Should you sell first or buy first?

Selling first means certainty on price, friction on timing. Buying first means certainty on home, exposure to bridging cost. The right answer depends on your equity stack and the market.

11 min readBy Sarah ChenStage 1 of 5

There is no “right answer.” There’s your equity, the market’s temperature, and your appetite for two settlements at once.

Sell first vs buy first

Sell first

Best whenYou need the equity to fund the upgrade

RiskRenting in between, or contracting an extended settlement

CostTwo moves, possibly storage

Buy first

Best whenYou have buffer equity or savings

RiskBridging interest, market shift on resale

CostBridging fee, extra interest

WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Comparison rates are calculated on a secured loan of $150,000 over 25 years for home loans and a loan of $30,000 over 5 years for car and personal loans, unless the lender states another basis. Business loans and equipment finance for a business purpose have no mandatory comparison rate.