[Home](https://realestateworks.com/) → [Cities](https://realestateworks.com/cities) → [San Marino](https://realestateworks.com/cities/san-marino) # Should I sell my San Marino house before I buy another one? Selling first gives you certainty about your proceeds, while buying first lets you move once but means carrying two homes for a while. Which fits you depends on your equity, your loan options and how firm your dates are, and if you're 55 or older, Prop 19's timing and value rules may favor one order. Published November 1, 2026 · Updated November 1, 2026 By Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914 · RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 [Journal](https://realestateworks.com/journal) · selling ## What is the case for selling first, and for buying first? **Selling first.** You shop knowing your real budget, not an estimate. Your offer on the next home doesn't hinge on a sale, which some sellers won't accept. You avoid carrying two mortgages and two sets of housing costs. The cost is a possible gap: you may need a rent-back from your buyer, a short-term rental, or storage between homes. **Buying first.** One move, timed by you, and time to choose the next place. The cost is carrying both houses until the San Marino home closes, and the risk that the sale takes longer or brings less than you planned. Bridge financing or a home equity line can make this possible for some owners; a lender can tell you what's available to you. ## How does Prop 19 change the order if you're 55 or older? Under Prop 19, homeowners who are at least 55, severely disabled, or whose home was hit by wildfire or a natural disaster may transfer the taxable value of their principal residence to a replacement anywhere in California, up to three times for those 55 and older. The State Board of Equalization explains how the order of the two purchases matters. “Equal or lesser value” means the replacement costs up to 100% of the original home's value if bought before the sale, up to 105% if bought in the first year after, and up to 110% in the second year; any amount above that is added to the transferred value. If you buy first, you pay property tax on the replacement's full value until the original home sells, with no refund for that period. The claim is filed with the county assessor where the replacement is located after both transactions close; it is not handled through escrow. The BOE lists April 1, 2021 as the date these rules took effect, and the replacement must be purchased or newly built within two years of the sale of the original home. Rules and fees as of November 1, 2026; they change, so check the official source. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. So under the BOE's rules, a buy-first plan can cost more in property tax for a few months and gives you less room on the replacement's price. The BOE itself recommends consulting an attorney for your specific case. For a general overview, see [How does Prop 19 affect selling or inheriting a home in California?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/how-does-prop-19-affect-selling-or-inheriting-a-home) ## Why does the answer depend on your home? What decides the order is how much your San Marino home will bring and on what timeline. That depends on: - recent sales of comparable homes nearby - your home's condition and any work it needs before listing - how much you owe on it - the price range of the home you want next A home value review gives you an opinion of value for your address, based on recent nearby sales, so you can compare the two plans in dollars. Then I can help you sketch a timeline that lines up both closings. It's a personal review of your address by Sidney Manzo, in real estate since 1990, not an automated estimate. No obligation to list. **Request my home value review** ## Questions homeowners ask next **Can I still use Prop 19 if I buy before I sell?** The Board of Equalization says yes, if the original home is sold within two years of buying the replacement and the other requirements are met. The catch is cost: you pay property tax on the replacement's full value until the original sells, with no refund for that period. Per the BOE, a replacement bought first also has the tightest value limit, so compare both orders with a tax adviser before you commit. **How much can the replacement home cost under Prop 19?** To transfer the base year value with no added amount, the Board of Equalization says the replacement can cost up to 100% of the original home's value if bought before the sale, up to 105% if bought in the first year after the sale, and up to 110% if bought in the second year. Any amount above that limit is added to the transferred value, so your new tax bill would be higher. **Is the Prop 19 transfer done in escrow?** No. The Board of Equalization says the claim is filed with the county assessor where the replacement home is located, after both transactions are complete and you live there. Per the BOE, the base year transfer is a separate claim, not an escrow item. Keep your closing documents for both homes together, since the assessor will ask about both, and ask an attorney or tax adviser if your case is unusual. **What is the trade-off of selling first?** Selling first means you shop with your real budget and your next offer doesn't depend on a sale, which some sellers won't accept. You also avoid carrying two mortgages and two sets of housing costs. The cost is a possible gap between homes, which owners cover with a rent-back from their buyer, a short-term rental or storage. Line that up before your San Marino sale closes. **What is the trade-off of buying first?** Buying first gives you one move, timed by you, and time to choose the next place. The cost is carrying both houses until the San Marino home closes, plus the risk that the sale takes longer or brings less than you planned. Bridge financing or a home equity line can make it possible for some owners, and a lender can tell you what's available to you. Thinking about selling in San Marino? Sidney will prepare a home value review. [Request my home value review](https://realestateworks.com/valuation?city=san-marino#valuation-form) ## Sources - [boe.ca.gov/prop19/](https://www.boe.ca.gov/prop19/) ## Who can help me sell in San Marino? Sidney Manzo, your local agent in San Marino, can prepare your home value review, price the home and guide the sale. Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914, licensed in California; 155+ closed sales; RE/MAX Hall of Fame; member of the Pasadena Foothills Association of REALTORS® (PFAR) and C.A.R. [About Sidney Manzo](https://realestateworks.com/about) · [Request my home value review](https://realestateworks.com/valuation?city=san-marino#valuation-form). RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 This note is not an appraisal and not legal, tax, or foreclosure advice. Nothing on this page creates a listing agreement. Equal Housing Opportunity. ## More questions about selling in San Marino - [How much is my San Marino home worth?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/how-much-is-my-san-marino-home-worth) - [How much will I net if I sell my San Marino house?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/how-much-will-i-net-if-i-sell-my-san-marino-house) - [How does Prop 19 affect selling or inheriting a home in California?](https://realestateworks.com/journal/how-does-prop-19-affect-selling-or-inheriting-a-home) [How do I sell my house in San Marino?](https://realestateworks.com/cities/san-marino) --- Sidney Manzo, CA DRE #01108914 · RE/MAX Dream Properties (ASLG Inc), CA DRE #02142193 · (626) 296-2900 Source page: https://realestateworks.com/journal/should-i-sell-my-san-marino-house-before-i-buy-another-one