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Move-Up Sellers

One Move · Two Transactions · Miami

Choose the sequence before you choose the house.


Your current home, your next home, and the cash between them belong on one plan. Start with three facts: whether you need the sale proceeds to buy, whether you can carry both homes for a while, and where you would stay if the closing dates separate.

Boutique brokerage since 2007 Bilingual English · Spanish CIPS designation Miami-Dade & Broward
The Sequence Comparison

Sell first, buy first, or coordinate both?


The comparison below is a discussion tool. Your lender confirms financing and fund availability, and your title company or attorney advises on contract and occupancy terms.

RouteWhat it helps withWhat needs a backup plan
Sell first You plan the purchase around a completed sale and confirmed proceeds, and you shop as a strong, often cash-heavy buyer in a competitive Miami price range. Where will you live if the next home is not ready? A furnished short-term rental or a post-closing occupancy agreement can bridge the gap. Price that gap before you commit to it.
Buy first You know where you are going and can move out before showings begin, which makes the current home far easier to present and photograph. Can your lender approve the purchase before the sale closes? Can you carry two mortgages, two insurance policies, two tax bills, and two sets of dues if the sale takes longer than expected?
Coordinate both The two contracts are planned around one connected move, often with aligned closing dates or a sale contingency written into the purchase. What happens if the buyer’s financing, the appraisal, or an insurance binder slips? Which deadline on one contract depends on the other?

Take these five questions to your lender.

  • Do I need the sale proceeds for the down payment or closing costs on the next home?
  • Which obligations count against me if my current home has not sold yet?
  • When must the funds be available, and how do they need to be documented?
  • What would an overlap month cost, including taxes, windstorm and flood insurance, association dues, utilities, and maintenance?
  • If we discuss a bridge loan, a home equity line, or a later recast, what are the eligibility rules, fees, and timing?
Financial Readiness

Know the numbers before the listings start looking irresistible.


An estimated sale price is useful, but it is not the same as estimated net proceeds. Your plan should account for the mortgage payoff, selling expenses, preparation, moving costs, purchase deposits, closing expenses, and the reserves you want to keep after the move.

Numbers to clarify

  • Likely market range for the current home, based on recent closed sales in your neighborhood
  • Mortgage and lien payoff amounts
  • Estimated net proceeds after commission, title charges, and the documentary stamp taxes customarily paid by the seller in Miami-Dade
  • Target purchase range and down payment
  • Cash reserves, moving expenses, and any furniture or storage costs
  • Carrying costs if ownership overlaps, including insurance on both homes

Use our net proceeds estimator →

Questions for your lender

  • Can I qualify for the purchase before my current home sells?
  • How are expected sale proceeds treated in the approval?
  • What deposit funds will I need, and when?
  • Are bridge, equity, or recast options available to me?
  • How would a sale contingency affect the financing?
  • What could change my approval between contract and closing?

A Florida detail worth asking about: if your current home is your homestead, Florida’s portability rules may let you transfer part of your Save Our Homes assessment benefit to the next homestead. Confirm the amount and the deadline with the county property appraiser before you set a budget for the next home.

The Current Home

Prepare to sell without turning the house into a second career.


The objective is not perfection. It is thoughtful presentation, accurate positioning, and a launch plan that supports the purchase timeline.

Decide what is worth doing

In South Florida, buyers and their insurers care about the roof, the air conditioning, and the windows before they care about paint colors. A current four-point inspection and wind mitigation report can answer questions early. Expensive projects are not automatically valuable projects, especially when they delay the listing or consume funds you need for the purchase.

Present it to a global audience

Professional photography and video shape the first showing, which now happens online, often from another country. We market every listing to Miami buyers and to the Latin American buyers active in our network, so your home is seen by the people most likely to buy it.

How we market your home →

Evaluate offers as complete packages

The highest number is not always the strongest offer. Financing, deposit size, appraisal and inspection terms, the buyer’s insurance timeline, proposed dates, and occupancy needs all matter. When the sale funds or times the purchase, the reliability of the contract deserves careful attention.

The Next Home

Search with enough clarity to avoid a panic purchase.


A connected move creates urgency. The cure is not to ignore the timeline. It is to define the decision before the right property appears.

Before touring

  • Clarify non-negotiable needs and the features you would trade
  • Choose realistic location boundaries, from Pinecrest and Coral Gables to Weston and the beaches
  • Review financing and cash timing with your lender
  • Discuss condition, renovation tolerance, and insurance implications
  • Decide which dates or terms can flex

Before offering

  • Review comparable sales and the current competition
  • Understand the effect of each contingency, including a sale contingency
  • Assess inspection, appraisal, and insurance risk
  • Confirm deposit and financing deadlines
  • Consider how the offer connects to the sale of your current home

Urgency is not the same as haste. A prepared buyer can act quickly because the criteria, financing, and risk boundaries are already understood. A rushed buyer acts quickly because the deadline has replaced the decision.

The Coordinated Process

One plan from the first conversation through both closings.


1

Talk through the whole picture

Current home, possible destinations, finances, timing, and the concerns keeping you stuck. We listen first.

2

Build the sequence with your lender

Compare selling first, buying first, or coordinating both. Then confirm the numbers with the lender and the title company so the plan rests on verified facts.

3

Prepare and search in parallel

Prioritize the current home’s preparation while identifying realistic next-home options and the neighborhoods that fit your week.

4

Launch, negotiate, and align the dates

Market the listing to local and international buyers, evaluate offers, and structure both contracts around one connected move.

5

Manage both closings

Track dates, documents, inspections, insurance binders, and outside professionals through both transactions, so nothing depends on luck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions move-up sellers ask in Miami


Should I sell my current home before buying the next one?

It depends on whether you need the proceeds, whether you can carry two homes, and how fast homes in your price range are moving. We walk through all three routes with you and your lender before you decide.

Will sellers accept an offer with a sale contingency?

Some will, especially when the offer is otherwise strong and your home is already on the market or under contract. Others will not. Knowing the competition for a specific home tells us which approach has a real chance.

Can I stay in my home for a short time after closing?

A post-closing occupancy agreement is common in South Florida. Terms, deposits, and insurance during that period should be reviewed by your title company or attorney.

Do you help with both the sale and the purchase?

Yes. One team coordinates both sides, so the deadlines, the money, and the move stay connected.

Your Advisors

Ana Maria and Nicolas Pol


A family owned boutique brokerage serving Miami since 2007, in English and Spanish, for local families and international buyers alike.

Ana Maria Pol

Ana Maria Pol

Principal Broker & President

954.270.8759
ana@polrealty.com

Nicolas Pol

Nicolas Pol

Real Estate Agent & Marketing Coordinator

954.604.2415
nicosellsmiami@gmail.com

Dedicated to you. Committed to excellence.

Pol Realty · 9825 SW 77th Pl, Miami, FL 33156 · info@polrealty.com · Equal Housing Opportunity. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This page is general guidance, not legal, tax, lending, or insurance advice.