Should I sell my home before buying a smaller one?

Selling before buying a smaller home avoids carrying two mortgages at once and gives a firm budget for the next purchase, at the cost of needing temporary housing if the timing does not align. Buying first avoids that temporary move but can require a bridge loan or a contingent offer that not every seller will accept. Brian Beatty sequences both sides so a household is not stuck paying for two homes longer than necessary.