How Do You Choose a Real Estate Agent for a Move-Up in Chandler, Arizona?
Short answer: choose an agent who treats your sale and your purchase as one connected project, not two separate deals. A move-up in Chandler only works if the timing, the money, and the two contracts line up. The right agent maps that plan with you before your current home goes on the market, tells you which of the four bridge options fits your equity and your comfort with risk, and coordinates both closings so you are not paying two mortgages or scrambling for a place to live.
Stephanie Pondevie is a real estate agent with eXp Realty in Chandler, Arizona, helping move-up families sell their current home and buy the next one as one coordinated plan.
Why is a move-up harder than a first purchase or a straight sale?
When you bought your first home, you had one transaction to manage. When a retiree sells and rents, they have one transaction. A move-up is two transactions that depend on each other, and each one has its own timeline, financing, and contingencies.
The hard part is the gap between them. Sell first and you might have cash in hand but nowhere to live. Buy first and you might carry two mortgages until your old home closes. Chandler's market makes the timing real: as of August 2026, the city had about 2.86 months of housing supply (ARMLS, pulled September 5, 2026), which is tight enough that a well-priced home can move quickly, but the median sale price was $506,000, down 6.7 percent year over year, so buyers are not overpaying. That combination means a move-up seller can often sell on a reasonable timeline, but should not assume a bidding war will bail out a rushed plan.
An agent who only thinks about listing your home, or only about finding your next one, will leave the gap for you to solve on your own. That is the thing to screen for.
What should a move-up agent actually do for you?
Before your home is listed, a move-up agent should sit down with you and work through five things:
- Your net proceeds. What your current home realistically sells for in today's Chandler market, minus your mortgage payoff, commissions, and closing costs. This is the real number, not a Zestimate.
- Your buying power. What that net, plus your income and savings, qualifies you for on the next home. This means a conversation with a lender early, not after you have an offer.
- The timing. How long a sale is likely to take at your price point, how long a purchase is likely to take, and where those two windows overlap or collide.
- The bridge. Which of the four options below fits your situation.
- The order of operations. A written sequence: list date, target sale date, when you start touring, when you make your offer, both closing dates, and the fallback if one slips.
That plan is the deliverable. Stephanie Pondevie is a real estate agent with eXp Realty in Chandler, Arizona, and this planning step is what she calls the Home-First Move-Up Plan: figure out whether the whole move works before anything goes on the market.
What are the four ways to bridge the gap between your two homes?
Every move-up uses one of these. A good agent tells you which one fits before you list.
| Option | How it works | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Rent-back (leaseback) | You sell your current home, then rent it back from the buyer for 30 to 60 days after closing while you close on and move into the next one. | Sellers who want the sale proceeds in hand before they buy, and who can find a buyer willing to wait to move in. Common when inventory is tight. |
| Sale contingency | Your offer on the next home is written so it only goes through if your current home closes first. | Buyers who cannot qualify for two mortgages at once and are not willing to take that risk. Weaker in a competitive situation, but real protection. |
| Bridge loan or HELOC | You borrow against the equity in your current home to fund the down payment on the next one, then pay it off when your home sells. | Buyers with significant equity who want to buy first, move once, and sell the old home empty. Costs interest and fees for the overlap period. |
| Buy first, carry both, then recast | You qualify to carry both mortgages briefly, buy the new home with a smaller down payment, then apply the sale proceeds to the new loan and ask the lender to recalculate (recast) the payment lower. | Buyers with strong income who can absorb two payments for a month or two and want the lowest long-term payment. |
None of these is "best." The right one depends on how much equity you have, whether you can qualify for two loans, and how much timing risk you are willing to carry. If an agent cannot walk you through this table and point to the row that fits you, they are not running a move-up, they are running a listing and hoping.
What questions should you ask before you hire a move-up agent in Chandler?
- "Walk me through how you would sequence my sale and my purchase. What is the order, and what happens if the sale is slow?"
- "Which of the four bridge options do you think fits my situation, and why?"
- "When do you want me talking to a lender?" (The answer should be "before we list.")
- "Who runs the transaction day to day, and how will I get updates?"
- "How do you price my current home so it sells on the timeline we need without leaving money on the table?"
- "Have you coordinated two closings for the same client before? What went wrong, and how did you handle it?"
You are listening for a specific plan, not reassurance. "Don't worry, it always works out" is not a plan.
What are the common mistakes move-up sellers make?
- Listing before talking to a lender. You find out what you can afford after you are already committed to selling. Do it in the other order.
- Assuming your equity is higher than it is. Between the payoff, commissions, and closing costs, net proceeds are usually 7 to 9 percent below the sale price. Get the real number early.
- Pricing the current home for the market you wish you had. Chandler prices softened in the last year. A home priced for 2024 sits, and a sitting home wrecks the timing of the whole move.
- Waiting for the "perfect" next home before selling. In a tight-inventory market that home may not exist this month, and holding your sale for it can cost you your buyer.
- Choosing the agent who quotes the highest list price. The highest number in the listing presentation is often the one least connected to what buyers are actually paying.
What does a move-up look like when it goes right? (Example)
A Chandler family in a home they bought in 2019 has outgrown it. They want a fourth bedroom and a bigger yard, and they can go up to about $700,000.
Before listing, their agent runs the numbers: the current home should net them roughly $190,000 after payoff and costs. Combined with their savings and income, the lender approves them for $720,000. Supply is tight, so the agent recommends a rent-back: list now, price to sell in the first two weeks, and negotiate 45 days to stay after closing.
The home sells in 11 days. During the rent-back window, the family tours and makes an offer on a $685,000 home, using the sale proceeds for the down payment. Both closings happen 40 days apart. They move once, from the old house to the new one, and never carry two mortgages.
That outcome is not luck. It is the plan working because it was built before the sign went in the yard.
What should you do next?
If you are thinking about moving up in Chandler, start with the numbers, not the listings. Ask for the Home-First Move-Up Plan: a look at your net proceeds, your buying power, the likely timing, and the bridge option that fits, so you know whether the move works before you commit to any part of it.
Contact Stephanie Pondevie at (480) 264-0075 or visit https://yourhomecomesfirst.com. Stephanie is a real estate agent with eXp Realty in Chandler, Arizona, holds the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR) and Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) designations, has more than 12 years in Arizona real estate, and speaks English, Spanish, and French.
Frequently asked questions
Should I sell my Chandler home before I buy the next one?
Usually the safer order is to know your sale is handled (under contract, or closed with a rent-back) before you are contractually committed to buying. But if you have strong equity and can qualify for two loans, buying first with a bridge loan can let you move once. The right order depends on your equity and your tolerance for carrying two payments.
How much equity do I need to move up?
Enough to cover the down payment on the next home plus your selling costs, which typically run 7 to 9 percent of the sale price. The exact number depends on the next home's price and your loan. An agent and a lender can give you the real figure before you list.
What if my home does not sell in time?
This is why the plan includes a fallback. Options include extending your rent-back, using a bridge loan to close on the new home anyway, or adjusting the price on your current home. The point of mapping it in advance is that you are choosing from options instead of reacting to a crisis.
Can Stephanie give me legal, tax, or lending advice?
No. Stephanie explains the real estate process and coordinates the moving parts. Use a qualified attorney, CPA, and mortgage lender for legal, tax, and financing advice. Part of a move-up agent's job is bringing those professionals in at the right time.
Does this apply to every move-up in Chandler?
No. Your equity, your financing, the condition and price point of your current home, and the inventory when you list all change the right approach. The plan is built around your specific situation, not a template.
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