Arizona buyer question
Should I sell my house first or buy first?
Selling first, buying first, or tying the two together each has trade-offs. Here's how they compare in Arizona, with the lender and tax rules that shape the choice.
Two ways to start
- Search homes by payment
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- Get pre-qualified (Apply now) (opens in a new tab)
Get pre-qualified with Pam Messina at Rebel Rate Mortgage. Once you're pre-qualified, Pam can update the maximum monthly payment and total funds to close in your home search, so the homes you see match what you qualify for. If you'd like, she can also give you a free, no-obligation introduction to a real estate professional so you can start touring homes.
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The short answer
Quick answer: Selling first means one payment at a time and known sale proceeds, but you may need somewhere to stay. Buying first lets you move once, but you may carry two payments, and a lender may count both unless your current home is under contract with financing contingencies cleared. A home sale contingency ties the two together.
Source: Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-6-06 (09/02/2026); Arizona REALTORS®, Buyer Contingency Addendum (retrieved November 3, 2026). Last updated .
The four common paths
| Path | Upside | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Sell first | You know your sale proceeds before you shop. One housing payment at a time. | You may need short-term housing or storage between homes, and you shop on a deadline. |
| Buy first | You move once, on your own schedule. | You may carry two payments for a while, and the lender may count both when you qualify. |
| Buy with a home sale contingency | Your purchase depends on your current home selling, which protects you if it doesn't. | Sellers may see it as a weaker offer, and the addendum gives them ways to move on. |
| Close both on the same day or close together | Sale proceeds can go straight toward the new purchase. | Two closings depend on each other, so a delay on one can delay the other. |
Summary of general trade-offs. Your agent and loan officer can tell you how they play out in your market and file.
How do lenders treat two house payments?
If your current home is pending sale but won't close before the new purchase, Fannie Mae's guide has the lender count both the current and the new monthly housing payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance and HOA dues) when you qualify. The lender doesn't have to count the current payment if you provide the executed sales contract for your current home and confirmation that any financing contingencies on that sale have been cleared.
That rule is why timing matters so much. If you can't comfortably qualify with both payments, selling first or getting your home under contract with the buyer's financing contingencies cleared may be the practical route. Other loan programs have their own rules.
What if my purchase depends on my sale?
Arizona REALTORS® publishes a Buyer Contingency Addendum for this. It can make your purchase contingent on closing a sale that's already under contract, or on accepting an offer on your home by a set date. The seller usually keeps some ways to move on, such as accepting a backup offer. See how a home sale contingency works in Arizona.
Create your free account to see all homes for sale that fit the monthly payment you're comfortable with, each with its actual property taxes, HOA dues, estimated homeowners insurance, and mortgage insurance when it applies, plus its own estimated closing costs and APR disclosure.
Opens a third-party home search site. Payments shown there are estimates to help you search, not a loan offer or rate quote. Your actual payment depends on price, down payment, credit, taxes, insurance, HOA, and loan program.
Can I use my equity before I sell?
Some owners borrow against current equity, for example with a home equity line of credit, to cover a down payment before the sale closes. That adds a payment and has its own qualifying rules, so compare it with the other paths. A licensed loan officer can walk through the options for your situation.
Taxes when you sell
The IRS lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain on the sale of your main home, or up to $500,000 for a joint return, if you meet the ownership and use tests: generally owning the home and living in it as your main home for at least two of the five years before the sale. Gain above that may be taxable. See IRS Publication 523 and ask a tax professional before you decide on timing.
Questions to answer before you pick
- How much do you expect to net from the sale, after selling costs? See what it costs to sell.
- Could you carry both payments for a few months if you had to?
- Do you have a place to stay if your home sells first?
- What monthly budget do you want for the next home, including taxes, insurance and HOA dues?
A free account shows every home for sale that fits the monthly payment you're comfortable with, each with its real property taxes, HOA dues, estimated homeowners insurance, and mortgage insurance when it applies, plus its own closing cost estimate and APR disclosure.
Searching is free, and we never sell your information or pass it to other lenders or marketers. Only Rebel Rate Mortgage, Inc. contacts you, and only about your own search.
Related: move-up buyers · home sale contingencies · Arizona closing timeline · earnest money · more questions.
General information, not legal, tax or lending advice, and not a promise that you'll qualify. Your purchase contract and the loan program's rules control.
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Ready to see what fits your monthly budget?
Search Arizona homes with each home's property taxes, HOA dues, and insurance built into the estimated payment. We never sell your information or pass it to other lenders or marketers. Only Rebel Rate Mortgage, Inc. contacts you.
Create your free account to see all homes for sale that fit the monthly payment you're comfortable with, each with its actual property taxes, HOA dues, estimated homeowners insurance, and mortgage insurance when it applies, plus its own estimated closing costs and APR disclosure.
Opens a third-party home search site. Payments shown there are estimates to help you search, not a loan offer or rate quote. Your actual payment depends on price, down payment, credit, taxes, insurance, HOA, and loan program.
Prefer to talk it through? Pam Messina, NMLS #245626
Call office 602-740-9664Call Pam 602-460-4879Text PamEmail Pam
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Sources
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-6-06 Qualifying Impact of Other Real Estate Owned (09/02/2026): current principal residence pending sale (retrieved November 3, 2026)
- Arizona REALTORS®, Buyer Contingency Addendum (updated July 2023, sample form) (retrieved November 3, 2026)
- Arizona REALTORS®, Description of Arizona REALTORS® Forms (lists the Buyer Contingency Addendum, Rev. 07/23) (retrieved November 3, 2026)
- Internal Revenue Service, Topic no. 701, Sale of your home (retrieved November 3, 2026)
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 523, Selling Your Home (retrieved November 3, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to sell or buy first in Arizona?
It depends on whether you can carry two payments, how much you need your sale proceeds for the next purchase, and whether you have somewhere to stay between homes. Many owners decide after talking with an agent and a loan officer.
Will a lender count both mortgages if I buy before I sell?
Under Fannie Mae's guide, yes, unless you provide the executed sales contract for your current home and confirmation that its financing contingencies have cleared. Other programs have their own rules.
What is a home sale contingency?
A contract term that makes your purchase depend on selling your current home. Arizona REALTORS® publishes a Buyer Contingency Addendum for it.
Do I pay tax when I sell my home?
Not necessarily. The IRS lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 on a joint return, if you meet the ownership and use tests. A tax professional can confirm your situation.
Can I close my sale and purchase on the same day?
Often, yes. It needs both escrows coordinated, and a delay on one closing can delay the other.