How Arizona Move-Up Buyers Are Winning Without a Sale Contingency
If you’re a homeowner looking to buy your next home, you’ve likely run into one of the most frustrating dilemmas in real estate: you need the equity from your current home to buy the next one, but sellers don’t want to wait for yours to sell first. The result? Your offer gets rejected — or worse, ignored entirely — because of a sale contingency. Here’s the good news: there’s a smarter way to do this.
What Is a Sale Contingency — and Why Do Sellers Hate It?
A sale contingency means your purchase of a new home is dependent on your existing home selling first. From your perspective, it makes total sense — you need those funds. But from the seller’s perspective, it’s a risk.
Your home might take longer to sell than expected. It might fall out of escrow. And in the meantime, they’ve taken their home off the market waiting for you. In a competitive market, most sellers will simply choose another offer — one without strings attached.
The Buy Before You Sell Solution
Buy Before You Sell (BBYS) programs have changed the game for move-up buyers. The concept is straightforward: a lending partner advances you the equity from your departing residence so you can make a clean, non-contingent offer on your new home — before your current home ever hits the market.
You close on your new home, move in on your timeline, and then list your current home vacant, staged, and show-ready. No pets. No coordinating showings around your family’s schedule. No pressure to accept a lowball offer because you’re desperate to close quickly. It’s a win for you — and it’s a win for your listing agent.
Why Non-Contingent Offers Win in Arizona
The Phoenix and Scottsdale markets remain competitive, especially at move-up price points. Sellers in desirable neighborhoods frequently receive multiple offers, and a contingent offer — even from a qualified buyer — is often the first one cut.
A non-contingent offer signals to the seller that you’re serious, ready, and financially capable of closing. It puts you on equal footing with cash buyers and investors, without requiring you to actually have cash on hand.
Is a BBYS Program Right for You?
This approach works best for homeowners who have built meaningful equity in their current home and are looking to move up in price point. If you’re in that position and have been frustrated by the contingency problem, this is worth a conversation.
At Rittman Lending Group, we work with BBYS programs and can walk you through whether it makes sense for your situation — including the numbers, the timeline, and what your non-contingent offer could look like.
Ready to explore your options?
Contact us today to talk through your move-up strategy. We serve buyers across Scottsdale, Phoenix, and the greater Arizona market.