How to Buy a New Home Before Selling Your Current One

Buying a new home before selling your current one can feel like walking a tightrope. You’re balancing timelines, finances, and major decisions – all while trying to avoid a double move or carrying two mortgages. It sounds stressful (and sometimes it is), but the good news? You’re not on your own.

With the right strategy – and experienced loan officer in your corner – it’s absolutely possible to line up the pieces and make your move smooth.

Here’s how we help clients navigate the “buy before you sell” puzzle.

Why Would Someone Buy Before They Sell?

Let’s set the stage first. Why would someone even want to buy before selling?

1. 1. 1. Low housing inventory. If homes are moving fast, you may need to act quickly when the right one pops up.
      2. To avoid temporary housing. No one loves packing twice in six months.
      3. More control. You can move on your timeline instead of rushing to line up closing dates.
      4. Less stress for families. Keeping kids (and pets) settled through one move instead of two can make a huge difference.

Of course, the tricky part is figuring out how to make it all work.

Use the Trade-In Mortgage™ or Contingency Buster

Ruoff Mortgage offers unique programs, powered by Calque, designed to help with this exact scenario:

The Trade-In Mortgage™ allows you to make a non-contingent offer on a new home by leveraging the value of your current one.

Contingency Buster helps remove the need to sell your home before closing on your next one, making your offer more competitive.

Both programs are built to reduce the financial and logistical hurdles of buying before selling. Your loan officer can walk you through how they work and whether they’re a match for your situation.

Make a Sale Contingent Offer

This is the traditional route. You make an offer on a new home that’s contingent on the sale of your current one.

It’s a safer approach for your finances, but it’s not always ideal in competitive markets. Sellers may prefer buyers who don’t have another home sale hanging in the balance. That said, with the right terms and a solid pre-approval, it can still work. It’s worth discussing with your loan officer and your real estate agent.

Why Timing is Everything

Whether you’re making a contingent offer or using creative programs like The Trade-In Mortgage™ or the Contingency Buster, powered by Calque, timing matters. A lot.

That’s where your loan officer becomes your strategist. We look at your current mortgage, your new budget, your timeline, and your goals – and we help build a plan that fits.

Sometimes that means adjusting your price range. Sometimes it means getting a little creative. But most of all, it means having someone who knows how to connect the dots between selling and buying without dropping the ball in between.

Buying before selling isn’t one-size-fits-all. You have options, and the right one depends on more than just your finances. It’s about your family, your stress level, your ideal timeline, and what’s happening in your local market.

So, if you’re thinking, “I need to move, but I don’t know how to make it all line up,” let’s talk. There’s almost always a path forward – you just need a partner who knows how to find it.

Ready to figure out your next step? Reach out and let’s map it out together.