How to Buy a New Construction Home in DFW When You Still Have a House to Sell

The short answer

You have three ways to do it: sell first, buy first, or line the two up so they close within days of each other. With new construction you have an advantage resale buyers don't. A home that's still being built gives you time, often months, to prepare your current house, list it and sell it on a schedule you control.

The hardest part of moving up usually isn't finding the next house. It's that the house you're in is part of how you pay for it. Here's how I walk homeowners through it.

Path 1: Sell first

Selling first gives you certainty: you know your proceeds before you commit to a purchase. The trade-off is where you live in between. Some sellers negotiate to stay in their home for a short time after closing under a temporary lease (Texas has a standard form for this). Others rent short term. If you're buying a home that's still under construction, selling first can also mean moving twice.

Path 2: Buy first

Buying first means you move once, but you need to qualify for the new home without your sale, or make the purchase contingent on it. Two things to know:

• Builders write their own contracts, and many limit or decline sale contingencies, especially on move-in-ready homes. Ask before you get attached to a home or a lot.
• Some buyers qualify while carrying both homes for a short time, or use a bridge loan or a home equity line on their current home. Each has costs and qualifying rules, so talk to a lender before you count on one.

Path 3: Line them up

This is where new construction shines. Once the builder gives you a reliable completion window, you can work backward: prepare the house, list it, go under contract and close your sale on or near the day you close on the new home. It takes coordination between two contracts and two closings, but it's the path that gets most people one move and no gap.

Questions to ask the builder before you sign

• Will you accept a contract contingent on the sale of my current home? On what terms?
• How firm is the completion date, and how much notice will I get if it changes?
• What happens to my earnest money and any upgrade deposits if my house doesn't sell in time?
• Is there an incentive tied to your preferred lender, and what does it look like if I use my own?

Getting your current home ready

This is where design and pricing meet. Not every update pays for itself, and the wrong project can cost time you don't have. Before you spend anything, walk the house with someone who knows what buyers in your price range are comparing it to. The best return usually comes from what buyers notice in the first few minutes, not from a remodel. The goal is a home that sells on your timeline, so the new one isn't waiting on it.

Why one team on both sides matters

When your sale and your purchase are handled together, one calendar drives both: the build schedule, your listing date, your closing dates and your move. Most of the stress in a move-up comes from two timelines that nobody is coordinating. I'd rather coordinate them from the first conversation.

If you're thinking about moving up to new construction anywhere in Dallas–Fort Worth, let's map both timelines before you sign anything. Tell me about your current home and where you want to go next. You can also read more about how I help with new construction, or, if you're comparing builder incentives, Can a Builder Help With My Down Payment in Texas?

See how Move Forward with The Bankston Group works.

— Katie Bankston, Principal, The Bankston Group at The Agency Dallas