How do people sell the house they live in and move to a new house, when the only way they can pay for the new house is with the proceeds from the sale of the current house?
It seems like a chicken-and-egg problem.
If you shop for a new house first, then put your current house on the market when you find a new house, you could lose the new house if the current house cannot be sold in time.
If you put your current house on the market before you find a new house, you might have to close the deal on the current house and move out before you have a chance to find a new house.
Ordinarily, I would say that the latter scenario is workable. "Simply" find an apartment or house to rent month-to-month in the interim.
However, month-to-month rentals are hard to find, and breaking a lease is risky (added cost). More to the point, the house owner has serious medical problems that makes moving very difficult; read: once is tolerable, twice in a short time is painful. And it is unclear that her needs can be met when living in a small apartment -- especially if there are stairs; read: it might be difficult to find the "right" apartment in short order.
I'm sure many people face this problem. How is solved, typically?