Bridge financing is the more flexible option when a condition on the sale would make your offer less competitive in a fast-moving market. A lender advances the equity tied up in your current home for a short window, usually a matter of weeks, so you can complete the purchase before your existing sale closes, and the loan is repaid the day your old home changes hands.
A condition on the sale of your own home protects you financially but weakens your offer to a seller comparing it against an unconditional buyer, so sellers in a tight market often decline it outright. Coordinating both closing dates falls to your lawyer, and the review and registration work for two linked transactions on one file typically runs toward the higher end of the standard $800 to $1,500 legal fee range.
The right choice between a sale condition and bridge financing comes down to how much equity you have, how fast the market is moving and how much risk you can absorb for a few weeks of overlap. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.