Best Buy Before You Sell Companies & Programs in 2025

A Buy Before You Sell program helps homeowners purchase a new home without having to sell their current one first.

Traditionally, buyers needed to sell their existing home to free up cash or qualify for a mortgage. But with these programs, you get access to financing that lets you move forward confidently—without waiting for your current home to sell.

That means you can:

• Make a non-contingent offer (which sellers love).
• Avoid rushed decisions or temporary housing.
• Secure your dream home on your timeline, not the market’s.
• Maximize the sale price of your prior home.

Some programs use short-term bridge loans. Others buy your next home (and then rent it to) and let you buy it back once your old home sells. Each approach is designed to reduce stress and give you an edge in a competitive market.

Not all Buy Before You Sell programs are created equal. To help you choose the right one, we evaluated each company using the following criteria:

• Speed of Approval & Closing
  How fast can you get approved, make an offer, and close the deal?
• Costs & Fees
  We looked at interest rates, service fees, and transparency in pricing.
• Availability & Coverage
  Does the program serve your state or region? Some are national, others are limited.
• Customer Service & Reputation
  We considered online reviews, ratings, and client experiences.
• Features
  Are the features of each offer easy to use or complex/confusing?

These benchmarks helped us fairly compare the top options for 2025.

1. Hurst Lending

Hurst Lending stands out for its features, flexibility, and low cost. Their Buy Before You Sell Program provides you a short term loan designed to help homeowners make strong, non-contingent offers with minimal stress.

• They offer a buy before you sell loan as opposed to a rent to own i-Buyer model
• You own your new home
• Option for No Double Payments (for up to 3 months) for qualified borrowers
• Your old house payment is not counted against you for qualification purposes
• You control the sale price of your current home & are not forced to sell for a discount
• Lower Costs that most other providers
• Exceptional reputation (4.9 stars on Google)

Want to learn more? Check out the Hurst Lending’s top-rated Buy Before You Sell Program →

2. Homeward 

Homeward allows you to make a competitive cash offer on your next home, then rent it back until you sell your existing property. It’s a solid option if you’re in a fast-moving market.

Pros:

• Cash-backed offers
• Transparent fee structure

Cons:

• You must rent your new home until your old home sell
• High upfront costs 
• Requires that you make double payments
• Less control over the price you get for your old home (e.g. you might need to reduce or sell your old home at a discount)

3. Howard Hanna 

A well-known regional brokerage, Howard Hanna offers a buy-before-you-sell solution that’s integrated with their in-house agents.

Pros:

• Trusted brand with decades of experience
• Good fit if you’re already working with one of their agents

Cons:

• Regional coverage only (mostly East Coast and Midwest)
• Less flexible financing compared to others

4. HomeLight 

HomeLight’s program helps you unlock equity to buy your next home first. It’s bundled with access to top real estate agents, which is great if you’re not already working with one.

Pros:

• Fast equity unlock calculator
• Easy process with agent support

Cons:

• Not available in all states
• Less flexibility in choosing your own agent

5. UpEquity

UpEquity provides a flexible loan-based Buy Before You Sell solution that helps homeowners make strong, non-contingent offers. Their model gives you ownership of your new home right away and avoids the need for costly rent-back arrangements.

Pros:

• Buyers own their new home from day one

• Offers short-term bridge loans to unlock equity for down payments

• Option to avoid double payments during the transition

• You control the sale process and price of your old home

Cons:

• Fees and terms may vary by loan product

• Not yet available in all states

6. Knock

Knock’s Home Swap program uses a bridge loan to help you buy before you sell, covering your down payment and up to six months of your current mortgage. However, it leans on a rent-back model and includes more complex conditions for resale.

Pros:

• Bridge loan covers key costs like down payments and home prep

• Includes six months of coverage on your old home mortgage

• Provides a purchase guarantee if your home doesn’t sell

Cons:

• 2.25% service fee based on your home’s estimated value

• You may need to make double payments if your home doesn’t sell in time

• Knock may require price reductions on your old home to push the sale

7. Orchard

Orchard’s Move First program gives you an interest-free advance to buy your new home before selling your current one. They also handle marketing and listing your old home — but control of the process may be limited.

Pros:

• Move into your new home first without waiting for your old home to sell

• Orchard helps prepare and market your old home

• Includes up to 120 days of mortgage coverage

Cons:

• Higher fees than competitors (6% service fee + 2.4% program fee)

• You don’t control how your old home is listed or priced

• Available only in select metro areas

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With more companies offering Buy Before You Sell solutions in 2025, it’s important to understand how they really compare. While most providers follow a rent-to-own model, a few offer true loan-based programs that give you more control and flexibility.

The table below highlights key differences across five popular providers. These aren’t just minor variations — they can significantly impact your cash flow, homeownership status, and final sale price.

Key Comparison Factors:

1. Buy Before You Sell Loan – True loan-based programs allow you to own your new home from day one — not rent it.
2. You Own the New Home – Unlike iBuyer models, you retain full ownership during the process.
3. Option for No Double Payment – Qualified borrowers can avoid paying two mortgages at once.
4. You Control Exit Home Sale Price – Some iBuyer programs force price reductions — loan-based programs let you set the terms.
5. Cost – From service fees to interest rates, pricing varies widely. Transparency is key.

The right Buy Before You Sell program depends on your situation. Each company has its strengths, but your decision should reflect your needs, timeline, and comfort level.

Here’s what to consider:

• Timeline: If you’re in a time crunch, look for a program with fast approvals and quick closings.
• Budget: Consider the total costs as the fees for these offers vary from 1% to over 3%.
• Location: Some providers only serve specific regions.
• Ownership: Do you want to own your new home from day 1 or are you comfortable renting your home until your old home sells.  
• Double Payments: Are you comfortable making double payments or do you want to work with a lender who has the option to allow qualified buyers to defer payments on their new home for up to 3 months?

Pro Tip: Don’t hesitate to speak directly with a lender. A quick consultation can clarify your options and reveal details you won’t find online.

Need expert help deciding? Talk to a Hurst Lending expert today →