Should you buy before your house sells?

It depends on your equity, your cash, and how comfortable you are carrying two payments. Most people sell their home and synchronize the closing on the new home with the closing on the old one. That can be stressful, so I often suggest a short lease-back, where you stay in the home you sold for a couple of weeks after closing. It gives you time to receive your sale proceeds and, for VA buyers, to get your VA eligibility restored for the new home. Other options include an offer that depends on your sale, or bridge financing, and each has trade-offs that your lender and tax professional should review. I'll lay out the numbers for each path so you decide with the facts.