Timing it Right: Selling Your Home; Buying a New One

Problem: A young couple with two children had the age-old dilemma: they wanted to upgrade to a larger home, but needed to sell their Newton condo first. They had three options after accepting an offer: ask for a delayed closing to give them time to search for a new home, rent back their home for a while from the buyer, or move into a temporary rental post-closing. Their situation was complicated by the fact that they wanted to stay in the same school district, which limited their options.

Solution: I listed their condo in January 2020 for $559,000, after making sure there were no snowstorms in the forecast. We did some light staging — pillows, art, carefully curated accessories — and the condo dazzled. I priced the property a little low, because my clients were eager to sell (they had two young children and keeping the property show-worthy was tough) and I had a feeling the price would entice. I was right: we received eight offers and accepted one for $600,000. The offer allowed my clients to stay in their condo for four months after closing — rent-free. Ultimately, they opted to move into a rental for six months as they looked for a new home.

The Result: Part one of our adventure, selling their condo, was a great success. Stay tuned for part two: the search for a larger home.

 All in a Day’s Work: Solving Real-Life, Real Estate Problems for our Clients is a regular feature brought to you by Marie Presti of The Presti Group. Our agents specialize in luxury homes, rehabilitations, multi-families and condominiums in urban, suburban and exurban areas throughout the Greater Boston area. Marie Presti is a Certified Negotiation Expert. Reach out at to find out how "We go the extra block.”

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