The 2026 Arizona Buy-Before-You-Sell Guide
Buying before you sell in Arizona, explained: unlock your equity, skip the sale contingency, and move on your timeline. Read it here or get it emailed.
What does "buy before you sell" actually mean?
Buying before you sell means you close on your next Arizona home while you still own your current one, instead of selling first and scrambling for a rental. The trick is unlocking the equity in your current home without waiting for it to close. A few financing tools make that possible, and the right one depends on your equity, your income, and how fast you need to move.
Your options, compared
| Option | How it works | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge loan | Short-term loan against your current home's equity to fund the new down payment | Strong equity, need to move fast |
| HELOC | Line of credit on the current home, drawn for the down payment | Set up before listing; good credit |
| Contingent offer | Offer to buy contingent on your home selling | Buyer's market; seller will wait |
| Buy-before-you-sell program | A lender or program fronts the equity so you buy first, sell after | You want a non-contingent, competitive offer |
How much equity can you actually use?
As a rough rule, you can tap up to about 80% of your home's value, minus what you still owe. On a $600,000 home with a $250,000 balance, that's roughly $230,000 of usable equity toward the next purchase. The exact number depends on the loan type and your income, but that estimate tells you whether buying first is realistic before you list.
What is CCBS in Arizona?
CCBS stands for a Contingency for the Sale of Buyer's Property — the standard Arizona Association of Realtors addendum that makes your purchase contingent on selling your current home. It protects you if your home doesn't sell, but it makes your offer weaker in a competitive market. A buy-before-you-sell setup lets you drop the contingency and compete like a cash-strong buyer.
The order of operations
- Get the numbers first. We size your usable equity and what you can carry on two homes briefly.
- Line up the bridge/HELOC. Set it up before you make offers so you can move fast.
- Buy the next home with a strong, non-contingent offer.
- List and sell your current home, then pay off the bridge from the proceeds.
Figures reflect current 2026 program guidelines; caps and terms change — confirm current numbers with a specialist. This is not a commitment to lend.