2026 Billings Montana Real Estate Checklist for Buying & Selling at the Same Time
If you’re planning to make a move in 2026, there’s a good chance you’re not just buying or selling – you’re doing both. And while buying and selling at the same time can feel overwhelming, that’s one of the things that we’ve reallyyyyy figured out over here!
So many of our clients in Billings have done (or are in the middle of) doing the same and after years of working with people in this situation, we have our buying and selling at the same time process down to a tee.
With the right strategy, preparation, and support, buying and selling a home at the same time is 100% possible and it doesn’t have to be as stressful as you might think!
Here in Billings, the real estate market is continuing to evolve as we head into 2026, so if you’re finally thinking about making moves, now is the time to get your plan in place. Buyers are being more intentional, sellers are more informed than ever, and timing matters more in our local market than most people realize.
So whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, moving closer to town, or shifting to a home that better fits your lifestyle, this blog post serves as your year-end checklist to help you enter 2026 confident, prepared, and ready to make your move!
How To Buy and Sell Houses at the Same Time
Before we get into the checklist side of things to help you prepare for buying and selling at the same time in 2026, let’s quickly talk about how this process even works.
It’s important to note that every real estate agent will navigate this differently and I’m not saying this is the only way to make this happen, but from personal experience, it’s pretty effective.
When a client comes to me wanting to buy a new house and sell their current house at the same time, we always start in the same place: PREP!
The first thing I want my clients to do is to prepare their house for listing… but here’s the kicker: we’re not actually going to list it quiteeee yet.
And there's a good reason for this that I’ll get to in a minute!
During this preparation stage, I’ll connect you with my stager and she will give you a checklist of things to do to ensure that the house is properly prepped and ready for listing when it’s time.
The biggest advantage to this is that when it is time to list, we can easily do so within 2-3 days because you’ve already done the hard work up front.
Once your current home is prepped for listing, then we move into the house hunting phase.
So that I can help you find your dream home quickly, we’ll first meet for a buyer’s consultation where we’ll cover things like:
Buyers needs and preferences
Buyer education and expectations
Market review
Establish a working relationship
After I have a clear understanding of what you’re looking for, I’ll strategically set up tours for homes that match your wishes and when you find the home you want to buy, we’ll structure an offer that essentially gives all of us breathing room for the selling process.
Here’s the secret sauce (in my humble opinion): we DON’T list your current home until you find the new home you want to buy.
This gives us the ability to buy and sell contingently – meaning there’s a set of conditions that must be met for the transaction to proceed. Contingencies provide a way for either party to back out of the deal without facing legal consequences if the specified conditions are not satisfied.
In this case, the contingency for buying your new home will be based on your current home selling and the contingency for selling your current home will typically include your offer on the new home being accepted AND a game plan for occupancy.
Essentially what we’re doing here is viewing the two transactions as ONE, because you aren’t willing to do one without the other.
The reason I choose to navigate buying and selling a home at the same time like this is because as a buyer and seller, your most common concern is often going to be about the “in between.”
If your current house sells before you buy a new one, where will you live and where will you put your stuff in the meantime? On the flipside, if you buy a new home before your current home sells, how will you cover all the costs associated?
It causes a lot of unnecessary stress when the process is treated as two separate transactions, and even though technically they are separate, I believe that we can navigate them differently in order to avoid some of the “in between” questions like above!
Your 2026 Billings, Montana Real Estate Checklist
Now, let’s get into how you can start preparing NOW if you’re planning on buying, selling, or both in 2026:
Get Pre-Approved With Updated 2026 Lending Guidelines
This is the first place that every buyer needs to start – even if you’ve bought before!
Lending changes every year, especially in Montana where loan limits and buyer incentives shift quickly, so a 2026 pre-approval gives you:
An updated budget
Clarity on rates and monthly payments
Insight into whether a bridge loan or HELOC is possible
An advantage when competing for a home
For a closer look at the different loan options (and who they’re ideally for), click here!
Meet With a Trusted, Local Agent
After meeting with a local lender and getting things moving for your pre-approval, you’ll want to connect with a trusted, local agent that can help you navigate the process of buying, selling, or both!
When it comes to buying and selling a home at the same time, it’s a high-coordination process and having an experienced local agent on your side is KEY! They will be the person guiding the timing, pricing, negotiation strategy, and market expectations makes everything smoother.
A local agent can also help you:
✔️ navigate the various communities in the area so you start house hunting in the neighborhoods that are a good fit for your preferences and skip the rest (this is what our Ultimate Community Guide is for!)
✔️ understand what buyers are currently prioritizing
✔️ know how to position your home competitively
Overall, your agent is going to the person that becomes your strategist, timeline manager, and advocate every step of the way.
Prepare Your Home for a 2026-Level Buyer
If you’re planning to sell your home in 2026, starting to prepare now is a smart move! Today’s buyers expect homes to be clean, well-staged, move-in ready, and fairly updated!
So as you’re preparing your home to list, consider:
touching up paint
having your home professionally cleaned
fixing minor repairs
decluttering (here’s a Billings, MT rec!)
doing pre-inspection fixes to get in front of things that you know will likely come up
These early steps can potentially thousands back into your pocket when it’s time to list!
Build Your “Non-Negotiables” List for Your Next Home
Since you’ll be actively selling your current home, your buying search should be as focused as possible.
When you meet with the real estate agent you’ll be using, they’ll likely want to discuss your needs and preferences for your new home, so it's a good idea to go ahead and be thinking about things like:
How many bedrooms and bathrooms are a MUST?
Is a backyard a deal breaker?
Single-family home, condo, or townhouse?
Preferred location?
Features and amenities?
What’s your ideal budget?
Go ahead and start jotting down all of your must-haves, nice-to-haves, and total deal breakers so you can start the buying process with as much precise criteria as possible, making the whole thing much smoother!
Prepare to Negotiate Strategically
Lastly, when buying and selling at the same time, it’s important to understand that negotiation is everything and it’s wise to start preparing for this strategically.
Before entering the buying and selling process, you may want to familiarize yourself with common negotiation strategies so that you aren’t surprised by them when/if they come up during your buying or selling process.
Common negotiation strategies include:
A rent-back agreement
Flexible closing terms
Contingent or non-contingent offers
Incentives for buyers or sellers to make the move seamless
This is where experience matters and working with a knowledgeable agent will give you more peace of mind by trusting that they can position you for success on both sides of the transaction!
Ready To Buy and Sell At The Same Time in Billings, MT?
Overall, buying and selling at the same time doesn’t have to feel overwhelming, especially when you start preparing ahead of the new year. With the right strategy and the right agent, you can transition into a new home with confidence, clarity, and far less stress than you might think!
If you want help creating a personalized plan for your 2026 move, I’d love to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or relocating to Billings, we can build a strategy that fits your goals and timeline.
CLICK HERE to get started and let’s make moves. 🏠🔑📦🚚
P.S. Are you buying and selling a home at the same time in different states? CLICK HERE for a full breakdown of what that process can look like!