How Brentwood's 55+ Buyers Are Financing a Trilogy Move

I hear the same question at the Trilogy clubhouse, at line dancing, over the fence: "Margie, do I have to sell my Brentwood house before I can buy here?" The person asking usually owns their home outright, or close to it, has found the floor plan they want, and is afraid of losing it while they wait on a sale.

After over 30 years on the lending, title, and escrow side of this business, before I ever held a real estate license, financing is where I spend more time with clients than almost anything else. Below is how the three paths work, and where each one can trip you up.

Why are more Brentwood movers paying cash?

Equity is the primary driver for many Brentwood movers. If you bought your Brentwood home ten, fifteen, twenty years ago, there is a good chance you have built enough to buy your next home outright, and a growing share of my clients are doing exactly that.

According to NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 30% of repeat buyers nationwide paid all cash last year, and the median down payment among repeat buyers who did finance was 23%, the highest share since 2003.

With 30-year mortgage rates averaging 6.69% as of the first week of August, paying cash means skipping a new monthly payment entirely. For clients whose Brentwood home is their biggest asset, that is often the simplest, lowest-risk path into a single-story Trilogy home. It is also the fastest way to compete, since a cash offer does not wait on an appraisal or a lender's underwriting timeline.

A bridge loan buys you time, at a price

A bridge loan lets you borrow against the equity in your current Brentwood home to fund the down payment on your new one. This allows you to close on your Trilogy home before your old one sells. Per Bankrate, bridge loan terms usually run six to twelve months, and most require at least 15% to 20% equity. Rates typically range from the prime rate up to prime plus two percentage points.

Bridge loan basics

• Term: usually six to twelve months
• Equity required: at least 15% to 20% in your current home, with most lenders
• Rate: typically prime, up to prime plus two percentage points
• What lenders want to see: a signed listing agreement on the home you are selling
• The risk: if your Brentwood home does not sell on schedule, you are carrying two properties

I recommend a bridge loan to clients who need to buy before they sell to secure their preferred floor plan. The tradeoff is real: if your Brentwood home does not sell as fast as expected, you are carrying two properties while the clock on a short-term loan runs.

So I walk every client through a realistic sale timeline for their specific street before they sign anything. Not the county average, and not the number a lender penciled in to make the loan work. An optimistic estimate is how homeowners end up under financial pressure six months in.

Could a HELOC or home equity loan work instead?

A HELOC or home equity loan can sometimes be a more favorable alternative to a bridge loan. A home equity line of credit (HELOC) draws on your equity like a credit card, where you are only charged interest on what you use. A home equity loan provides a lump sum, typically at more favorable rates than a bridge loan.

The trap is timing. You may be ineligible for a HELOC on a house that is already listed for sale. If a HELOC is part of your plan, that is a conversation to have with your lender before your Brentwood home hits the market, not after. I have watched sellers wait until the sign was in the yard to ask, and by then the answer had changed.

What is a HECM for Purchase, and who qualifies?

For buyers 62 and older, a HECM for Purchase lets you buy your next home without a required monthly principal-and-interest payment. This FHA-insured reverse mortgage uses a mix of cash and loan proceeds. You will still need to keep current on property taxes, insurance, and upkeep, and the home must be your primary residence.

HECM for Purchase, 2026

The federal maximum claim amount for a HECM rose to $1,249,125 for 2026.

Well above what most Trilogy resales require. Source: HUD/FHA 2026 loan limits announcement.

$1,249,125

2026 HECM maximum claim amount

You will need cash to cover the gap between loan proceeds and the purchase price, and HUD-approved counseling is mandatory. For clients who want to preserve cash long-term, it deserves a serious look. Most people hear "reverse mortgage" and picture a loan on a home they already own. The purchase version is the same FHA-insured program pointed at a new home, in a single transaction, and it exists for exactly the kind of move a Brentwood-to-Trilogy buyer is making.

Financing and HOA timing collide at Trilogy

None of these steps is difficult on its own. What goes wrong is that each one is handled by a different party who does not know the others exist. Somebody has to hold the whole calendar, and in my transactions that somebody is me. What is in the packet, and how long it takes, is in Trilogy HOA resale disclosures.

Which financing path fits your move?

The right financing path depends on your equity, your timeline, and how long you plan to stay. Cash is best for speed. A bridge loan or HELOC offers flexibility if you must buy before selling. A HECM for Purchase is built for buyers over 62 who want to preserve cash. All three are legitimate tools when used correctly.

If Prop 19 is part of your move, it is worth understanding how it affects your property taxes before you pick a path. My guide on Don't Overpay Property Taxes When You Downsize explains how to carry your tax base to Trilogy. For floor plan and fee details, the 2026 Buyer's Guide is the place to start.

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Tell me which Trilogy floor plan you have your eye on and roughly what you owe on the Brentwood house, and I'll map out which of these three paths gets you to a competitive offer, and how many weeks of lead time each one needs before you write it.

(925) 200-0717 — I spent over 30 years on the lending side before I sold a single home, so the loan question is one I would rather hear early.

This post is for general informational purposes only and is not financial, lending, or tax advice. Loan program terms, rates, and limits change frequently and vary by lender. Consult a licensed loan officer or HUD-approved housing counselor for guidance specific to your situation.

Margie Lupo, Broker Associate, SRES® · eXp Realty of Northern California, Inc. · DRE #01193496 · Brokerage DRE #02188495 · Equal Housing Opportunity

Sources

• National Association of Realtors, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (published November 2025, covering transactions July 2024–June 2025) — share of repeat buyers paying all cash, median repeat-buyer down payment.
• Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey — 30-year fixed rate, week of August 6, 2026.
• Bankrate, "What is a bridge loan and how does it work?" (published January 28, 2026) — bridge loan terms, equity requirements, and rate ranges.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "Can I use a reverse mortgage loan to buy a home?" — HECM for Purchase age, residency, and cash-to-close requirements.
• HUD/FHA, "HUD's Federal Housing Administration Announces 2026 Loan Limits" — 2026 HECM maximum claim amount.