Selling in the GTA and buying in London: how to time it

Last reviewed October 30, 2026

For most people moving from Toronto or the GTA to London, the hardest part isn't choosing a neighbourhood. It's coordinating two transactions in two different markets. Get it wrong and you either carry two homes at once, or you end up with a sold home and nowhere to live. This page explains the common approaches in plain language. It's general information, not financial or legal advice, so run your specific plan past your lender and your lawyer.

Three ways to sequence it

1. Sell first, then buy

You sell your GTA home, firm up the sale, then shop in London knowing exactly how much money you have.

• Pros: No risk of owning two homes. You can shop with certainty about your budget, and your offers will be "clean" (no sale condition).
• Cons: Pressure to find a London home before your closing date. If you don't, you'll need temporary housing and possibly storage.
• Works best when: the GTA market is slower than the London market, or you have flexibility on where you stay for a few months.

2. Buy first, then sell

You find and firm up your London home, then list your GTA property.

• Pros: You get the home you want without time pressure on the search.
• Cons: If your GTA home takes longer to sell, or sells for less than expected, you may carry two homes or need bridge financing.
• Works best when: you have strong equity and lender support, and your GTA home is the kind that sells reliably.

3. Run both at once

You list in the GTA and search in London at the same time, aiming to firm up both within a few weeks of each other. This is the most common approach. It takes more coordination, but it usually gives the best balance of risk and choice.

What bridge financing is (and isn't)

A bridge loan is a short-term loan that covers the gap when your new home closes before your old one. It lets you use the equity in the home you've already sold (firmly, with a set closing date) toward the down payment on the new one, for a few days or weeks.

Key things to understand:

• Lenders generally offer bridge financing only once your existing home is firmly sold. It's not a way to buy before you've sold at all.
• Bridge periods are short. The maximum length, interest rate and fees vary by lender, so ask yours early.
• If you haven't sold yet and want to buy, that's a different conversation. It might be a home equity line of credit, or qualifying to carry both mortgages. Not everyone qualifies.

A mortgage broker or your bank can tell you exactly what's available to you. Ask about this in your first conversation, not your last.

Making an offer "conditional on the sale of your property"

In Ontario, a buyer can make an offer conditional on selling their existing home. In a balanced or slower market, sellers may accept this. In a competitive one, it can weaken your offer considerably. Sellers who accept it often add an "escape clause": if they get another offer, you have a short window (often 24–72 hours) to remove your condition or step aside.

Whether this is realistic in London right now depends on the neighbourhood, price point and season. A local agent will know how sellers are reacting to these conditions this month, which is something you can't learn from listings alone.

Lining up closing dates

The ideal setup for most movers:

1. Your London purchase closes first, typically a few business days before your GTA sale.
2. That short overlap is covered by a bridge loan, if needed.
3. You move on a weekday between the two dates, with keys at both ends.

Avoid closing both on the same day if you can. Funds move between lawyers, and same-day closings can stall if one transaction is late, which can leave a moving truck parked on the street.

Costs on each side

One often-missed option: if your mortgage is portable, you may be able to move your existing rate and terms to the London home and avoid a prepayment penalty. Ask your lender before you list.

For a deeper look at seller costs, see the cost of selling a home on our sister site. The Ontario-wide pieces apply in the GTA too.

Your two-city team

You'll typically need a GTA listing agent, a London buyer's agent, and one real estate lawyer who can often handle both transactions. Having one lawyer manage both closings makes coordinating dates and funds much simpler. Introduce everyone early and make sure each person knows the other transaction's dates.