How do I handle moving day when buying and selling on the same day?

The ideal timeline for a same-day close

1. Close on your sale in the morning (9-10 AM)
2. Close on your purchase in the afternoon (2-3 PM)
3. Movers arrive at your old home after the morning closing
4. Deliver to new home after afternoon closing confirms

What can go wrong:

• Funding delays (the buyer's lender is slow)
• Wire transfer issues (they happen more than you'd think)
• Title issues discovered at the last minute
• The seller of your new home hasn't moved out yet

My preparation checklist:

1. Pack everything before closing day. You should be ready to move with 2 hours' notice.
2. Book movers who are flexible. Let them know the timeline is dependent on closings.
3. Have a backup plan. If closings don't align, where do you and your stuff go that night?
4. Request morning funding on your sale. This gives you the proceeds for your afternoon purchase.
5. Get keys at closing, not after. Some attorneys hold keys until funding confirms. Negotiate key release at signing.

The best same-day closings I've done? They happened because we planned for everything that could go wrong — and then it all went right.