Should I buy a new home before I sell my current one in Sherwood Park? Or vice versa? This is a question that runs through the heads of most homeowners at some point in their lives. And, the question is certainly an important one. Choosing whether you are going to buy or sell first can be stressful. Furthermore, no matter which option you choose, there will always be pros and cons. However, it is important to be able to recognize when to buy first and when to sell first. This often is determined by the current market conditions, your risk tolerance, and other factors personal to you. In this article, we will be answering this question and giving you a general overview of how to go about buying and selling in the same timeframe. Follow along below to learn more!

Pros and Cons of Buying First, and Selling First

• Pros and Cons of Buying First

When you decide to buy first, you get the peace and comfort of knowing that you have a place to live when your home sells. This can make it much less stressful for you if your home sells quickly. However, if you buy first and you aren’t getting much traction on your listing, you run the risk of owning two homes at once. For some, this isn’t a problem. But, for others, owning two homes at a time is not financially feasible. Moreover, buying first often results in sellers being overly eager to get rid of their old homes. This means that you might be more willing to take a lowball offer, just to get the property off of your hands.  

• Pros and Cons of Selling First

On the other hand, when you sell first you don’t have to worry about your home going stale on the market. This means that when you buy your home you won’t need to stress about selling your old one. Or, owning two homes at the same time. However, this also means that if your home sells quickly, you have a limited period of time to find a new home. This can be equally as stressful as owning two homes at once. Especially, if the market has little inventory. 

Why are you Moving?

Taking a step back to reflect on the reasons why you are moving is a great way to narrow in on whether you should buy or sell first. This is because knowing the reasons why you are moving can help you establish a better timeline. 

• Are you building a home?

Building a home is an exciting endeavour. However, building a home often takes at least a year. And, the market can change a lot in that amount of time. This is why keeping your current home while you build can be risky. After all, if the market drops, you may be left in a lurch. Contrastively, if the market improves you could walk away with a substantial profit. 

• Do you want to find your dream home?

Clients who are in search of their dream homes are usually advised to buy first. Although, in most scenarios, buying first is not recommended. The reason that buying first is often prescribed in this situation, is because of the time it takes to find the “perfect” property. If you know that you want a very specific home style, it’s unlikely that you will find what you are looking for overnight.

Like with most things, it is hard to give a general answer that applies to every person’s situation. In fact, it’s nearly impossible! Because of this, we prefer to set up consultations with our clients.  This ensures that we can provide the best possible answer given each individual’s situation. By chatting with a registered REALTOR®, you will be able to get all of the answers you need to make a sound decision about whether you should buy or sell first. 

Contact Us About Homes in Sherwood Park!

For more information about buying or selling a home in Edmonton, contact us today! We’d be happy to help you determine whether or not you should buy or sell first. Set up a meeting with one of our awesome REALTORS® today! We hope this article was helpful and clarified some of your questions. Be sure to contact us with any questions about homes in Sherwood Park and stay tuned to our blog for more real estate-related content.  You can find us on Facebook for more updates! We look forward to working with you!