I've been exactly where you are.
By Teri McKay
I'm Teri McKay, a Central Coast real estate agent, wife to RJ, and mom to our daughter and son. I've called the Central Coast home for 22 years, including living in Arroyo Grande before our family moved to Nipomo. My connection to this area is personal, from outings in the Village to navigating school routines and finding the places we love spending time together.
I started in real estate lending in 2008 and began selling homes in 2014. Today, I help buyers and sellers throughout San Luis Obispo County and the Santa Maria Valley, with a special passion for helping people whose homes no longer fit their lives. Having made that move myself, I understand how emotional it can be to leave a home you love while making room for your next chapter.
So, sell first or buy first? I have so been there.
Not long ago, my family decided it was time to move. I broke down the financials, set up a plan and got RJ on board. The very next day, the home we're in now popped up. We toured it that Saturday with both kids, and we knew it was it.
I had to sell first in order to buy, so we wrote a contingent offer and I signed my own listing agreement. In 11 days I got the entire house painted, staged it, resurfaced the deck, painted the front door, decluttered and moved everything out, with a three-year-old and a nine-month-old, while working as a busy agent. I do everything I ask my sellers to do, times a hundred.
We went on the market on a Thursday, had a broker caravan Friday and open houses Saturday and Sunday. I had three offers by Monday and accepted one over asking. The sellers accepted our contingent offer too.
Was it stressful? Absolutely. Both escrows ran 45 days, and I woke up at 2 a.m. most nights hoping everything would go through. It did. We've been in our new home since March 1, 2026, in the neighborhood we always wanted, with a great mix of young families and retirees. So when you tell me you're nervous about timing two moves, I get it.
The places we actually go
I've put my Central Coast favorites on their own page — the Village, the beaches, the farmers markets, wine tasting, and the spots we love with the kids. See my Central Coast favorites.
What would working together look like?
I start by comparing three possible sequences: selling first, buying first if your lender confirms it is feasible, or considering a purchase tied to the sale. Then we look at preparation, timing and a fallback plan.
I also like taking an ordinary weekday drive through an area. A lovely house still needs to work with your actual routine.
See my sell-and-buy approach, explore Nipomo, or start a conversation.