How to Sell and Buy a Home at the Same Time

Selling one apartment and immediately buying another is a very real task, but it requires careful preparation and precise coordination of all stages. For everything to go smoothly, you need to manage the process competently, take into account legal and financial aspects, and also calculate the time correctly. It is best to entrust this to a professional, but you can do it yourself if you act according to the plan. Here's how to do it.

How to Sell and Buy a Home at the Same Time

Step 1: Evaluate your finances First, determine how much your current apartment is worth. Get the property you want to sell appraised and put it on the market. If time allows, you can use the deposit you receive from the sale to buy a new home. In this case, it is worth drawing up a preliminary purchase agreement with a long term so that you have time to do everything.

Step 2: Plan the sale and purchase From a legal standpoint, selling and buying real estate at the same time is perfectly legal and quite common. The key is to synchronize both processes to avoid time lags or financial losses. Pay special attention to the order of actions and the status of the mortgage, if you have one.

If you purchased your first home using tax benefits (for example, as a "first home"), it is important to purchase a new home within a year of the sale to maintain these benefits.

Practical steps:

Selling your current property You can either contact a realtor or look for buyers yourself. It is recommended to allow more time for the transaction - for example, about six months before signing the purchase and sale agreement (rogito). This will give you some time to find a new home. Another option is to agree with the buyer on a later transfer of the keys.
Search for new housing In parallel, look for a suitable apartment or house, setting a realistic budget. If a suitable option is found quickly, you can agree on the move-in date to have time for repairs, or conclude a deal with a suspensive condition (for example, the purchase will take place only after the sale of the current home). It is better to formalize such agreements with the help of a professional.
Synchronizing deadlines The most difficult stage is the transfer of keys and the completion of transactions. It is important to precisely coordinate the dates with the notary so that the signing of contracts and the transfer of funds take place without delays. This ensures that you will have enough funds to complete both transactions.

Working with one real estate company

Using one real estate company to sell and buy a home can make the process much easier. A single agent can better coordinate both transactions, minimize the risk of confusion, and offer personalized assistance. Choose a trusted company that can evaluate your property, find a suitable option for purchase, and organize the entire process competently.

What to do if you have a mortgage

If the property you are selling has an existing mortgage, you have several options:

Pay off your mortgage early with the proceeds from the sale. This is the most popular option.
Transfer the mortgage to the buyer (called accollo), if possible.
Apply for a "bridge" loan to cover the transition period between transactions.
Transfer a mortgage to a new home by replacing the collateral (mortgage) from one property to another.

In any case, the participation of a notary and agreement with the bank will be required in order to accurately calculate the remaining debt.

How to sell and buy a home without a realtor

You can sell and buy a home without an agency, but it will require more effort. You will still need a notary to draw up a purchase and sale agreement (rogito), which officially transfers the ownership.

What needs to be done:

Draw up a preliminary agreement (compromise) that binds both parties to the transaction.
Prepare documents: energy certificate (APE), cadastral documents and other papers.
The buyer chooses a notary to formalize the transaction.

How much time do you have to sell your "first home"?

If you have used the benefits for purchasing a "first home", it is important to sell the old apartment and buy a new one within two years (according to the 2024 Budget Law, effective from January 1, 2025). This rule also applies to transactions concluded in 2024.

How to "Reserve" a New Home Without Selling Your Old One

To "reserve" a new apartment before selling the current one, you can:

Make a conditional offer to purchase , where the purchase is contingent on the successful sale of your home. In this case, you make a deposit, which is kept by the realtor until the preliminary agreement is signed.
Specify a term of validity in the offer (for example, 3 months). If the property fails to be sold during this time, the deposit is returned and the transaction is cancelled.
To draw up a compromise is a preliminary agreement that records the intentions of the parties before all formalities are completed.

How much does it cost to sell and buy a home?

Buyer's expenses:

Registration tax : 2% of the cadastral value for "first home", 9% for "second home" (at least 1000 euros).
Mortgage tax : 50 euros.
Cadastral tax : 50 euros.
VAT (if purchasing from a developer): 4% for "first home", 10% for "second home".
Notary services : 1–2% of the property value.
Realtor commission : 2–5% of the sale price (by agreement).

Seller's expenses:

Realtor commission : 2–4% of the sales price + VAT.
Capital Gains Tax : If sale occurs within 5 years of purchase.
Energy performance certificate (APE) : about 200 euros.
Notary fees : if you need to remove the mortgage.

Conclusion

Simultaneous sale and purchase of housing is a complex but doable process. The main thing is to carefully plan all stages, allocate time wisely and, if necessary, enlist the support of professionals. This will help to avoid unnecessary expenses and stress.