General information only — not legal, tax, financial, or real-estate advice. Verify with a licensed BC professional before acting.
The sell-first approach describes the sequence where a consumer sells their existing home before purchasing (or committing to purchase) their next home. Consumers commonly research this approach when they want price certainty from the sale before making a new-purchase offer, when they do not want to carry two mortgages, or when qualification for the next mortgage depends on discharging the existing one. Trade-offs may include temporary housing between the two homes, storage costs, and market-timing risk if prices rise between the sale and purchase. Whether a sell-first, buy-first or simultaneous approach is right for you is a decision to discuss with your own licensed REALTOR®, mortgage broker and — where relevant — a lawyer or notary.
Consumers often cite: certainty of sale proceeds, no bridge financing, no dual-carrying costs, and no subject-to-sale clauses in the next offer. Trade-offs may include temporary housing and moving twice.
Common approaches include a longer completion date on the sale, a rent-back agreement with the buyer, or interim housing. Any rent-back or extended-possession arrangement is a legal contract — have a lawyer or notary review it.
Verify the specific statutory language, thresholds, deadlines and current guidance directly with the governing authority: