Buy Before You Sell programs are designed for existing homeowners who have equity in their current property and are ready to purchase a new home. Here is a general overview of qualification criteria.

Core Requirements

• Existing homeownership with equity: You must own a home with sufficient equity to support the program — typically at least 20%–25% equity in the departing residence
• Creditworthiness: Standard credit requirements apply to the new purchase loan, typically 620+ FICO depending on loan type
• Income qualification: You must qualify for the new purchase mortgage on your income — the program handles the departure residence payment in various ways depending on structure
• California property: Both the departing residence and new purchase must be in an eligible state — for Lendia clients, California

Equity Requirements

The amount of equity in your departing residence determines how much the BBYS provider can advance for your down payment. Properties with higher equity unlock larger advances. If equity is limited, the program may still work but with a smaller bridge amount.

Income and DTI

DTI qualification depends on program structure. Some BBYS programs exclude the departing residence payment from DTI entirely (because the lender holds the equity advance). Others require you to qualify carrying both payments — which is more conservative but may be required depending on the lender.