Buy Before You Sell in Broomfield: Your 2026 Options
How Do You Buy a Home Before Selling Your Current One in Broomfield?
In Broomfield you have four main ways to buy before you sell: a home sale contingency written into the contract, a bridge loan, a HELOC set up before you list, or a buy-before-you-sell program like HomeLight or Knock. Each one trades cost for certainty — a contingency is cheapest but weakest in a competitive offer, while bridge loans and buy-before-you-sell programs let you make a strong, non-contingent offer for a fee. The right choice depends on how much equity you have, how fast your current home will sell, and whether you can carry two payments.
By Nick Ahrens | June 19, 2026
It's the most common bind I see with Anthem and Broomfield move-up owners: you've found the next house, but you still own this one. Sell first and you risk scrambling for somewhere to live. Buy first and you risk two mortgages. Neither feels good.
The good news is you have real options, and most owners in 80023 are sitting on exactly the asset that makes them work — equity. Here's how each path actually plays out in 2026.
Sell First or Buy First? The Real Tradeoff
Start with the honest version of the decision.
Selling first gives you certainty. You know exactly what you netted, you're not stretched across two mortgages, and your offer on the next home is clean — no strings. The cost is convenience: if the timing doesn't line up, you may need a rent-back or a short-term place to land.
Buying first gives you the home. In a tight segment — a specific street in Anthem Highlands, a particular floor plan, a new build at Baseline — buying first means you don't lose it while you wait to sell. The cost is risk: you have to be able to carry both homes until yours closes.
The 2026 backdrop matters here. The Front Range has shifted toward buyers — more inventory and fewer bidding wars than the frenzy of recent years. That makes a sale contingency a little more viable than it used to be, but a clean, non-contingent offer still wins when two buyers want the same house. Before you pick a lane, it's worth knowing what your home is actually worth today, because every option below is built on your real, current equity — not a Zestimate.
Your Four Options to Buy Before You Sell
1. A home sale contingency
This is the built-in path. Colorado's Contract to Buy and Sell has a Conditional Sale Deadline, where your purchase depends on your current home selling by a set date. There are two versions:
Sale-and-settlement — used when your home isn't under contract yet. Weakest, because nothing's locked in.
Settlement — used when your home is already under contract and just needs to close. Sellers strongly prefer this one.
Cost is the appeal: a contingency is essentially free. The downside is competitiveness — in a multiple-offer situation, a contingent offer usually loses to a clean one. If the condition isn't met by the deadline, the contract terminates and you get your earnest money back — one of several deadlines in the Colorado homebuying process worth knowing before you write the offer.
2. A bridge loan
A bridge loan is short-term financing against your current home's equity, used to fund the down payment (or more) on the new home. You pay it off when your old home sells, usually within 6 to 12 months.
The 2026 numbers: rates generally run 9% to 11%, with closing costs of about 1.5% to 3%, and the loan can close in 7 to 14 days. The payoff is leverage — you can make a non-contingent offer, move once, and prep your old home for sale after you're out.
The catch: you generally need to qualify to carry both payments, your current home usually has to be listed, and bridge loans work best with meaningful equity (think 20% to 40%+). Some specialized programs keep the bridge payment out of your debt-to-income calculation, which can help you qualify.
3. A HELOC (set up before you list)
A home equity line of credit usually carries a lower rate than a bridge loan and lets you draw only what you need. For a move-up, it's a flexible way to pull out a down payment.
One rule trips people up: you have to set up the HELOC before your home goes on the market. Most lenders won't open a new line once your house is listed. HELOCs also take 2 to 6 weeks to fund and typically want 15% to 20% equity. A lower rate for a longer expected sell time can beat a bridge loan — but only if you set it up early.
4. A buy-before-you-sell program
These newer programs unlock your equity so you can make a strong, non-contingent (sometimes cash-backed) offer, then sell your old home afterward:
HomeLight Buy Before You Sell — unlocks up to 70% of your equity, charges about a 2.4% program fee, includes a guaranteed backup offer, and gives you 120 days to sell.
Knock — up to 100% of expected equity, a 1.25% fee, and 180 days.
Calque — guarantees roughly 86–87% of your home's value for about 1% plus $2,000.
The tradeoff is simple: you pay a fee for certainty and a competitive offer. For an equity-rich Anthem owner who can't time a sale and purchase perfectly, that fee is often worth it.
Which One Fits Your Situation?
Here's how I help clients narrow it down:
Lots of equity, fast-selling home, can carry both: a bridge loan or a settlement contingency usually wins — cheapest path to a strong offer.
Lots of equity, but timing is uncertain: a buy-before-you-sell program buys you certainty and a non-contingent offer for a known fee.
Want the lowest rate and you're planning ahead: a HELOC — set up before you list.
Tighter on cash flow or DTI: look at programs that keep the bridge payment out of your qualifying ratios, or sell first with a rent-back.
Two more things to budget for. First, carrying two homes briefly means two of everything — including property taxes, insurance, HOA, and any metro-district dues, which run high in parts of 80023. Second, if your next move might be a new build at Baseline, factor in builder timelines — my breakdown of new construction vs. resale in Broomfield covers how those schedules change the math.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a house before selling mine in Colorado?
Yes. Your main options are a home sale contingency in the contract, a bridge loan, a HELOC set up before listing, or a buy-before-you-sell program. Each lets you secure the new home before your current one closes; they differ in cost and how competitive your offer looks.
Is a bridge loan or a HELOC better for buying before selling?
A HELOC usually has a lower rate but must be opened before you list and takes a few weeks to set up. A bridge loan is faster (7 to 14 days) and lets you make a non-contingent offer, but rates run higher (around 9% to 11%). A higher bridge rate for three months can cost less than a HELOC's lower rate held for a year or more.
How much equity do I need to buy before I sell?
Most paths want meaningful equity — roughly 15% to 20% for a HELOC and 20% to 40%+ for a bridge loan. Many longtime Anthem and Broomfield owners have well more than that, which is what makes these options work.
Will a contingent offer get accepted in Broomfield in 2026?
It can, especially now that inventory has loosened. But a contingent offer is still weaker than a clean one, and a settlement contingency (your home already under contract) is far more likely to be accepted than a sale-and-settlement contingency.
What does a buy-before-you-sell program cost?
Fees generally range from about 1.25% (Knock) to 2.4% (HomeLight) of your departing home's sale price, with Calque around 1% plus $2,000. In exchange, you unlock equity early and can make a strong, non-contingent offer.
The Bottom Line
In Broomfield's 2026 market, buying before you sell is very doable — the question is which tool fits your equity, your timeline, and your tolerance for carrying two homes. Pick wrong and you overpay or lose the house; pick right and you move once, on your terms.
If you want help mapping the safest path for your situation — what your home will likely net, how much equity you can responsibly use, and which option keeps your offer strong — call or text me at 949-230-3625, or email NickAhrensRealEstate@gmail.com. We'll run your actual numbers before you make a move.
About Nick Ahrens
Nick Ahrens is a Colorado real estate broker with The Apollo Group at eXp Realty, specializing in the Anthem and Baseline communities of Broomfield (80023). With 15+ years in the business and 350+ career closings, he helps North Denver sellers and relocating buyers navigate pricing, timing, and the path to closing. Connect with Nick at youranthemhome.com.
