Let's start with a fact that surprises a lot of folks: according to National Association of Realtors, in 2024, 66% of home sellers bought a house within the same state, and 16% moved within the same region. That means buying and selling a house concurrently is more common than you'd think, even though that doesn't make it easy.
You have to coordinate two massive transactions at once: staging, showings, listing your current home, and house‑hunting on the other side. Plus, you might be juggling a move, jobs, schools. It's an emotional AND logistical complexity. So here are some common mistakes you have to avoid at all costs…
Want to learn more about this topic? Watch the full episode about this topic in our locqube chats podcast.
Most advice is not worth it, but many believe it
I hate looking for symptoms online, as your worst fears always pop up.
Same with advice about buying and selling a house at the same time. There's a lot of well‑meaning but ultimately wrong advice out there. A lot of real estate agents don't actually understand how to knit the process together in a way that delivers a defined outcome.
I know the standard script says: “sell first, then buy.” That often causes sellers to believe they’ll be homeless during transition. When it’s not true.
Most agents push staging, open houses, fast closings, but don't talk about transitional financing, post‑closing occupancy agreements, or cash‑forward solutions. So you follow their timeline, and just like that you have no house and no financing lined up.
But I’ve done deals where closing on sale is in the morning, the buying closing is in the afternoon, and the homeowner literally stays in their old place until the afternoon and then moves. With proper planning, team coordination, and contingencies, you can keep living in your home until the very day you move.
Common timing mistakes to avoid when buying and selling a house at the same time
Listing too late. A big mistake is waiting until you're under contract on your new home to list your current one. Because if the buyer of your current home has delays, you will be left scrambling.
Underestimating market unpredictability. Your home may sell in 2 weeks or 2 months. Meanwhile, finding the dream home could take months. If you don't plan buffer time, you're courting chaos. According to the 2024 NAR report 55% of home buyers stated that finding the right property was the most difficult aspect of the home-buying process.
Not preparing financing in advance. People forget that they need to think through temporary dual mortgages, interest rate implications, bridge loans, and home equity lines of credit. Without planning, you either overpay or lose options.
Not having Plan B or C or D. So many homeowners get locked in with no fallback. If your buyer backs out or your financing stalls, you're stuck with some really serious consequences and high stress.
See also: How home interest rate impacts your property's value
How I really see the timeline playing out
Step 1- Assess your current home and buying power
First, if I were to list your home today, what would it realistically sell for and when? What's your buying power once the dust settles?
You need clarity on both sides: what you have and what you can afford, before you even think of the next steps.
Step 2 -Define your desired outcome
Where are you headed? Upgrade? Relocate? Downsize? For example, among all sellers, the most commonly cited reason for selling their home in 2024 was the desire to move closer to friends and family (23%), or because their home was too small (12%).
So once you know the reason why you want to move, you can reverse‑engineer a path and you won't just follow what others have done.
Step 3 - Build the right team
This is huge. You need a listing agent, a buying agent, and a lender who talk to each other.
Despite the growth of internet research before buying, real estate agents and brokers remain the top resource for all generations whether for buying or selling as per the 2025 NAR report. You also need a transitional financing experts, maybe someone offering rent‑back or bridge solutions. Without the right team, your timing is a house of cards.
That's why when I lead my platform at locqube, we coordinate everything so sales and purchase teams communicate and align timelines tightly within the app/platform. And we've gotten a lot of positive feedback for that alone.
Step 4 - List before you sign any purchase contract
This is probably controversial for some: if you list your current home before signing a purchase contract for a new one, you build buffer time into the deal. Even if your buyer closes late, you're not scrambling to close on the new side. Listing early gives you negotiating leverage, flexibility, and breathing room.
Step 5 - Use creative financing... safely
When you're buying and selling a house at the same time, there are a few tools:
A home equity line of credit (HELOC) from your current home
Bridge or gap loans
Services that let you buy with cash now, then pay yourself back later once your sale closes (for a fee)
Contingent contract strategies
Traditional lenders globally usually require full mortgage payments, so you may face higher rates. That's why transparency on fees is very important for many.
Be crystal clear about the cost of buying and selling a house, including solicitors' fees for buying and selling a house, interim interest, bridge costs, and carry costs. Fee schedules aren't desirable, but they save you from some not-so-pretty surprises.
The checklist I suggest when buying and selling a home at the same time
Know your current home's status: likely timing, likely price
Understand your buying power with and without your sale
Build a plan A, B, C (including transitional options)
Secure a team that knows how to buy and selling a house at the same time structures
List before you commit to the next home
Evaluate solicitors fees for buying and selling a house and other intermediary costs upfront
Handle financing upfront: bridge, equity, or interim solutions
Acknowledge the emotional side (and prepare for it)
I promise: if you follow this game plan, your dual move can go from chaotic nightmare to something truly manageable. Not painless, but doable, graceful, strategic.
