Most families who upgrade ask the same question before they ask anything else.
Do we buy first, or sell first?
There is no universal right answer. There is a right answer for your situation, and it depends on how much risk your finances can carry, how tight the market is in the suburb you want, and how much your family can handle a move in between.
Here is how we think it through with clients.
Buying first
Buying first means you secure the home you want before your current one is sold.
The upside is obvious. You are not rushed into a compromise because your own settlement date is bearing down, and you are negotiating as a buyer who can actually commit.
The risk is just as obvious. For a period you own two properties, and you need to sell the first one within a window you do not fully control. If the market softens while you are selling, you carry that pressure.
Lenders can help with bridging finance, which covers the gap while the first home sells. It is a useful tool, but it has limits on timeframe and it adds cost, so it needs to be set up with your broker before you start making offers, not after.
Buying first suits families with strong equity, a home that will sell well, and a target suburb where the right house does not come up often.
Selling first
Selling first means you know exactly what you have to spend.
That certainty is valuable. There is no guessing on price, no bridging loan and no chance of owning two homes at once.