Do you remember the sayings, "Don't put the cart before the horse," or "Which came first - the chicken or the egg?" They have to do with priorities, don't they, like deciding which task to accomplish first?

Those same sayings can apply to buying and selling homes. If you presently own a home, and plan to buy another, which do you do first - sell your existing home or buy the new home?

If you sell before you buy, you might worry that you could be left "out in the cold" with no place to live. But if you buy before you sell, you may end up owning two homes at once. It has all the makings of a dilemma, doesn't it?

Try this solution. First, measure you personal commitment to purchasing another home. If you are firmly determined to change your residence, then ask yourself this question: Am I financially able to purchase a second home while still owning the first one? If your answer is "No!", consider selling your present home first.

Selling your existing home first will reveal the solution to the dilemma. First, you will have no double financial pressure. Second, once your home is sold, you will know exactly how much money you have to spend on another home, and when you will need to move. In the current market there is generally a good supply of homes available in any city or town, so you can choose your new home with ease.

To get started, call your professional Realtor® for a free market analysis of your home's value. You'll soon be on your way to that new home of your dreams.

Regards,

Jay Burnham, VP
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage