Can You Buy a Home Before You Sell in New Brunswick?

By Nick McMullin, REALTOR® · October 2, 2026

Option 1: Buy with a sale condition

Your offer on the new home is conditional on selling your current one. The New Brunswick Agreement of Purchase and Sale has a section for exactly this.

• Upside: you secure the home you want without the risk of owning two.
• Watch out for: the seller can keep marketing their home. If another acceptable offer comes in, you get a set number of hours to remove your condition or step aside.
• Best when: your home is priced right and likely to sell quickly.

Option 2: Buy first, with bridge financing

You buy firm, then sell. If your new home closes before your old one, a bridge loan covers the gap using the equity in your current home.

• Upside: you don't miss the right house, and you can move on your schedule.
• Watch out for: lenders usually want a firm sale on your current home before they approve a bridge loan. Without one, you could carry two homes for a while.
• Best when: the market is busy and you have strong equity or approval for both mortgages.

Option 3: Sell first

You get a firm sale, then buy with your budget locked in. A longer closing or a short rent-back can give you time to find the next place.

• Upside: no risk of two mortgages, and you know exactly what you can spend.
• Watch out for: you may need short-term housing if you don't find a home in time.
• Best when: the market is slower, or most of your down payment is tied up in your home.

How to choose

1. Know your numbers: equity, what your lender will approve in each scenario, and whether you can port your mortgage.
2. Price your current home realistically. Your sale sets your purchase budget.
3. Look at how fast homes are selling in your area right now.

Whichever option you choose, the goal is the same: line up the closing dates so you move once. See the full buy and sell game plan.

General information only. Your lender confirms bridge financing and mortgage options.