Buying + selling · Knoxville + Nashville
Buy and sell with a plan for both.
Know what needs to happen before you make your next move.MaX House helps homeowners in Greater Knoxville and Greater Nashville connect the sale of their current home with the purchase of their next one—from pricing and home searches to closing dates and the move itself.
Talk about my next moveYou don’t have to put your home on the market to start the conversation.
Start here
Start with what has to line up.
The money you need
Will you need the sale proceeds for your next down payment? Tell us what you know, then confirm your financing options with your lender.
The dates that matter
Put your preferred move date beside any job start, lease end or builder deadline. Separate dates you can adjust from commitments you already have.
Where you’ll live
Consider whether you could carry two homes, stay somewhere temporarily or move twice. The right sequence should fit your budget and your everyday life.
01 / Which comes first
Should you sell first or buy first?
There is no single best order. Start with whether you need to sell to qualify or fund the purchase, then compare the timing and cost of each path.
Confirm your financing options with your lender before choosing an approach or making an offer. A plan to sell is different from a completed sale. Our buyer guide explains how we help compare homes and work through the purchase.
02 / Your money
Know what you’ll keep—and what you’ll need.
Your expected sale price and your next home’s asking price are only the starting points. Compare the sale, the purchase and any costs between them.
Estimate what you’ll keep
Start with a realistic sale range, then account for mortgage payoff, preparation, agreed compensation, concessions and closing costs. A net-proceeds estimate shows what may remain after those expenses; it is not a guaranteed payout. Request a home-value review to begin with the property itself.
Confirm the cash needed before closing
Earnest money is a deposit made under the purchase contract. Inspections and some other expenses may also need payment before your sale closes. Ask which funds must already be available, how much is needed and when—separately from the final down payment.
Rework the monthly budget
Compare the next mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, association dues and maintenance with what you spend now. If you might own both homes for a time, include both sets of expenses. Ask your lender which obligations count when qualifying for the new loan.
Price the backup plan
Include temporary accommodation, storage, another move and any loan or reservation extension costs that could apply. Compare a slower sale or lower net proceeds with the plan you prefer. Decide what you would change while you still have choices.
Ask your mortgage servicer for a dated payoff statement rather than treating the balance on your last bill as the final amount. The OCC explains mortgage payoff statements.
03 / Your locations
Compare both addresses, not just the market headlines.
The home you’re selling and the home you want can face different competition, even within one region. Build the plan around the actual properties and alternatives available.
Around Knoxville: compare your sale with your next-home options.
Selling in Bearden while considering a newer home in Hardin Valley? Compare your current home with similar resales, and check the full price and completion terms of the homes you could buy. A builder’s incentive does not tell you what your existing home will sell for.
If your search crosses from West Knoxville toward Maryville or Alcoa, test the trip to your actual work entrance along Pellissippi Parkway or Alcoa Highway/US-129 when you’d use it. Apply the same test to temporary housing. A convenient place to store boxes may be an awkward place to start every workday.
Around Nashville: price the sale and the next choice separately.
A home you’re selling in Donelson and one you’re considering in Franklin or Mount Juliet need their own comparisons. Look at condition, property type, available alternatives and any builder incentives in the next search. Don’t assume the terms you negotiate as a buyer are the terms another buyer will accept on your sale.
Put your actual work destinations beside both the next home and any temporary stay. If one trip is toward Midtown and another toward Franklin, check both at the hours you expect to travel. Moving closer to one destination can make the other journey longer.
04 / Your contracts
Make the contracts reflect what depends on your sale.
A contingency is a condition written into the contract. Tell us early if your purchase depends on selling or closing on your current home; an informal understanding is not enough.
If your purchase depends on selling
A home-sale contingency addresses selling your current home; a home-close contingency addresses completing a sale already under contract. Availability and wording depend on the agreement. Ask what evidence, dates and notices are required. NAR’s contingency guide explains the distinction.
If another buyer makes an offer
Some agreements let the seller keep marketing the property or require a response if another acceptable offer arrives. Ask what that would mean for your purchase before accepting the terms. Don’t remove a protection without understanding whether you can still complete the purchase.
Watch both sets of deadlines
Keep the sale and purchase inspection, financing, appraisal and closing dates together. Ask who needs to know if one changes and whether the other contract needs an agreed extension. A delay on one side does not automatically extend the other.
For pricing, preparation and comparing offers on your current home, use our seller guide. If the next home is being built, compare the builder’s completion and possession terms with our new-construction guide. For a smaller next home, see our East Tennessee downsizing guide.
05 / Between homes
Decide where you’ll live between the two homes.
An accepted offer can make a move feel settled before the practical details are settled. Confirm the arrangements before committing to a move-out date or nonrefundable booking.
If you stay after selling
A rent-back lets a seller remain after closing when the buyer agrees. Confirm the written occupancy terms, final move-out date, costs and responsibility for the property. Have the lender, insurer and closing professional check the arrangement where relevant. It is something to negotiate, not assume.
If you move temporarily
Check the actual availability, minimum stay, extension terms and cancellation costs. Include storage, parking, pets or accessibility needs if relevant to you. Choose a workable place to live while searching so a booking deadline doesn’t force a home purchase.
06 / Closing + move-in
Confirm the funds, the signing and the keys.
If your purchase depends on sale proceeds, confirm when those funds will be available—even if both closings are scheduled for the same day. Confirm separately when you must leave your current home and can enter the next one.
Check when the proceeds are available
If your purchase uses money from the sale, have the closing professionals confirm the sequence, transfer method and any funding or recording requirements. Ask about bank cutoffs and the backup if funds arrive late. Signing the sale documents is not enough to assume the money is ready to use.
Review both sides before signing
Compare the seller’s net figures with the purchase funds required. For most mortgages, the buyer must receive the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. Ask about any mismatch early. CFPB’s closing-document guidance explains what to review.
Confirm possession and the move
Arrange final walkthroughs and check agreed repairs. Confirm when you must leave the current home and when you may enter the next one. Coordinate keys, utilities and movers around those agreements. Before sending money, verify instructions through a trusted phone number established independently.