HELOC vs. Bridge Loan: Which Should You Use to Buy Before Selling?

HELOC vs. Bridge Loan: Which Should You Use to Buy Before Selling?

Both a HELOC and a bridge loan let you tap your current home's equity to buy your next one before selling — but they're structured quite differently, and choosing the wrong one for your situation can cost you more than necessary or leave you without financing when you actually need it. Short answer: A HELOC is a revolving line of credit against your home's equity, generally cheaper and more f ...

How to Time Your Sale and Purchase in a Slow Market

How to Time Your Sale and Purchase in a Slow Market

Coordinating a sale and a purchase is hard enough when homes are moving quickly. In a slower market — with more inventory, longer days on market, and buyers who feel less urgency — the timing math cha ...

Should You Rent Your Old Home Instead of Selling Before You Buy?

Should You Rent Your Old Home Instead of Selling Before You Buy?

Keeping your current home as a rental instead of selling it can solve your buy-before-you-sell timing problem in a completely different way than a bridge loan or rent-back agreement — but it turns you ...

Rent-Back Agreements: How to Stay in Your Home After Closing

Rent-Back Agreements: How to Stay in Your Home After Closing

Selling your home doesn't always mean you're ready to move out the same day escrow closes. A rent-back agreement solves exactly this problem — letting you access your sale proceeds while buying yourse ...

How Much Equity Do You Need to Buy Before You Sell?

How Much Equity Do You Need to Buy Before You Sell?

Before you get attached to the idea of buying your next home before your current one sells, there's a math problem worth solving first: do you actually have enough equity to make it work? The answer d ...