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Buy Before You Sell In Colorado

Move-up buyers · buy first, sell second

Buy Before You Sell in Colorado

Use the equity in your current home to buy the next one first, with no home-sale contingency. Then sell the old house empty and staged.

Call or text 303-955-4220See if you qualify

Buy before you sell in Colorado: move once, with no home-sale contingency

If you want to buy before you sell in Colorado, the cleanest path today is to turn the equity in your current home into the down payment on the next one, make an offer with no home-sale contingency, move in, and then sell the old house empty and staged. The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC helps move-up buyers in Denver, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton, Parker and Castle Rock run that plan from the first call. This page explains HomeLight Buy Before You Sell, a third-party equity program, and compares it with a bridge loan, a home equity line and a rent-back, so you can pick the one that fits.

Call or text 303-955-4220. A live person answers.

Short answer

Can I buy a new home before I sell mine?

Yes. A buy-before-you-sell program such as HomeLight Buy Before You Sell can advance part of your equity (up to 90% of combined loan-to-value, up to $2 million, with 0% interest on that advance) so you can offer without a sale contingency. You need about 30% equity, a 620+ credit score and a conventional loan. A program fee is paid when your old home sells.

How buy before you sell works, step by step

Step 1

1. Check your equity

We price your current home and HomeLight confirms how much equity it can unlock. Pre-qualifying is free, with no commitment, usually within 24 hours.

Step 2

2. Offer with no contingency

You write a clean offer on the new home, like a buyer with nothing to sell. Your lender uses the unlocked equity as the down payment.

Step 3

3. Close and move in

Move once, straight into the new home. No rental in between and no showings while your family still lives in the old house.

Step 4

4. Sell the empty home

We list your old home vacant and staged. HomeLight holds a backup offer on it; when it sells, the advance and fee are repaid and the rest of the equity is yours.

Watch: how Buy Before You Sell works

Buy Before You Sell, powered by HomeLight. A short overview of the equity unlock, the non-contingent offer and the backup offer on your current home. Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube.

Want the program details from the source? Learn more on HomeLight's site, then call us to see how it fits your move.

Who usually qualifies to buy before you sell

  • You are buying a new home and selling your current one in the same move.
  • You have more than about 30% equity in your current home.
  • Your credit score is 620 or higher.
  • You are using a conventional loan on the new home (not FHA or VA).
  • You are under contract, or ready to write an offer, on the new home.
  • Colorado qualifies; the program is not offered in Alaska, Massachusetts or New York, and some ZIP codes are excluded. Final approval is HomeLight's and your lender's.

Five ways to buy before you sell, compared

OptionHow it worksRough costWatch out for
HomeLight Buy Before You SellEquity advance at 0% interest plus a backup offer on your current home; you offer with no sale contingencyA program fee paid at the sale of your old home (HomeLight's own example uses 2.4%), plus small inspection and recording feesFee size; the backup offer is a floor, not market price; conventional loans only
Bridge loanA short loan against your current home's equity, repaid when it sellsAbout 9% to 11% interest-only plus 1 to 3 pointsTwo housing payments; extension fees if the sale drags
Home equity line before you listOpen a HELOC while you still live there and use it for the down paymentVariable rate, often fewer fees than a bridge loanMust be opened before the home is listed; you carry the payment
Sell first with a rent-backSell, then rent the old home back from the buyer for a few weeksRent to the buyer, often at their cost of ownershipTight timing; the buyer must agree
Contingent offerOffer on the new home subject to selling yoursNo extra financing costWeakest offer; sellers with other offers usually pass

Most move-up buyers we talk with end up choosing between the first two. We run both numbers for your house in writing. More detail: NAF Cash offer in Colorado, bridge loan alternatives and buying before selling with a bridge loan or HELOC.

Why buying first matters in today's Denver metro market

As of Nov 6, 2026 there are 3,915 homes active or coming soon between $600,000 and $1.2 million in Denver, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Adams and Broomfield counties, at an average list price of $795,484 and an average of 76 days on the market. That is plenty to choose from, but the best-priced homes in each neighborhood still draw more than one offer, and a seller comparing offers almost always takes the one without a home-sale contingency.

If you are searching for a way to buy before you sell near me in Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton or Parker, the move is the same: know your equity first, get your lender's pre-approval, then shop like a buyer with nothing to sell.

Move-up homes $600K to $1.2M, active and coming soon

3916 Properties Found
Sort By:

Move-up homes $600K to $1.2M, active and coming soon Market Stats

3916
Homes Listed
76
Avg. Days on Site
$321
Avg. $ / Sq.Ft.
$795,302
Med. List Price

What to watch out for when you buy before you sell

  • Ask for the program fee in writing before you enroll, and compare it with a bridge loan or HELOC on the same numbers.
  • The backup offer protects you if the old home does not sell, but it is below what an open-market sale usually brings. Price the listing to sell on the market.
  • Budget for two homes for a month or two: utilities, insurance, HOA dues and the old mortgage until it sells.
  • Appraisal gaps still happen. Keep cash in reserve if the new home appraises under contract price.
  • Do not stop making payments on the old home, and do not open new credit while your loan is in process.
  • Terms, fees and eligibility are set by HomeLight and your lender and can change; nothing is final until you are approved.

Why move-up buyers call The Kenna Group

REALTOR® Brian Lee Burke and the team at The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC price your current home first, map your buy-first options side by side, and then do both halves of the move: we find and negotiate the new home, and we list the old one vacant, cleaned and staged so it sells for the most it can. Brian has been licensed in Colorado since 2003 and spent 25 years in home design and construction, which is why our Smart Pricing Report is the first thing you get. Need a lender for a conventional loan? Use your own, or talk with Mike Oswald at Rate.

Buy before you sell questions

How do I buy a house before selling mine near me in Denver?

Start with your equity: get a price on your current home, then check whether a buy-before-you-sell program, a bridge loan or a home equity line fits. With the equity in hand you can write an offer with no home-sale contingency. Call The Kenna Group at 303-955-4220 and we will run your numbers.

What is HomeLight Buy Before You Sell?

A program from HomeLight that advances part of your home equity, up to 90% of combined loan-to-value and up to $2 million, at 0% interest, so you can make a non-contingent offer. HomeLight also places a backup offer on your current home. The advance and a program fee are repaid when the old home sells.

How much does buy before you sell cost?

HomeLight charges a program fee, disclosed up front and paid from the sale of your current home; their own example uses 2.4% of the sale price, plus small inspection and recording fees. Ask us for the current figure on your home before you decide.

Do I qualify for HomeLight Buy Before You Sell?

Most approvals have more than 30% equity in the current home, a 620+ credit score and a conventional loan on the new home. Colorado is eligible; some ZIP codes are excluded. Pre-qualifying is free and usually takes 24 hours or less.

Is buy before you sell better than a bridge loan?

It depends on your numbers. A bridge loan charges interest and points while it is open; the HomeLight program charges a fee at the sale but no interest on the equity advance. We put both on one page for your house.

What happens if my old home does not sell?

HomeLight's backup offer on your current home stands, so you are not stuck carrying it indefinitely. The backup price is below a typical market sale, so we price and stage the home to sell on the open market first.

Can I use my own lender and my own agent?

Yes. You can use your own conventional lender, and you keep working with your Kenna Group agent on both the purchase and the sale.

Can I buy before I sell with an FHA or VA loan?

Not with this program; it requires a conventional loan. FHA and VA buyers can still look at a home equity line, a rent-back or a contingent offer. Call us and we will walk through them.

See if you can buy before you sell

Send your address. We price your home, estimate your equity and show you every buy-first option in writing. A live person answers.

Call 303-955-4220Text The Kenna Group

See if you qualify to buy before you sell

Tell us the city your current home is in, a rough idea of what you owe, and where you want to move. Call or text 303-955-4220. A live person answers.

The Kenna Group is a real estate group with Keller Williams Realty DTC, LLC (Keller Williams DTC), 6300 S Syracuse Way, Suite 150, Centennial, CO 80111, formerly known as Kenna Real Estate Group, serving Denver metro home buyers and sellers.

Disclosure: The Kenna Group are real estate agents, not lenders, and this is not a loan commitment or an offer to lend. HomeLight Buy Before You Sell is a third-party program offered by HomeLight; its terms, fees, equity limits and eligibility are set by HomeLight, are subject to approval and change, and are not available in every ZIP code. Figures on this page come from HomeLight's published program materials and MLS data as of Nov 6, 2026. Mike Oswald is a loan officer with Rate, a separate company. Buy before you sell help for move-up buyers in Denver, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Littleton, Parker, Lone Tree, Castle Rock and Aurora. Equal Housing Opportunity.

See if I can buy before I sell

By proceeding, you consent to receive calls, texts and voicemails at the number you provided (may be recorded and may be autodialed and use prerecorded and artificial voices), and email, from The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC about your inquiry and other home-related matters. Msg/data rates may apply. This consent applies even if you are on a do not call list and is not a condition of any purchase.

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