Buying and selling a house at the same time

Selling and buying a home is an exciting journey. It marks a new chapter in your life, whether you’re upsizing to accommodate a bigger family, relocating for a new job, or need something a little different to suit your situation, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Although all the moving pieces of selling and buying a home can seem like a puzzle, with the right approach you’ll easily tackle each step one by one.

We’ve put together this guide to help you navigate how to sell and buy a house at the same time.

We get it – selling one home whilst buying another can feel incredibly stressful. So much happens in such a short timeframe that it’s easy to worry something could go wrong. But try not to spiral into “what ifs”. With the right preparations, you can make this journey smooth sailing.

Here are the key sections we’ll take you through to set you up for success:

A. Preparing to sell: Getting your home market ready

B. Listing the property and accepting an offer: Time to get your home on the market

C. House hunting and getting an offer accepted: Finding your next home

D. Finalising the sale and purchase: The finish line is in sight

Let’s get into it.

Let’s start by getting your home ready for its debut on the market. We know how tempting it can be to rush into listing your property. But taking a bit of time upfront to make some thoughtful preparations can actually help save you major headaches later.

There’s no doubt that you’ll want to sell your house for the highest amount possible. Since you’ve probably lived there for a while, an outside perspective can be helpful.

Ask trusted friends or family to point out anything that might deter buyers.

You should also get your current home professionally valued. You’ll need to know what it’s worth to guide the rest of your journey.

Checking Zoopla can give you a ballpark figure based on similar properties in your area. But nothing beats having an agent come see your place in person for an accurate valuation.

We recommend having at least 3 different agents come to take a look. Some may overvalue to win your business. But 3 options should give you a solid sense of the true range of your property's potential value.

Now that you have a solid sense of what your property is worth, the next step is crunching the numbers for your big move.

You’ll want to figure out your maximum budget for a new place. If you currently have a mortgage, calculate your remaining equity in this home.

Check out our full mortgage guide for more.

Don’t forget you’ll need to pay estate agent fees (typically between 1% and 3% of the property value), legal fees, removals, etc. For a full cost breakdown check out our guide for the cost of buying a house and moving.

A lot is happening when selling a home, so getting some key documents in order early can give you a leg up. Having these ready to go will save time down the road:

• Planning or building regulations documents – for any work done to the property
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) – required efficiency and emissions information for property listing on the market (your estate agent will usually arrange this for you).
• ID documents – photo ID and proof of address to verify identity.
• Mortgage papers – redemption statement to understand how much you need to repay and early repayment fees.
• Boiler and gas safety certificates.
• Leasehold documents, if applicable.

You may need more or fewer documents depending on your unique situation. But pulling these together in advance takes one task off your plate later.

Regulations in the UK now mean that all property listings need to include detailed upfront information in the forms of parts A, B, and C. The regulations will bring much-needed consistency across the industry, and benefit everyone involved in property transactions. Check out the full guide to parts A, B and C here.

Sprucing up your home to attract eager buyers may sound tedious, but with some thoughtful decluttering, repairs, staging, and kerb appeal boosts, we can really make your beautiful abode shine. Let's break down a few key steps to get your place ready to impress:

• Declutter and clean – Clear out any excess items in each room to make spaces feel more open.
• Make minor repairs – fix leaky faucets, holes in walls, squeaky doors, broken fixtures, and anything else. Buyers will notice minor issues.
• Paint if needed – Refresh any worn rooms in neutral colours to make them look spacious.
• Boost your kerb appeal – First impressions make a big impression. Spruce up the exterior of your home to welcome buyers.
• Stage key rooms – Make hot spots like the kitchen, living room and master bedroom shine by decluttering and updating.

Prepping your home can feel daunting, but making even small improvements can go a long way in attracting buyers to your home.