Buying a new home before selling your current one can feel risky—but it doesn’t have to be. Traditionally, homeowners had to choose between rushing a sale or juggling two mortgages. But with smarter financing options like HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell Program, it’s now possible to move on your own terms.
According to HomeLight’s Q1 2025 Lender Insights & Predictions Report, 71% of loan officers say they’ve seen an increase in buyers taking bold steps—opting for fixer-uppers, exploring creative financing, and accepting higher rates to win homes. This shift reflects a growing willingness to think beyond the standard home sale process.
1. Why More Homeowners Are Buying First
- Many homeowners today prefer to buy before they sell, especially in competitive markets where timing is everything. Sellers rarely accept offers with a sale contingency, which can limit your ability to secure the home you want.
Buy Before You Sell Program helps unlock equity in your current home to fund your next purchase—before it even hits the market. This financing works like a bridge loan, which, according to the Corporate Finance Institute, typically covers upfront costs and provides access to up to 80% of the combined value of both properties.
2. How the Buy Before You Sell Program Works
HomeLight simplifies this process in three clear steps:
- Unlock Your Equity: Your property is evaluated to determine how much equity you can access through HomeLight Home Loans, Inc.—so you can use those funds toward your new home.
- Buy Without Contingencies: You can make a strong, non-contingent offer, which is often more appealing to sellers and gives you a competitive edge.
- Sell With Flexibility: After you move into your new home, your agent lists your vacant property. Without needing to schedule showings while you’re still living there, you can attract stronger offers and potentially maximize your sale price.
This strategy reduces stress and eliminates the need to move twice or settle for a quick sale under pressure.
3. Tips to Make the Transition Smoother
- Understand Your Home’s Value: Accurate pricing starts with a reliable appraisal. Talk to your agent or explore resources on how to get a home appraisal for free.
- Secure Pre-Approval Early: Whether you’re working with HomeLight or another lender, getting pre-approved strengthens your position when house hunting.
- Partner With the Right Agent: Choose someone who has experience coordinating both the sale and purchase process at the same time.
- Stick to the Plan: Even with financing flexibility, avoid emotional decisions and stick to your budget and criteria.
Lender confidence in today’s evolving tools is high. In fact, 78% of lenders surveyed by HomeLight say they’re not concerned about AI disrupting the mortgage process—suggesting that innovations like home value calculators and agent-matching platforms are enhancing, not replacing, professional guidance.
Buying a new home before selling your current one can be complex, but options like HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program offer a practical way to ease the transition. With more flexible financing tools available, homeowners have greater control over timing, equity access, and the overall moving process.
