Upsizing
Moving up in Denver
The classic timing problem: you've outgrown your home, but you can't comfortably carry two mortgages. Here's how I help families move up without the cash-flow stress.
The upsizing problem is almost always a timing problem. You know what you need next, but you can't afford to close on the new home before you sell the current one — and you can't afford to sell before you find something to buy. Here's how I work through it.
Three Ways to Avoid Carrying Two Mortgages
1. Sell first with a leaseback
Sell your current home to a buyer who agrees to lease it back to you for 30–90 days after closing. You walk away with your equity and have time to find the next home without pressure. This is the most common scenario in Denver and usually the cleanest.
2. Buy first with bridge financing
Use a bridge loan or HELOC against your current home to fund the down payment on the new one. Higher cost and more complexity, but lets you find the right home before you list — useful when inventory is thin in your target neighborhood.
3. Concurrent close
Sell and buy on the same day or back-to-back. Requires precise coordination between agents, lenders, and title — but about a third of upsizing clients do it this way when timing aligns.
The Process
Assess your current home's value
We start with a comparative market analysis on your current home. That number anchors everything else — your equity, your down payment, and how much home you can realistically buy next.
Define the next home target
Price range, neighborhoods, must-haves. The next home is often in a different neighborhood than where you currently live — and that's fine. We'll define the target clearly before we start looking.
Choose the strategy
Leaseback, bridge, or concurrent — depends on your finances, the market timing, and your risk tolerance. I'll walk you through the trade-offs for your specific situation.
Execute carefully
List, find, negotiate. The hardest part is the timing — but with the right plan, it's very doable. Most of my upsizing clients have zero days where they're carrying two mortgages.
Close and move
I coordinate both transactions and the move itself. By close day, there should be no surprises.
Where Upsizing Clients Usually Land
NW Denver (Berkeley, West Highland, Sunnyside), Wash Park, Cherry Creek, and the western suburbs (Arvada, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge) are the most common destinations for upsizing families. School district often becomes the deciding factor once you're moving up in price.
Outgrowing Your Starter?
Let's talk through the strategy.
Every upsizing situation is a little different. Let's map out the right sequence for yours.