Sell one, buy one, move once.
Two closings and one move, with money that has to land in the right order. Here's how to sequence it, and what each option costs you.
Three ways to do it.
None of them is right for everyone. The answer comes from two numbers: what you'll net from your sale, and whether a lender will let you buy before that money arrives.
You know what you have to spend, and you never carry two homes.
You move once, on your schedule, and sell an empty home that shows well.
Both deals are lined up so the sale closes first and the purchase closes right after, often the same day.
Tools that buy you time.
Each of these solves a different problem: time, money or certainty. We pick one before you make an offer, not after.
Your offer depends on your current home selling. It protects you, but sellers see it as a weaker offer, especially when homes move fast. In June 2026, Linn County single-family homes sold in a median of 4 days, with about one month of inventory. It works best once your home is already under contract.
After your sale closes, you stay in the home for an agreed number of days, written into the sale contract. You get your money and still have a place to live while the next purchase closes.
A short-term loan against your current home's equity that covers the next down payment. It costs more than a regular mortgage, and it's paid off when your home sells.
A line of credit on the home you own now. Most lenders won't open one once the home is listed, so it has to be set up first.
Some buyers qualify with both mortgages for a few months. Your lender decides, so ask before you shop, not after you find the house.
Sell, move into a short-term rental, then buy with cash in hand and no deadline. It costs a second move, and it takes the pressure off everything else.
What sets the timeline here.
A few Iowa rules change how two closings fit together, and what lands on your seller net sheet.
Iowa titles run through an abstract that an attorney reviews before closing, backed by the state's Iowa Title Guaranty program. With two deals, that's two abstracts to update and review, so they get ordered early.
Iowa charges $0.80 for every $500 of the sale price above the first $500. It's usually paid by the seller. On a $265,000 sale, that's $423.20.
Iowa property taxes are paid in arrears. When you sell, you usually credit the buyer for the taxes you owe up to closing day, and that comes out of your net. When you buy, the credit runs the other way.
Your sale proceeds can only fund the purchase once the sale has closed. Same-day closings work when the sale is scheduled first and both lenders and closing offices know the plan.
Sources: Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors via The Gazette (June 2026 figures, published August 2026); Iowa Code 428A.1 and the Iowa Department of Revenue (transfer tax). This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Your lender and closing attorney confirm the details for your deals.
An instant estimate for your address, then a pricing opinion and an estimated net sheet from me.
Get my number → BuyingWhat can I afford?Your estimated monthly payment with taxes and insurance, and the cash you'd need to close.
Run my payment → MarketHow fast are homes selling?Recent sales, prices and days on market for your area.
See the market →One plan for both moves.
Your likely net from the sale and your budget for the next home, side by side.
Whether you can buy before you sell, and which bridge fits if you can't.
Your home is prepped and priced while we watch for the next one, with the timing set so neither deal waits on the other.
Sale first, purchase after, with both closing offices working from the same schedule.
What people ask me.
Can both closings happen the same day?
Often, yes. The sale closes first and its proceeds go into the purchase later that day. It takes both lenders and both closing offices working from one schedule, which is my job to set up.
Should I list before I find the next house?
It depends on your money and how fast homes like yours are selling. If yours could sell in days, settle where you'll live in between, whether that's a rent-back or a short-term rental, before it goes on the market.
What if my house doesn't sell in time?
That's what the contingency or the bridge plan is for. We choose one before you make an offer, so a slow sale doesn't leave you stuck.
Do I need two agents?
No. One agent running both sides of your move keeps the timing in one place. I handle the sale and the purchase.
Start with both numbers.
The first call is free, by phone or over coffee somewhere in the Cedar Rapids area. You'll leave with your likely net, your budget and the order to do it in.