Can I Make an Offer on a Home Before My House Sells in the Greater Tulsa Area?

Yes, you can make an offer on a home before your current house sells. It's called a contingent offer: your purchase depends on your current home selling. Sellers can accept it, counter it, or choose a different offer, so the stronger your position, the better your chances. Sellers look closely at whether your home is already on the market or under contract, whether you're pre-approved, and how clear your timeline is.

Whether you're upgrading in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Collinsville, Coweta, Glenpool, or Catoosa, the same approach applies.

I'm Christina Shortsleeve, a REALTOR® with REMAX Results, and I help first-time homeowners across the Greater Tulsa Area sell their starter home and buy the next one with a clear plan.

A home sale contingency is a condition in your offer that makes your purchase depend on the sale of your current home. If your home doesn't sell within the time you agree on, you have a way out of the purchase.

It protects you from owning two homes at once. For the seller, it adds uncertainty, which is why the rest of your offer matters.

• Your home is already on the market, or under contract. A home under contract is the strongest position.
• A pre-approval from your lender. It shows you can buy once your home sells.
• A realistic price on your current home. Sellers want to know your home is priced to sell.
• A clear timeline. Dates for your sale and your closing that line up.
• Strong terms. The rest of your offer can make the contingency easier to accept.

Contingent offers tend to work better when there are more homes on the market and buyers have more room to negotiate. Right now in the Greater Tulsa Area, more homes are coming onto the market than going off it.

They're harder when a home has multiple offers, because the seller can choose an offer without a contingency. That's why I like to plan ahead. It's the Choose the Path step of The Next Chapter, my system for first-time homeowners ready to upgrade.

• Sell first. You know exactly what you have to spend, and you plan your move around your closing date.
• Buy first. Some homeowners can buy before selling. Ask your lender what's possible for you.
• Make a contingent offer. You write the offer now, and your purchase depends on your home selling.

My article on selling your starter home and buying your next one walks through each path, and my article on how much equity you need to upgrade covers the numbers.

• Writing the offer before preparing their own home. Sellers take your offer more seriously when your home is ready to list or already listed.
• Overpricing their current home. A home that sits makes your contingent offer weaker.
• Skipping the lender conversation. Know what you're approved for before you write.
• Assuming a seller will wait. Have a plan if the seller chooses another offer.

Can I buy a house before I sell mine?

Yes. You can make a contingent offer, or some homeowners can buy first. Ask your lender which option is possible for you.

What is a contingent offer?

An offer where your purchase depends on your current home selling within an agreed time.

Will a seller accept a contingent offer?

Some will. Your chances are better when your home is already listed or under contract, you're pre-approved, and your timeline is clear.

Should my home be listed before I make a contingent offer?

It helps. A home that's already on the market, or under contract, makes your offer stronger.

If you're thinking about upgrading, start with a complimentary home value, and when you're ready, send me a message. I'll help you choose the path that fits your numbers and your timeline, before you write an offer.

Christina Shortsleeve is a REALTOR® with REMAX Results in the Greater Tulsa Area, helping first-time buyers, homeowners ready to upgrade, and downsizers buy and sell with a clear plan. She has sold 127 homes since 2020.