A garage. Parking for both cars. A washer and dryer at home instead of trips to the community laundry room. And some yard space.
For one first-time selling couple, those were the reasons it was time to move from their Santa Ana condo into a single-family home. They knew what they wanted next. The harder question was how to sell their condo and buy a house without leaving themselves scrambling for somewhere to live.
Orange County real estate agent Amy Mosley helped them put the pieces together through negotiation, careful timing, and coordination between the two transactions.
Making Room for the Next Move
Selling and buying at the same time creates a real challenge: you need the proceeds from your current home to purchase the next one, but you also need a place to live while everything comes together.
Amy negotiated a free rent-back with the buyer of the couple’s condo. That agreement allowed them to remain in the condo for an agreed period after the sale closed, without paying rent.
It gave them breathing room to find their next home and reduced the pressure of having to line up both closings on the same day. They had a plan for where they would live during the transition.
Timing the Purchase Offer
Once all contingencies were removed on their condo sale, Amy helped the couple submit an offer on their next home.
That timing mattered. Their sale had reached an important milestone before they moved forward with the purchase, giving them more clarity about the transaction they were relying on to fund their move.
When it came time to close on the house, the escrow company handling their condo sale wired the proceeds directly to the purchase escrow. The coordination helped connect the two transactions and keep their move on track.
A House That Checked Every Box
The home they purchased in Anaheim had what they had been missing: a garage, parking for both cars, a washer and dryer in the home, and a really nice yard.
There was also an unexpected bonus.
The couple and the home’s sellers bonded over their shared love of cats. The sellers even left their outdoor catio—a thoughtful touch that made the home feel like a good fit for the couple and their cats.
Their move was about more than getting a larger home. It was about having the everyday conveniences and outdoor space they wanted, along with a little something extra they hadn’t expected.
Planning a Sale and Purchase Together
For this couple, the free rent-back was a key part of the plan. But a rent-back depends on the buyer agreeing to it, and the length, cost, and terms need to be negotiated. It isn’t available in every transaction.
That’s why the conversation about your next purchase should begin before your current home goes on the market. Your timeline, available funds, and housing needs all help shape the approach.
Amy helps Orange County homeowners look at the sale and purchase together: how to prepare and price their current home, when to make an offer, and how to coordinate the transition. For this couple, that meant less uncertainty about where they would live and a move into a house that checked all their boxes.
Thinking about selling your home and buying another? Talk with Amy Mosley about your goals and what it could take to make the timing work.
Amy Mosley | Coldwell Banker Realty
949-315-9326
[email protected]
homesalesorangecounty.com
DRE #01775746
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