Downsizing to Anthem Ranch in 2026: Sell First or Buy First?
Quick answer: Anthem Ranch turns over slowly, with about 20 sales in Redfin's Anthem Ranch area in the last 3 months by my count, so I plan the move around the purchase: line up financing with a lender before listing, put your current home under contract, then write the offer and use a rent-back of up to 60 days.
By Nick Ahrens, Colorado real estate broker license FA.100104470, eXp Realty, LLC
Should you sell first or buy first when moving to Anthem Ranch?
About 20 sales in 3 months is the number that decides it for me: that is how many homes sold in Redfin's Anthem Ranch area by my count, so the right floor plan may list only once while you are ready to act. For scale, the Anthem Ranch Community Association counts 1,335 homes in the community. Redfin's map boundary is not the association's, so treat my count as a close read of the area, not an official community figure.
When the home you want is the scarce side of the move, I plan around the purchase, not the sale. That does not always mean buying first. It means knowing how you will pay for the next home before your current one goes live.
Sell first if:
You need the sale proceeds, or the payoff of your current loan, to qualify for the next home.
You can live with a rent-back of up to 60 days, plus a short-term rental if the right home has not listed yet.
You would rather move twice than carry two homes at once.
Buy first if:
A lender has already confirmed you can carry both homes for a while.
You have a specific floor plan or lot in mind and want to act the week it lists.
Your current home will need work or staging that is easier once you have moved out.
For the full plan from first call to moving day, see my sell-and-move plan for Anthem homes.
Sources and as-of dates: my count of Redfin's Anthem Ranch sold list, last 3 months, and Redfin's Anthem Ranch for-sale page (both pulled October 17, 2026), Redfin's Anthem and 80023 market pages (all prices, three months ending September 2026), the Anthem Ranch Community Association website, HUD's housing-for-older-persons rules at 24 CFR 100.305 and 100.307, the Colorado Real Estate Commission's CBS1 contract and PCO70 Post-Closing Occupancy Agreement (both mandatory January 1, 2026), the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, the CFPB, and the Federal Reserve's H.15 release dated October 16, 2026.
How fast do Anthem Ranch homes sell, and how many are for sale?
About 20 homes sold in 3 months in Redfin's Anthem Ranch area, from $649,000 to $1,575,000, by my count. Here is what my count of Redfin's Anthem Ranch sold list, last 3 months shows, pulled October 17, 2026:
Sales: about 20, or roughly 7 a month.
Price range: $649,000 to $1,575,000.
Median: about $800,000.
Home style: all 20 are listed as single-story homes.
On the buy side, Redfin's Anthem Ranch for-sale page showed 9 listings on October 17. Two of them are two-story homes that Redfin tags as Anthem Highlands and Anthem, outside the age-restricted section, so I estimate about 7 active Anthem Ranch listings. With about 7 listings and about 7 sales a month, my estimate is roughly a month of supply.
The home you sell may take longer than the one you buy. Over the three months ending September 2026, Redfin shows 29 median days on market for all prices in its Anthem area and 46 median days for all prices in 80023. Neither figure is specific to your price point or housing type. For what drives timing on the sell side, see how long it takes to sell a house in Broomfield.
When does the 55+ age-qualification paperwork happen in an Anthem Ranch purchase?
80% or more of occupied homes must have at least one occupant age 55 or older for housing to qualify as 55+ housing under the federal rule at 24 CFR 100.305, and the companion rule at 24 CFR 100.307 says age-verification procedures "may be part of a normal leasing or purchasing arrangement." So the paperwork rides inside your contract timeline, not after it.
Here is what that looks like in practice:
What counts as proof: the HUD rule lists a driver's license, birth certificate, passport, other official documents with a birth date, or a signed certification in an application or affidavit.
Where it goes: the association's Realtors and title company page asks that the Age Restriction Verification Document be emailed to its operations manager, and says closing documents come through HomeWise Docs, not the association office.
When I start it: right after acceptance, so the age verification and Colorado's Association Documents Deadline and Association Documents Termination Deadline land early in the contract, before any bridge loan or HELOC draw is committed.
For the community's rules, dues, and what to check before an offer, see my Anthem Ranch buying guide. Confirm the current recorded covenants with the association; this is general information, not legal advice.
Want the sale and the Anthem Ranch purchase mapped on one calendar?
I will price your current home with a broker CMA, line up the contract deadlines on both sides, and show you where a rent-back or a contingent offer fits.
Call or text me: 949-230-3625
Contingent offer, bridge loan or HELOC: which fits an Anthem Ranch purchase?
3 options cover most Anthem Ranch purchases made before your current home closes: a contingent offer under section 10.7 of Colorado's contract, a bridge loan, or a HELOC. Each one shifts risk between you, the seller, and your lender:
Contingent offer: section 10.7 of the CBS1 Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate makes the purchase conditional on the sale and closing of your current home. You must deliver a Notice to Terminate by the Conditional Sale Deadline, or you waive that right. It reads strongest to a seller when your home is already under contract.
Bridge loan: the Fannie Mae Selling Guide says a bridge loan cannot be cross-collateralized against the new home, and the lender must document that you can carry the new home, the current home, the bridge loan, and your other obligations.
Qualifying while your home is pending: under Fannie Mae's rule for a current home pending sale, both payments count unless the lender has the executed sales contract and confirmation that any financing contingencies have been cleared.
HELOC: the CFPB says HELOCs usually carry a variable rate, and a lender may stop further draws if your home's value drops or your finances change. Many HELOCs are priced off the bank prime rate, which was 7.00% on October 15, 2026, per the Federal Reserve's H.15 release.
This is general information, not lending advice. Talk to a lender about which option you qualify for and what it costs. For a side-by-side of every buy-first route, see your options to buy before you sell in Broomfield.
How long can a rent-back last when you sell first?
60 days is the cap on Colorado's PCO70 Post-Closing Occupancy Agreement; the form says a residential lease must be used for anything longer, and the seller can end the term early with 5 days' written notice.
That 60-day clock starts at your closing, not when you accept an offer. So the real window to find and close on an Anthem Ranch home runs from the day your buyer goes under contract, through your contract-to-close period, plus the up to 60 days after. The sell side can be slower than the buy side, too: 29 median days on market for all prices in Redfin's Anthem area and 46 for all prices in 80023, over the three months ending September 2026.
That is why I start touring Anthem Ranch homes with you before your current home goes under contract. With about 7 listings at a time by my estimate, waiting until closing to start looking can leave the rent-back too short. For costs, risks, and how to set one up, see the 2026 rent-back rules in Broomfield.
What does your current home need to net to make the move work?
$800,000 is about the median of my count of Redfin's Anthem Ranch sold list, last 3 months, so I start by asking whether your net after selling costs covers a price near that, the association's transfer costs, and a cushion for any overlap.
Plan for these categories, with exact figures from your own documents:
Your payoff: the remaining balance on your current loan, plus interest through closing.
Selling costs: commission, title, and closing costs on your sale.
Association costs on the purchase: Colorado's contract lists a status letter fee and record change or transfer fees among association documents; get the current amounts in the resale package.
Overlap costs: two sets of property taxes, insurance, utilities, and dues for any weeks you own both homes.
To see the math line by line, read what you net selling a Broomfield home in 2026. If your current home is $1 million or more, the pricing errors in mistakes that cost sellers money on a $1M+ Broomfield home shrink your net fastest. Taxes on the sale are outside this guide; talk to a CPA or tax advisor about your situation. If you would rather keep your current home and lease it, I compare that path in sell or rent out your Anthem home.
How should you plan the sequence before you list?
6 steps, in this order: a broker CMA of your current home, a lender conversation, a short list of Anthem Ranch floor plans, listing terms with a rent-back, an offer, and early association documents.
1. Broker CMA: I build it from the last 6 months of same-type sales, so you know what your current home should net.
2. Lender conversation: contingent, bridge, or HELOC, decided before you list, not after.
3. Short list: two or three Anthem Ranch floor plans and lot types you would buy, so you can act the week one lists.
4. Listing terms: a rent-back of up to 60 days written into your listing plan.
5. Offer: contingent under section 10.7, or non-contingent with your financing in place.
6. Association documents: ordered right after acceptance, with the age verification sent early.
To start, request a broker CMA for your current home, or call or text me at 949-230-3625.
What this guide does not cover: Anthem Ranch dues and community rules, buy-before-you-sell programs and their fees, rent-back pricing, or capital gains on your sale. The linked guides cover the first three; for taxes, talk to a CPA or tax advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I sell my house before buying in Anthem Ranch?
It depends on how you will pay for the next home. With about 20 sales in Redfin's Anthem Ranch area in the last 3 months by my count, the right home can be scarce, so I usually line up financing first, put the current home under contract, then use a contingent offer and a rent-back. Talk to a lender about what you qualify for.
How long can I stay in my home after closing in Colorado?
Up to 60 days under the Colorado Real Estate Commission's PCO70 Post-Closing Occupancy Agreement. The form says a residential lease must be used for a longer term, and the seller can end the term early with 5 days' written notice.
What age paperwork is needed to buy in Anthem Ranch?
An Age Restriction Verification Document, which the association asks to receive by email through the transaction. HUD's rule accepts documents such as a driver's license, birth certificate, or passport, or a signed certification. Confirm the current recorded covenants with the association.
Can I use a bridge loan or HELOC to buy in Anthem Ranch before I sell?
Possibly, if you qualify. Fannie Mae requires the lender to document that you can carry the new home, the current home, and the bridge loan, and the CFPB notes that HELOCs usually have variable rates and can be frozen. Talk to a lender; this is not lending advice.
About Nick Ahrens
Nick Ahrens is a Colorado real estate broker (license FA.100104470) with eXp Realty, LLC, specializing in Anthem, Anthem Highlands, and Baseline in Broomfield (80023). He prices homes with a broker-prepared comparative market analysis built from same-type local sales. Call or text 949-230-3625.