The main options
- Pay from savings or investments, then repay yourself from the sale. Simplest, if you have the money and your advisor agrees.
- Bridge financing: a short-term loan or home-equity line against your current home. It costs interest and fees, and you carry two homes until yours sells.
- A home-sale contingency: your offer depends on selling your current home. Sellers may accept it in a slower market or with a strong offer; it's harder when homes are selling fast.
- Sell first, stay after closing: negotiate to stay in your home for a few weeks after closing (often with a rent-back), giving you time to buy and move once.
- New construction: a build timeline can give you months to sell.
How to choose
Start with three numbers: what your home will likely sell for, what you'll owe on it, and what you'll need for the next home. With those, we and your lender can show which option costs least for the certainty you want.
