Frequently Asked Questions

TradeMyHome™ lets you buy your next home before you sell your current one. You get up to $350,000² for a down payment — no interest, no monthly payments. Your old home sells on the open market with a 101% price guarantee.¹

Step 1: We look at your home's value and figure out how much money you can get for a down payment. Step 2: You go find your next home and make a strong offer. Step 3: You move in. Step 4: We list and sell your old home at 101% market value. If it doesn't sell, we pay you the difference or we buy it ourselves

That's the whole point of the guarantee. If your home doesn't sell in time or for 101% value, we pay you the difference or it gets bought for cash. You never get stuck paying two house payments or waiting on a buyer.

Before the sale starts, recent sales of similar homes nearby and appraisal set the baseline. That's what your home is worth. Your guarantee is 101% of that number. If your home sells for less, the difference comes out of our pocket. You know the exact number before anything starts.

It means we promise in writing that your home will sell for at least 101% of what we mutually agree it's worth. If it sells for less, we pay you the difference out of our own pocket. If it doesn't sell at all, we buy it ourselves. You know the exact number before you sign anything.

The down payment money comes from government programs — not a private lender. The rules are fair. The terms are clear. You're protected. It's a real program with real oversight.

Those companies buy your home directly. They pay 15–20% below market, plus extra fees. TradeMyHome™ sells on the open market. You get a 101% price guarantee. You keep more money and still get a guaranteed sale.

No interest, no monthly payments. We give you the money for your down payment, and it's always free to use. When your old home sells, the money gets paid back from what you make on the sale. That's it — nothing extra comes out of your pocket.

A bank bridge loan charges 8–12% interest right away. You also have to qualify for two house payments at the same time — most people can't. With TradeMyHome™, the down payment money is always free to use. Both deals get handled together, and your sale price is guaranteed. Banks offer none of that.

This is the #1 problem TradeMyHome™ solves. Most banks won't approve a second home loan while you're still paying your first. The advice of 'just buy before you sell' doesn't work for most people. The program is built around exactly this problem — you move forward without needing to qualify for two payments at once. Book a free call to see how it works for your situation.

Yes. First-time buyers can qualify for government programs that give money toward a down payment — some of it never has to be paid back. Every program you're eligible for gets found and applied for. Most buyers have never heard of these programs.

No. Most people in the program still have a home loan. What matters is how much of your home's value you actually own — the gap between what it's worth and what you still owe. As long as there's enough equity to cover the new down payment, you can qualify.

Yes. The program works for any move. You move into your next home first. You go on your own timeline. You don't wait for your old home to sell. No two house payments at once. No rush to get out.

18 cities, three counties. Santa Clara: San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Milpitas, Campbell, Morgan Hill, Gilroy. Alameda: Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward, Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore. San Joaquin: Tracy, Lathrop, Mountain House. Not on the list? Call us.

The program works best for Bay Area homes worth $600,000 to $3,000,000. The down payment cap is $350,000. That covers most moves in this range. Outside those numbers? Call us. There are often ways to make it work for your situation.

Most people finish both moves in 60 to 90 days. The first call and plan takes one to two weeks. Finding and winning a home usually takes two to six weeks. After you move in, your old home gets listed and sold. If it doesn't sell in time, it gets bought at the guaranteed price.

The program works best when both sides move together. Timing, money, and the guarantee all connect. Every case is different. Book a free call for a straight answer.

No problem. If a purchase falls apart before closing for any reason, the down payment advance is returned in full and you start fresh with no penalty. Your old home stays off the market until you find the right next home and are ready to move. You keep looking until the deal is right.

Fill out the quick form on this page or give us a call. You'll hear back within 24 hours — no pressure, no obligation. Just a straight look at your situation and your options.

When you say 'I'll buy your home, but only if mine sells first,' sellers get nervous. The deal might fall apart, and they'd have to start over. So they say no — even if your price is higher. With TradeMyHome™, your money is already in hand before you write the offer. No conditions. Sellers say yes.

It starts with a free call. Your home's value gets checked. Your down payment amount gets set. Your new home budget gets built. Your old home's guaranteed price gets locked in. No pressure, no obligation.

It depends on the home price and the loan type. Some buyers get in with as little as 3% down. You'll also need money for closing costs — usually 2–3% of the home price. A free call with a lender gives you the exact number for your situation.

No — that's one of the biggest myths about buying a home. Many buyers put down far less. Some programs let you buy with just 3% down. There are also programs that give you money toward your down payment. You may be much closer to owning a home than you think.

Yes, many buyers do. Loan programs made for first-time buyers only need 3% down. Whether you're eligible depends on your income, credit score, and a few other things. A free call with a lender tells you exactly where you stand.

Federal, state, and local programs give first-time buyers money toward their down payment or closing costs. Some are grants you never pay back. Others are low-interest loans. Most people have never heard of them. Every program you're eligible for gets found and applied for.

Most loans need a score of at least 620. Some programs work with scores as low as 580. A higher score usually means a lower interest rate. But your score is just one piece — lenders also look at income and debt. If your score needs work, you'll get pointed in the right direction.

Yes — and in the Bay Area, you have to. Sellers here will not look at an offer without a letter from a lender saying how much they'll lend you. Getting that letter also tells you exactly how much you can spend so you don't fall in love with a home that's out of reach. We recommend doing this before your very first home visit.

Closing costs are fees paid on the day the home officially becomes yours. They cover lender fees, paperwork, and taxes — usually 2–3% of the home price in the Bay Area. Some buyers pay zero lender fees. A free call will show you if that's possible for your situation.

Escrow is a neutral company. It holds your money and paperwork. It opens when the seller says yes. Every condition gets checked. Once everything clears, the home is yours. You don't figure this out alone — it gets managed for you.

A licensed inspector checks the home top to bottom. Roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, heating. You get a full written report. Then you know what's a real problem, what's normal wear, and what to ask the seller to fix or credit.

In the Bay Area, good homes often get several offers at once. The seller picks the best one — and price isn't the only thing that matters. How the offer is written, how fast you can close, and how ready you are all play a role. The strongest offer possible gets written for you.

If you buy a home and decide within 12 months that it's not right for you, it gets bought back — no questions asked. The commission on the resale is covered so you're not paying twice. The guarantee is in writing before you close. No other Bay Area team offers this.

Most agents show homes and write offers. This goes further. You see homes before they go online. Price gets pushed hard so you don't overpay. Better rates come through lenders used every day. Fees get cut where possible. Every deadline gets watched from start to finish. The $100,000 savings guarantee covers all of that — not just the price. And the buyback guarantee is something no other Bay Area team offers.

In most Bay Area deals, the seller pays both agents out of the sale proceeds. As a buyer, you typically pay nothing out of pocket. Since August 2024, buyers must sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes. That agreement spells out exactly how the agent gets paid. You'll go over this on the first call — no surprises.

It depends on how long you plan to stay, what you can afford, and what your goals are. In the Bay Area, buying has been one of the best ways to build wealth over time. Rent goes to a landlord. Mortgage payments build something you own. If you're planning to stay 3 or more years and a lender says yes, buying usually makes more sense. Book a free call to look at the real numbers.

18 cities across Silicon Valley, the East Bay, the Tri-Valley, and the San Joaquin commuter corridor. Not on the list? Call us — there may still be a way to help.

The Guaranteed Home Sale program sells your Bay Area home for at least 101% of its market value. If it sells for less, we pay you the gap. If it doesn't sell, we buy it. You know the exact price before you sign.

The Guaranteed Home Sale Program is a written promise. Your Bay Area home sells for at least 101% of the market value we agree on. If it sells for less, we pay you the gap. If it does not sell, we buy it for cash. You also get a full seller marketing plan. Pro photos. Video. Online marketing. Buyer outreach. Agent outreach. All of it is built to bring many buyers and strong offers. Terms and conditions apply.

First, we set your market value together. We review recent sales of similar homes. We also look at active listings, your home's condition and location, and buyer demand. Your guarantee is set at 101% of that agreed value. If your home sells for less, we pay the gap from our own pocket. Terms and conditions apply.

Say your home sells for less than 101% of the market value we both agree on. We pay you the gap — capped at our commission on the sale. This is a written promise, not a verbal one. Terms, qualification rules, and conditions apply.

If your home does not sell in the agreed time at the agreed price, we buy it for cash. You are not left waiting forever. You are not pushed to take a low offer. The cash purchase is part of the written program terms. Qualification rules, pricing terms, and program conditions apply.

Yes. Your home gets full open-market exposure. We use pro prep, photos, video, and an MLS listing. Your home also goes on major real estate websites. We reach out to buyers and their agents. We use social media and digital marketing. All of it is built to attract buyers and create competition. The cash purchase is a backstop — not a replacement for a strong open-market sale.

We start with a comparative market analysis. We look at recent sales of similar homes nearby. We also look at active listings, your home's condition and location, buyer demand, and the whole market. We go through it all with you before you sign. That way, you know how the price was set.

We use a full seller marketing plan. It includes pro staging advice, HDR photos, and video. We add a 3D tour where it fits. Your home goes on the MLS and major real estate websites. We add Zillow Showcase where it applies. We also use social media and digital marketing. We reach out to buyers in our database and to buyer agents. We use reverse prospecting, open houses, and referral and relocation networks. The goal: broad exposure and buyer competition.

You get regular updates. Showings. Buyer feedback. What the market is doing. What the marketing is doing. This is our Communication Guarantee. You get steady updates all through the listing. If we miss a promised update, the written service agreement backs you up. Terms and conditions apply.

No. The cash purchase is a last-resort guarantee. It protects you if your home does not sell on the open market in the agreed time. You never have to take a cash offer if your home sells to a buyer on the open market. The goal: sell at or above your guaranteed price through full market exposure.

Four things decide if you qualify. Your home's condition. Its location. The pricing agreement. And whether your market fits the program rules. We review your home and your situation before any commitment. Not every home qualifies. The terms require a market value and pricing plan we both agree on. A free consultation shows you if your home fits.

Yes. Every guarantee has conditions. Your home must qualify. The price must be agreed in writing. Your property must fit the program. Market conditions matter. The service agreement terms apply too. The 101% guarantee rests on a market analysis you and we both agree on. The cash purchase depends on program approval and agreed terms. We walk you through each condition before you sign anything.

Yes. Pro staging advice, pre-listing prep, and full MLS marketing are part of the seller marketing plan. Staged homes tend to sell faster and for more. The goal: hit your guaranteed price — or beat it.

The first 7–14 days after listing usually draw the most buyer interest. Your launch plan is built to make the most of that window. If your home does not sell in the agreed time at the agreed price, the cash purchase guarantee applies. Timing varies by home, price, and market.

We work directly with Bay Area builders — Lennar, KB Home, Toll Brothers, Meritage, Taylor Morrison, and Tri Pointe. You see open lots and floor plans 48 hours before they go public. In a fast market, that head start is how you get the home you want.

Yes. Builders have a set price list, but they deal on design credits, lot fees, and closing costs. Without an agent, you go up against the builder's sales team alone. With us, you get up to $50,000 in design credits on average.

If you buy a new construction home and decide within 24 months it's not right for you, you can sell it back. The resale fee is covered so you don't pay twice. No other Bay Area team offers this on new builds.

Several options work. Conventional, FHA, VA, and builder lenders all apply here. Some builder lenders offer rate buy-downs. Your payment drops for the first few years. You get connected to lenders who close new builds every week.

Yes. You get a Bay Area expert for your home search and a local agent in your current city to sell the home you're leaving. Both sides run on one plan. You don't have to find two agents and hope they talk.

Yes. You get a trusted local agent in your current market. They list and sell your home on a timeline that lines up with your Bay Area close. One team holds both sides. Nothing falls out of sync.

Yes — and we say do it first. Before you tour a single home, you get a map of your target school districts. You learn the sign-up rules and any waitlist issues. Buying in the right district matters more than the house itself. Zillow's school ratings miss a lot. You get the real picture before you start.

Writing an offer with a sale condition. Bay Area sellers won't take it. Your offer goes to the bottom of the pile — or gets ignored. The fix is having your current home sale already in motion before you write the offer. That way you write a clean offer with no conditions. Sellers say yes.

No — you pay nothing upfront, ever. We cover the full cost of the renovation work before your home goes on the market. You only pay us back at closing, from the extra money your home made. If you don't sell for more, we work that out with you directly. There is no out-of-pocket risk to you.

Only work that raises your sale price gets done. Before anything starts, you see the plan and why each item will make buyers pay more. Low-impact work gets skipped. That protects your money and your timeline.

You get licensed, vetted workers — no searching, no interviews, no managing anyone. Your job is to let them in and get ready to move. Every worker is held to a high standard.

Most projects wrap up in 3 to 6 weeks. Then your home goes on the market. The timeline depends on the work. You get a clear schedule upfront. No surprises. No delays you weren't told about.

You get first look at Bay Area homes that haven't listed yet. Less competition. Better prices. A real shot at buying a home before anyone else knows it's for sale.