posted 2nd October 2026
It can feel like the smart move. Sometimes, it can be the expensive one.
When you find the home you really want, the temptation is obvious.
Buy it before someone else does.
After all, you don’t want to sell your existing home, only to discover that the property you wanted has already gone.
But moving home is not simply about finding the next house.
It is about getting the order of events right.
And after more than 40 years in estate agency, one of the conversations we sometimes have with homeowners is a simple one:
“Would it be better to sell first?”
Not because buying before selling is always wrong. It isn't.
But because committing to your next home before you have properly dealt with your existing one can change the whole dynamic of your move.
Two homes can mean two sets of costs
If you buy before your existing property has sold, you may find yourself carrying two properties for a period of time.
There may be additional mortgage costs, bridging finance, arrangement fees, stamp duty considerations and the ongoing costs of maintaining an empty property.
And if your sale takes longer than expected, those costs don't stop.
What initially looked like a clever solution can become an increasingly expensive one.
Your negotiating position can change
This is perhaps the most important consideration.
Before you buy, you have choices.
Once you have committed to another property, those choices can become much narrower.
You may suddenly feel that you have to sell rather than simply wanting to sell.
That can influence decisions about price, offers and negotiation.
And when a buyer knows you are under pressure to move, your negotiating position may not be quite as strong as it was before.
A carefully considered sale can become a rushed sale.
And the difference between the two can be worth considerably more than the cost of good estate agency advice.
What is your real budget?
Until your existing property is sold, your available equity is still an estimate.
You may have an idea of what your home is worth.
You may even have received several valuations.
But the market ultimately decides what someone is prepared to pay.
Your real budget becomes much clearer once you have agreed a sale and understand exactly what you will have left after the mortgage, costs and associated expenses.
That certainty can make a considerable difference to the next stage of your journey.
Don't let the perfect house make the decision for you
This is where emotion can take over.
You walk into a house and immediately see yourself living there.
The kitchen works.
The garden is perfect.
The location is exactly what you wanted.
And suddenly the question becomes:
“How do we make this work?”
rather than:
“Does this actually work for us?”
That is an important distinction.
Buying a home is an emotional decision, but it is also one of the largest financial decisions most people will ever make.
The excitement of finding the one should not make you ignore the numbers.
There isn't one right way to move
Of course, every move is different.
Some people have substantial equity and the financial capacity to buy before selling.
Others may be moving from a property that is highly desirable and likely to sell quickly.
There are circumstances where buying first can make perfect sense.
The important thing is to understand what you are committing yourself to before you commit.
That is where experience matters.
The Journey Home isn't just about where you're going
At Shepherd & White, we believe selling your home is about more than putting a property on the market.
It is about understanding why you are moving, what you need to achieve and how the different parts of the move fit together.
Sometimes the best advice isn't:
“Let's get you onto the next house.”
Sometimes it is:
“Let's get your house sold first.”
Because the journey home is not simply about finding the right property.
It is about making the right move.
One Home. One Agent. One point of contact.
With more than 40 years of experience in property, Kevan Shepherd provides straightforward, personal advice on selling your home — from valuation and marketing through to negotiation and completion.
If you're considering moving, talk to us before you make your next move.
Shepherd & White Estate & Letting Agents
Leicester • Coalville • Ashby-de-la-Zouch • Charnwood Forest
The Journey Home.
