problem, not a money problem.
Most move-up buyers already know they can afford the next home. What they have not worked out is the order of operations: sell first and risk a gap month in temporary housing, or buy first and carry two mortgages until the old home closes.
Protect the downside first. Pick the sequence that survives your worst case, not your best case, then find the upside inside it.
The four decisions that actually drive the outcome.
02
Sell-first vs buy-first
Sell-first removes financing risk but adds housing-gap risk. Buy-first removes the gap but adds carrying-cost risk on two mortgages. There is no universally correct answer, only the one that fits your reserves.
03
Contingency structures
A sale contingency lets your purchase depend on your current home closing. Sellers weigh contingent offers against non-contingent ones, so a contingency is a real trade-off against offer strength, not a free option.
04
The gap-month problem
If your sale closes before your purchase, you need a bridge: a short-term rental, a rent-back arrangement with your buyer, or financing that covers the overlap. Decide this before you list, not after.
Questions move-up buyers ask first.
It depends on how much overlap risk you can carry. I walk through your specific numbers with you before you commit to a sequence, so the plan fits your reserves, not a generic rule.