SPOKANE COUNTY • CLEAR GUIDANCE FOR YOUR NEXT MOVE

Selling and Buying a Home in Spokane

Coordinating a sale and a purchase starts with a clear plan for your money, timing, and next place to call home.

By Dasha Wollberg, John L. Scott • Updated October 16, 2026

Should You Sell First or Buy First?

There is no single sequence that works for every move. Selling first can clarify your available proceeds, but you may need temporary housing. Buying first can give you time to move, but you need a lender-approved financing plan and enough cash to manage the overlap. Start by comparing both sequences before committing to either transaction.

Approach	Potential benefit	Plan for
Sell, then buy	Know the sale outcome before your next purchase	Temporary housing, storage, and a possible second move
Buy, then sell	Move into the next home before leaving the first	Loan qualification, cash needs, and overlapping ownership costs
Coordinate both closings	Potentially reduce the gap between moves	Contract deadlines, funds transfer, possession, and a backup plan

Start With the Financial Picture

I can help estimate sale proceeds and discuss the real estate timeline. Your lender confirms what you can qualify for, whether your purchase depends on a completed sale, and the cash you need. Ask for scenarios that include moving expenses and overlapping costs as well as the mortgage payment.

Preapproval is a useful starting point, but it is not a guaranteed loan offer. Compare actual loan terms and costs before selecting financing.

Build a Timeline With Room for Delays

Clarify your priorities. Identify your destination, budget, nonnegotiable dates, and whether one move or temporary housing matters most.
Prepare the current home. Work backward from photography and launch dates, leaving time for preparation.
Coordinate the contracts. Review contingencies, financing deadlines, closing dates, and possession arrangements before signing.
Make a backup plan. Decide what you will do if an inspection, appraisal, financing step, or closing takes longer than expected.

Can an Offer Depend on Selling My Current Home?

A purchase offer can propose a home-sale contingency, subject to the seller’s acceptance and the specific written terms. We will discuss how that condition fits the property, competition, and your needs. A proposed closing schedule is not a guarantee that both transactions will finish on time.

What Does Coordinating Closing and Possession Mean?

Signing documents, closing, and receiving keys are different milestones. Confirm when sale proceeds will be available, when the purchase must fund, and when each party can occupy the property. Any early or delayed occupancy needs a separate discussion of written terms and responsibilities with the appropriate professionals.

Planning a Move Within Spokane County

Moving from South Hill to Liberty Lake, or from Spokane Valley closer to downtown, can change more than the house. Compare commute routines, upkeep, storage needs, trails, and access to the places you use. My family downsized to Liberty Lake, and I know how useful it is to start with the life you want the next home to support.

Read local area comparisons • Explore seller services • Request financing and closing-cost guides

Helpful Consumer Resources

CFPB: Understanding preapproval
CFPB: Comparing Loan Estimates

General planning information. Contract terms and individual circumstances control each transaction. Your lender, escrow team, and legal or tax advisers confirm matters within their roles.

Let’s Plan Your Next Move

Tell me where you are starting, what you hope to change, and your ideal timing. If you would like a call, include preferred days and times.

REQUEST A CONVERSATION

Dasha Wollberg • Real Estate Broker • John L. Scott • (360) 393-2347