Buying and Selling at the Same Time

Property Guides · Planning your move

If your move to, from or within Mangawhai depends on both selling and buying, plan the two transactions together before committing to either. Price is only one part of the decision: finance, conditions, deposits, settlement dates and somewhere to stay all affect what is workable.

Start with your constraints

Write down your preferred move date, any date you cannot change, the amount your lender has confirmed and whether you need sale proceeds to complete your purchase. Ask your lawyer and lender which options are available in your circumstances. An agent can help coordinate the property search and sale campaign; your advisers must check the legal and finance arrangements.

Compare three possible sequences

Sell first, then buy

This can make the sale outcome clearer before you choose the next property. The practical question is where you will live if you have not completed a purchase when your sale settles. Price storage and temporary accommodation and decide how much flexibility you have over location and timing.

Buy first, then sell

Speak to your lender before assuming you can hold both properties or use bridging finance. Ask for a written explanation of eligibility, total costs and what happens if your current home takes longer to sell or sells for less than planned. Settled explains the cost and risk of bridging finance.

Coordinate the two agreements

Ask your lawyer how any conditions and proposed settlement arrangements should be documented. Do not assume matching dates remove all timing risk. Make a backup plan for movers, possessions, pets and overnight accommodation if the sequence changes.

A one-page timeline for both properties

Keep two columns headed “property I am selling” and “property I am buying”. For each, record the following, using adviser-confirmed dates rather than estimates where possible:

• Address and main agent contact.
• Lawyer or conveyancer contact.
• Agreement stage and any decision still outstanding.
• Conditions, deadlines and the person responsible for each action.
• Deposit arrangements and when funds must be available.
• Pre-settlement inspection arrangements.
• Settlement date, insurance arrangements and key collection process.
• Moving, storage and temporary accommodation bookings.

Add a third column for dependencies: for example, a lender’s approval, an inspection report or the completion of another transaction. Keep the document private and send sensitive financial or identity documents only through the channels your advisers specify.

Questions to resolve before signing

1. What happens if my sale is delayed or the expected proceeds change?
2. Which commitments can I make now and which depend on another event?
3. Who checks that the two agreements work together?
4. When must each payment be available, and who confirms receipt?
5. What costs arise if I need storage or accommodation for longer?
6. Who tells the agent that settlement is complete and keys can be released?

Keep decisions in one place

Use a brief decision log with the date, decision, person who confirmed it and next action. If one timetable changes, ask the relevant advisers to review the effect on the other transaction. A casual conversation about flexibility should not be treated as a change to an agreement.

Your printable notes

Print this page to complete these notes by hand, or copy the headings into your preferred notes app. Keep personal details in your own copy.

Tell us what your move depends on

Use the form below to outline your preferred locations and timing and whether you have a property to sell. Please avoid including bank details or identity documents. We can help you plan the sales and search activity around the advice you receive. Continue with our selling guide, buying guide and moving checklist.

By Kaye McElwain, Licensee Agent, Ray White Mangawhai. Reviewed September 2026. General information; obtain advice for your property and circumstances.