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For Move-Up Buyers in DC, MD & VA

You survived your first mortgage. Let's make sure you actually win this one.

The three biggest problems move-up buyers face, and exactly how I solve each one.

Get a Buy Before You Sell Analysis See How It Works
The fear "I'll be carrying two mortgages and won't qualify."
The fear "My contingent offer won't get accepted."
The fear "All my cash is trapped in my home until I sell."

What's Actually Keeping You Stuck

Three fears. Three solutions. Zero hand-waving.

Most lenders tell you to "just sell first." That's not advice, that's avoidance. Here's what's actually possible when you have the right tools.

Fear #1

"I can't qualify with two mortgages."

You did the rough math. Your debt-to-income ratio with both mortgages looks impossible. So you assumed you had to sell first. And now you're stuck.

My solution

Buy Before You Sell

I structure the loan so your current mortgage doesn't count against your DTI. You qualify on your new home alone, buy it without contingencies, then sell on your timeline. Not your buyer's.

How it works
Fear #2

"My contingent offer won't get accepted."

In this market, sellers laugh at home-sale contingencies. You'd have to compete with cash buyers. You don't have cash. So you watch your dream home go to someone else.

My solution

Buy Before You Sell + Cash Offer Program

I combine the BBYS structure with our Cash Offer Program. You bid on the new home as a cash buyer (because we front the cash), without a sale contingency, with a faster close. Sellers say yes.

Cash Offer details
Fear #3

"All my cash is trapped in my home until I sell."

You have hundreds of thousands in equity sitting in your current home, but none of it's usable until you sell. So you can't put a real down payment on the new place, and you're stuck watching from the sidelines.

My solution

Unlock your equity early

A Buy Before You Sell loan lets me access your current home's equity before it's sold, so you can put it toward your new home's down payment now. Same cash, just earlier access, and without touching your DTI.

Run the numbers

Interactive Tool

Sell First or Buy First? Run your numbers.

Toggle between the two strategies and see exactly how much cash you'd have on hand for your next home. Click any value to edit.

Step 1 · Your Current Position

Current Home

Total Equity $230,000
Selling Fees -$38,500
Net Profit if Sold $191,500
Bridge Loan Alternative (no sale)
90% of Home Value $495,000
Less: Outstanding Balance -$320,000
Gross Advance $175,000
Origination Fee (~2%) -$3,500
Net Bridge Proceeds $171,500

Current Savings

Total Savings Available $60,000
Step 2 · The New Home

New Home Purchase

Down Payment $150,000
Closing Costs $15,000
Total Cash Needed $165,000
Step 3 · Your Two Paths, Side-by-Side
Strategy A

Sell First, Then Buy

Current Savings From Current Savings $60,000
Net Profit from Sale From Current Home $191,500
Total Cash Available $251,500
Cash Needed -$165,000
Cash Surplus $86,500

You have enough cash to cover your down payment and closing costs.

Strategy B

Buy First (Bridge Loan)

Current Savings From Current Savings $60,000
Bridge Loan Proceeds From Bridge Loan $171,500
Total Cash Available $231,500
Cash Needed -$165,000
Cash Surplus $66,500

You have enough cash to cover your down payment and closing costs.

This calculator provides estimates only. Actual costs, fees, and loan amounts may vary. Click any dollar amount or percentage to edit. Christian Kosko · NMLS #1415795.

Interactive Tool

Should you put sale proceeds toward your down payment, or pay off debt first?

Most buyers assume "more down payment = better." It's not always true. Edit any value below to see how your DTI changes with each strategy. Uses your New Home Price & Down Payment from the calculator above.

The Setup

You're buying a new home at $750,000 with a target down payment of 20% ($150,000). You have $45,000 in existing debt (car loans + credit cards) that costs $850/mo, against a household income of $14,000/mo. Does it make more sense to put all sale proceeds toward the down payment, or pay off that debt first?

Option A

All cash to down payment

Down payment $150,000 (20%)
Loan amount $600,000
Existing monthly debt $850/mo
New mortgage payment ~$3,792/mo
Total monthly debt $4,642/mo
DTI 33.2% — Comfortable
Option B

Pay off debt first, rest to down payment

Debt payoff $45,000
Down payment $150,000 (20%)
Loan amount $600,000
Existing monthly debt $0/mo
New mortgage payment ~$3,792/mo
Total monthly debt $3,792/mo
DTI 27.1% — Healthy
The takeaway: Option B lowers your DTI by roughly 6.1 points and eliminates $850/mo in existing debt. Same mortgage payment, same down payment, but a much healthier monthly picture and zero high-interest consumer debt hanging over you.

Assumes a 6.500% rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage. Click any value to edit. Numbers are estimates and rounded.

Compare Your Options

HELOC vs. Bridge Loan vs. Buy Before You Sell

Three ways to access your equity before selling, arranged left-to-right from hardest to easiest to qualify for your next home purchase.

Hardest to qualify
Easiest to qualify
HELOC
Bridge Loan
Buy Before You Sell
Counts old mortgage in DTI?
Yes
Yes
No
Counts new departure loan in DTI?
Yes
No
No
Need to qualify with both payments
Yes
Yes on current mortgage, no on bridge payment
No
Time to set up
2-3 weeks
2-3 weeks
3-4 weeks
Interest rate
Prime + add on (variable)
Prime (variable)
N/A
Upfront fees
0-2% (lowest)
2%
HELOC or Bridge fees + 1% + $900
Available if home is listed
Often no
Yes
Yes
Backup if home doesn't sell
None
None
We buy your home in cash if not sold in 180 days
Read the full Buy Before You Sell breakdown

More Move-Up Tools

Other ways I help move-up buyers solve the math.

Convert to Rental Income Calculator

Don't sell your current home. Rent it out and use 75% of the rental income to qualify for your new mortgage. See how much you can use.

Run the numbers

Cash Offer Program

Compete with cash buyers without being one. I front the cash, you bid contingency-free, sellers say yes. Especially powerful for move-up buyers.

See how it works

Closing Cost Breakdown Guide

The full line-by-line breakdown of what closing actually costs in DC, MD, and VA. Move-up buyers often forget how much hits at the second close.

Read the guide

Ready to run your move-up scenario?

Book a free 30-minute Mortgage Clarity Call. I'll walk through your numbers, run the Buy Before You Sell math on your specific situation, and show you which path actually makes sense, no commitment.

Serving DC, MD & VA · NMLS# 1415795