Can You Make an Offer Before Your Home Sells?

Yes. In Missouri you can make an offer before your home sells by adding a home sale contingency. Sellers say yes more often when your home is priced to sell and the timeline is clear.

Quick Answer

• A home sale contingency lets you make an offer before your current home sells.
• The seller of the home you want sets the deadline.
• The faster your current home sells, the stronger your offer looks.
• Financing questions go to your lender before you write the offer.

The call usually starts the same way. "We found the house, but ours has not sold yet. Can we still make an offer?"

I am working through exactly this situation right now in University City (63130), so I want to show you how it works in real life. Names and addresses stay private, but the plan is real.

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that whether the seller says yes depends on how much confidence you can give them.

What does a home sale contingency mean?

A home sale contingency is a clause in your offer that says your purchase depends on selling your current home. The seller of the home you want decides whether to accept it and sets the timeframe for closing. If your home does not sell by that date, the terms of your contract decide what happens next, which is why the details matter.

Your lender and your contract set the rules. I walk every client through both before we write anything.

A real example from University City

Here is the situation, with details removed to protect my clients' privacy.

My clients bought a renovated home in University City about three years ago. The work was not as solid as it looked. Repairs kept adding up, and the home has cost them far more than they planned. They are ready to move.

A home up the street is about to come to market. It had a fire roughly three years ago, and everything inside has been rebuilt and is brand new. I will be listing it. My clients want to buy it before it ever goes on the open market.

There is one catch. They need to sell their current home first, so their offer will include a home sale contingency.

How I made it easy for the seller to say yes

I sat down with the seller of the home my clients want and walked through the whole plan. Here is what I covered.

Price the home you are selling to sell fast

I did extensive market research on recent nearby sales and set a list price slightly under market value on purpose. A fast sale is what makes a contingent offer work, and price is the biggest lever I have.

Answer the buyer's biggest worry up front

My clients' home sits in a flood plain. The house and the location are strong, but buyers hear the words flood plain and hesitate. To give buyers peace of mind, we are offering one year of flood insurance with the home. I would rather answer that concern in the listing than let it quietly cost us showings.

If you are curious about any address, you can look it up on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and talk with your own insurance agent about coverage and cost. FloodSmart.gov also explains how flood insurance works.

Market the home like it matters

A contingency is not a reason to market less. The home still gets professional photography and my full 18-step marketing plan.

Give the other seller a backup plan

The seller sets the timeframe, so they stay in control of the deadline. We will also keep showing their home while my clients' home sells, in case it takes longer than we expect. If the plan works, the seller closes on time. If it needs more room, they still have options.

When a contingent offer works best, and when it does not

A contingent offer is not right for every home or every market. When several buyers are competing for the same home, a seller may prefer an offer with no contingency. That is why price, a pre-approval and a clear timeline matter so much.

The same ideas apply in Chesterfield (63017) and Kirkwood (63122), but the details change with the price range and how fast homes are moving right now. I look at the current numbers for your exact neighborhood before we decide on a strategy.

For a closer look at the basics, read my post on what contingent means when you buy a home.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make an offer on a house before my current home sells in Missouri?

Yes. A home sale contingency makes your offer depend on selling your current home by an agreed date. The seller decides whether to accept it and how much time to give you. Your lender can explain how your financing works with a contingency.

Will a seller accept an offer with a home sale contingency?

Many will, especially when the buyer is pre-approved, the current home is priced to sell, and the timeline is clear. A seller who has a firm deadline and a plan for what happens if it is missed is more comfortable saying yes.

How can I make my home sell faster so my contingent offer works?

Price it using local sold data, answer buyer concerns up front, use professional photos, and market it from day one. In one University City sale I am handling, that means pricing slightly under market value and offering one year of flood insurance on a home in a flood plain.

What happens if my home does not sell by the deadline?

It depends on the terms of your contract. The seller may agree to extend, or the contract may end. Many sellers keep showing their home in the meantime, so a plan for that situation should be settled before you sign.

Let us map out your options

Every situation is different. If you found a home before yours has sold, or you are weighing your options, call me before you make an offer. We will map out the best path for your timeline, your numbers and your next move.