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HomeLight Alternative in Massachusetts: How to Buy Before You Sell Without It

Reviewed by Gaetano Ciambriello, NMLS #1783508 · Updated October 2026

If you've been reading about HomeLight's Buy Before You Sell program and your current home is in Massachusetts, there's one fact you need first: HomeLight says the program is operational in every state except Alaska, Massachusetts, and New York. Here's what that means, and how Massachusetts homeowners buy before they sell anyway, with a local lender's bridge loans in Massachusetts.

Short version

HomeLight's Buy Before You Sell isn't offered in Massachusetts, per HomeLight's own agent and lender pages. The practical alternative is a bridge loan from a lender that lends its own money. AFC's bridge can fund as soon as 7 business days after approval, gives you up to 12 months to sell with any agent you choose, and is priced on what you borrow: 2.5% origination plus 1% per month that accrues only while the loan is open.

  • HomeLight Buy Before You Sell: not available in Massachusetts (HomeLight's agent and lender pages, checked October 2026)
  • AFC bridge: 2.5% origination, 1% per month accruing interest, $3,250 flat fees, up to 12 months, no prepayment penalty, no backup purchase
  • AFC Cash Offer: up to 100% financing in your name, funded as soon as 7 business days after approval

No obligation and no credit pull to see your numbers.

See What You'd Qualify For

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HomeLight Buy Before You Sell vs AFC Bridge Loan in Massachusetts

CompareHomeLight Buy Before You SellAFC bridge loan (Massachusetts)
Available for a Massachusetts home you're selling?No. HomeLight states the program "is operational in all states except Alaska, Massachusetts, and New York."Yes, statewide. AFC is licensed in Massachusetts.
How the cost is set (where available)A flat 2.4% of the departing home's sale price, plus $1,500 without HomeLight Closing Services.2.5% origination on the amount borrowed, plus a flat $3,200 in attorney and processing fees and a $50 wire fee.
InterestNot listed on HomeLight's help center pages.1% per month, accrues and is settled at payoff. Nothing due monthly.
Time to sell120 days (where available).Up to 12 months.
If it doesn't sellHomeLight buys at the loan payoff value and relists (where available).No backup purchase. You keep the home and keep selling at market.
ClosingNot applicable in Massachusetts.Massachusetts closings are attorney-run; our Approval Team works directly with your closing attorney to hit the date.
Who you talk toNot applicable in Massachusetts.AFC's Home Finance Advisor and Approval Team, licensed in Massachusetts.

Sources for HomeLight figures, checked October 1, 2026: agents.homelight.com/buy-before-you-sell ("Buy Before You Sell is operational in all states except Alaska, Massachusetts, and New York. (Certain zip code exclusions apply.)"); lenders.homelight.com ("available nationwide with the following exceptions: Alaska, Massachusetts, and, New York"); HomeLight Agent Help Center (2.4% program fee, 120-day window, purchase at Loan Payoff Value) and Pricing & Fees ($1,500 closing-services fee). HomeLight's markets and terms can change; confirm directly with HomeLight. HomeLight is not affiliated with AFC Mortgage Group.

A Worked Example From Greater Boston

You own a $900,000 home in Needham with a $350,000 balance, and you're buying a $1,150,000 home in Wellesley. You need $250,000 for the down payment and costs before your Needham home sells. It sells three months after you close.

Line itemAFC bridge loan
Amount borrowed$250,000
Origination (2.5%)$6,250
Flat fees (attorney, processing, wire)$3,250
Interest over 3 months (1% per month, accrues)$7,500
Approximate total at 3 months$17,000
If it takes 6 months$24,500
Monthly payment while your home is listed$0. Everything is settled when it sells.

For reference: in states where HomeLight's program does operate, a 2.4% fee on a $900,000 sale would be $21,600 before any closing-services fee. In Massachusetts that comparison is academic. The real choice is between a bridge loan, a HELOC on the home you're selling, or selling first.

Illustrative only. Uses AFC's representative bridge terms (2.5% origination, 1% per month accruing interest, $3,250 in attorney, processing, and wire fees). Excludes third-party costs (appraisal, Registry of Deeds recording) and your new mortgage. The Massachusetts deed excise tax is paid by the seller at your sale, a cost of the sale, not of the bridge. Your rate, fees, and eligibility depend on credit, equity, and market conditions. Not a commitment to lend.

Your Massachusetts Options, Side by Side

  • Bridge loan: fastest, no monthly payment, up to 12 months. Best when you need the money now and the sale is coming soon.
  • HELOC on your current home: a lower rate, but many lenders won't open a line on a home that's listed for sale, and the monthly payment starts right away. See Bridge Loan vs HELOC in Massachusetts.
  • Sell first, then buy: cheapest on paper, but in a tight Greater Boston market it usually means a contingent offer, a rental in between, or a second move.
  • Need more than a down payment?AFC's Cash Offer Program finances up to 100% of the next home in your name, so your offer competes with cash.

Real results: 90 bridge loans funded · median 59 days to payoff · 0 defaults. Watertown, MA: $825K bridge, in and out in two months.

★★★★★ 4.9 · 461+ Google Reviews · Direct lender · Family-owned since 1998 · NMLS #2801 · Equal Housing Lender

HomeLight Alternative in Massachusetts: Frequently Asked Questions

Is HomeLight Buy Before You Sell available in Massachusetts?
No. HomeLight's agent and lender pages say the program is operational in every state except Alaska, Massachusetts, and New York. Check HomeLight's site for current availability, since markets change.
What's the closest alternative in Massachusetts?
A bridge loan from a lender licensed in Massachusetts that lends its own money. It does the same job, unlocking your current home's equity so you can make a non-contingent offer, without a program fee tied to your sale price or a fixed window to sell.
What does AFC's bridge loan cost?
A 2.5% origination fee on the amount you borrow, interest at 1% per month that accrues and is paid at payoff, and a flat $3,200 in attorney and processing fees plus a $50 wire fee. No prepayment penalty and no minimum interest, so a faster sale costs less.
Do I have to use a particular agent?
No. AFC's bridge works with any agent and any Massachusetts closing attorney you choose.
How fast can AFC close in Massachusetts?
As soon as 7 business days after approval. Massachusetts closings are attorney-run, and our Approval Team coordinates directly with your closing attorney.
What if I need more than a down payment?
AFC's Cash Offer Program finances up to 100% of the next home in your name, so your offer competes with cash buyers.

See What a Massachusetts Bridge Loan Looks Like for You

Two minutes, no SSN, no hard credit pull. See our Massachusetts bridge loans page for every line of cost, or run your numbers in the bridge loan calculator.

See What You'd Qualify For

Bridge Loan Disclosures — AFC Mortgage Group, LLC

AFC Mortgage Group, LLC offers short-term bridge loans secured by a recorded lien on real estate (your current home, the new property, or both). These are secured real-estate loans — not unsecured personal or consumer loans.

No Prepayment Penalty & No Minimum Interest

There is no prepayment penalty and no minimum interest. Interest is charged only for the time your loan is actually outstanding — pay it off early and you only pay interest for the days you used the money.

Representative Example

A bridge loan of $250,000 with a 12-month term: interest accrues at 1% per month (12% annually) and is paid at payoff rather than monthly; a 2.5% origination fee ($6,250) plus approximately $3,250 in attorney, processing, and wire fees are charged at closing. Held the full 12 months, that equals an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of approximately 16.4% — total interest of $30,000 and total cost of credit of approximately $39,500, plus repayment of the $250,000 principal at maturity (balloon). Because there is no prepayment penalty or minimum interest, paying off earlier costs less — e.g., a payoff at 6 months accrues roughly $15,000 in interest instead of $30,000.

Most bridge loans are paid off within a few months: on the same $250,000 loan paid off at 3 months, total interest is approximately $7,500, for a total cost of credit of roughly $17,000 (the $6,250 origination and $3,250 in fees are unchanged) — less than half the full-term figure. The approximately 16.4% APR above is calculated on the required 12-month basis; your actual cost depends on how long the loan remains outstanding.

Terms at a Glance

AFC Mortgage Group, LLC — licensed mortgage lender. NMLS #2801, licensed in MA, Equal Housing Opportunity. Rates, terms, and fees are examples only and vary by loan size, LTV, credit, and market conditions. Not a commitment to lend; all loans subject to credit and collateral approval.