Five Offers Lost, Then the Right House: A Chesterfield Family's Move to Chester

Curt Reichstetter

Sep 25

2 min read

When your offer depends on selling your current home, you can lose to buyers whose offers don't. A growing Chesterfield family lost five houses that way before we changed the plan and helped them win the right one in Chester.

The Situation

The family had outgrown their Chesterfield starter home and wanted more space and a larger yard. They started looking in 2025, paused, and started again in spring 2026. Five offers fell short, each one because it was contingent on selling their existing home.

The Plan

A lender identified a bridge-loan option using the equity in their current home. That let them make a non-contingent offer on a Chester home listed through MLS and buy before their Chesterfield home sold.

What We Coordinated

We handled the offer structure, purchase timing, an immediate listing plan for the Chesterfield home, inspections, repairs and both closings, so each piece landed in the right order.

The Result

The Chester purchase closed just above list price. The family owned both homes for about two weeks before their Chesterfield home closed, and they moved into the space their growing family needed.

Read the Full Case Study

The complete story, with the timeline and what we would tell another family in the same spot, is on our case study page: Chesterfield to Chester Move-Up Case Study. You can also browse all of our case studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do sale-contingent offers lose in the Richmond area?

When sellers have choices, many pick the offer that doesn't depend on another home selling first. This family lost five offers for exactly that reason.

How can a bridge loan help a move-up buyer?

It draws on the equity in your current home so you can make a non-contingent offer. Here it let the family buy in Chester first and sell their Chesterfield home afterward. A lender can tell you whether it fits your situation.

How long did the family own both homes?

About two weeks. Their Chester purchase closed first, and their Chesterfield home closed roughly two weeks later.