Gabe and Brittany needed a bigger home, and they did not want to rush finding it. They had just blended two families, and this was meant to be their forever home. Using a Flyhomes bridge loan, they bought a home in Queen Creek with an offer that did not depend on selling anything first. They negotiated a $15,000 credit on top of that. Then they sold their old homes from the comfort of the new one.
Why didn't Gabe and Brittany sell first?
Their biggest fear was being rushed. Gabe owned a house in Chandler, and Brittany owned a condo in Gilbert. They needed that money to buy. If they sold first, even with a 45-day close, they would have had maybe a two-week window to find a home and win an offer on it. That did not sit right with them. You do not pick a forever home in two weeks because a calendar told you to.
What were their options for buying before selling?
Selling first was off the table. The other way to avoid the rush was to move twice: sell, move into a rental, then move again into the forever home. That is a pain, and it costs money. You pay movers twice and rent in between.
A Flyhomes bridge loan has a cost too, and I told them so plainly. We weighed that fee against moving twice and the rent they would have paid anyway. They chose the bridge. It let them shop at their own pace and buy first.
How did they win the Queen Creek home?
The bridge made their offer non-contingent, so the sellers did not have to wait on another sale. That gave us leverage. But the bigger factor was plain negotiation. Gabe and Brittany were ready, willing, and able buyers. The home had been on the market a good while, and the sellers wanted it done. As I put it at the time, we had the fish on the line. We just needed to reel it in.
We negotiated a $15,000 credit for Gabe and Brittany, and the AC work was paid at closing. Right place, right time, and the right kind of offer.
What happened with the homes they sold?
The Queen Creek home closed in November. Selling the Chandler home was its own story. It went under contract three times before it closed in March. Because Gabe and Brittany were already moved in, two cancelled escrows cost them patience, not a place to live. You can read that side in Buyer Cancelled Twice: How a Chandler Seller Closed on the Third Escrow.
Should you buy before you sell?
If you need the money from your current home to buy the next one, you have three paths. Sell first and race the clock. Sell first and move twice. Or buy first with a bridge loan and pay a fee for the freedom. None of them is free. The right one depends on how much the rush would cost you. For a forever home, Gabe and Brittany decided the rush cost too much.
If you are weighing the same choice, start with my page on selling before buying, then see how I work with buyers.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bridge loan when buying a home?
A bridge loan lets you use the value in your current home to buy the next one before the first one sells. That means your offer does not depend on a sale. It comes with a fee, so compare it to the cost of moving twice.
Is a non-contingent offer stronger?
Usually, yes. Sellers do not have to wait on your sale. In Gabe and Brittany's case it helped, but negotiation and timing mattered more. The sellers had been on the market a while and wanted it done.
How long would I have to find a home if I sell first?
Often not long. Even with a 45-day close, Gabe and Brittany figured they would have had about two weeks to find a home and win it. If that feels too tight, look at buying first or renting in between.
Ben Graham, REALTOR since 2011, serving Chandler, South Tempe, and South Chandler. More than 500 homes sold, including move-up families who bought first and sold second. Read more closing stories.
