How to navigate buying and selling a home at the same time

Schedule the swap to reap the most financial benefits

A family of four standing in the front yard of a home next to a "house for sale / sold" sign
You can buy or sell first, but each option has pros and cons
(Image credit: Mikolette / Getty Images)

If you own your current home and are hoping to purchase a new one, timing the swap can be tricky. Ideally, closing on your new home would dovetail perfectly with the sale of your old home. But things do not always work out so seamlessly, and less-than-ideal timing on either a purchase or a sale can throw a number of wrenches into the situation.

Read on for some tips to get as close to nailing the transition as you can.

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Becca Stanek, The Week US

Becca Stanek has worked as an editor and writer in the personal finance space since 2017. She previously served as a deputy editor and later a managing editor overseeing investing and savings content at LendingTree and as an editor at the financial startup SmartAsset, where she focused on retirement- and financial-adviser-related content. Before that, Becca was a staff writer at The Week, primarily contributing to Speed Reads.