The title describes a sequence with a practical logic. Reversing that sequence can produce unexpected results.
You may want to buy a new home and sell your existing one while avoiding unnecessary stress from the transaction, market uncertainty and the move itself.
The first decision is whether to sell before buying or buy before selling.
My usual advice to clients is to sell before buying . In my experience, planning the sale and subsequent purchase together reduces the risk of difficult situations. What can happen if you reverse that sequence -?
? I could list several risks, but one example explains my concern.
You own a home and start looking for another for your family. You browse portals, call agents and owners and arrange viewings. Searching randomly has its own drawbacks, but that is another subject. Eventually you find the ideal house: the right features, location and price. Back home, reality intervenes. You still have to sell, do not know the achievable market value and may have overestimated it. Enthusiasm wins and you decide to proceed. First you try selling privately to save the agency fee; two months pass. You then appoint several agencies at your hoped-for price; another two months pass. When you call about the house you loved, the owner tells you it was sold the previous month.
Disappointment may make you give up the dream, or begin searching again while still hoping to sell at a price you believe your home deserves.
Before reaching that situation, pause. Discuss the steps with someone who can guide you, and build a realistic sequence once you are ready to move.
The approach I suggest consists of connected stages:
- 1. Be ready for change. That commitment is the starting point for the whole process.
2. Choose someone who explains each stage in advance and supports you through the transaction, drawing on daily professional experience to address difficulties.
3. Have your chosen adviser assess your home. A realistic valuation supports an achievable sale timetable and gives you a basis for the next purchase.
4. With an estimated budget established, decide on the type of home, size and location you want.
5. Put your home on the market and let your appointed professional manage the sale, providing support where needed.
6. Once you have a written offer and sufficient certainty that the sale can complete, start the next search with your adviser. They already understand your requirements and can coordinate the sale timetable.
7. When you find the next home, your adviser can work towards coordinating both completions, reducing the need for two moves, temporary rentals and unnecessary practical or administrative complications.
I believe this sequence can make the move a more positive experience. In the original article, I reported 100% satisfaction among my own clients assisted with this sale-and-purchase approach; this is a historical account, not a guarantee of future results.
In a later article, I planned to share Filippo's story: selling both his main home and second home before buying another. At the time of writing, we were completing that combined transaction after 7 months.
V. Carelli
