Relocating for a Job: Selling Your Texas House Before You Move

A job offer in another city comes with a start date, and the house you own does not care about it. Most people relocating for work face the same choice: sell before they leave and risk a rushed move, or move first and sell from a distance while paying for two places to live. Neither is wrong. The right one depends on a few numbers you can find out this week.

Should you sell before you move or after?

Sell first if you cannot comfortably carry two housing costs; move first if you can. Selling before you go gives you a clean exit and your full equity for the next home, but it can mean temporary housing or a short-term lease back from the buyer. Moving first lets you settle into the new job without a deadline at home, at the price of paying for both homes until it sells.

A useful test is to work out how many months of double payments you could absorb without strain, then ask a local agent how long comparable houses near you are taking to sell. If the second number is larger than the first, you have your answer.

What does it really cost to carry two homes?

More than the mortgage payment. An empty house still carries property taxes, homeowner's insurance, utilities kept on enough to protect the plumbing, HOA dues where they apply, lawn care and the occasional repair, all on top of the rent or mortgage in your new city. Add those up from your own bills instead of estimating, because they decide how long you can afford to wait for a better offer.

Price reductions follow the same arithmetic. A house that sits unsold for several months while you pay to hold it can end up netting less than a lower offer accepted early. Waiting is worth it only if the higher price outruns what holding the house costs you.

Can you sell a Texas house while living somewhere else?

Yes, and many sellers never return for closing. Texas authorizes online notaries who notarize documents over an audio-video connection. The Secretary of State notes that the notary must be physically in Texas, but the person signing can be anywhere. Whether your particular closing can be done that way depends on the title company and any lender involved, so ask early.

The rest is logistics. You will need a lockbox and an agent or trusted person nearby to let in inspectors, check the property after storms, and handle anything that breaks. Set up the mortgage payoff request and the title company's document list before you leave, when you can still find paperwork in your own filing cabinet.

What are the risks of leaving the house empty?

Insurance is the first one to check. Many homeowner's policies treat a vacant house differently after a set period, and coverage for some losses can be restricted or the policy not renewed. Read your policy's vacancy clause and tell your insurer the house is empty; discovering the restriction after a claim is the expensive way to learn it.

The physical risks are familiar to any Texas homeowner. Unattended pipes can freeze during a hard winter, a small roof leak can go unnoticed for weeks, and an obviously empty house invites trespassers. Someone checking the property regularly, with the thermostat set to protect the plumbing, prevents most of the damage that turns a simple sale into an insurance claim.

What happens to your homestead exemption when you move out?

It ends when the house stops being your principal residence, but the tax year usually finishes out. Texas determines exemption eligibility as of January 1, and the Tax Code's rule for prorating taxes when an exemption ends mid-year expressly excludes residence homestead exemptions. Generally, a house that qualified on January 1 keeps the general homestead exemption for that year, even if you move in the spring.

After that, the duty falls on you. A homeowner whose exemption is no longer valid must notify the appraisal district in writing before May 1 following the date eligibility ended. The Tax Code allows a temporary absence of under two years without losing the exemption, but only if you intend to return and have not established a different principal residence. A permanent job move usually fails that test.

If you rent the house out while waiting for a better market, it is no longer your principal residence either, and the exemption question is settled. Check the details with your county appraisal district; for most Austin homeowners that is the Travis Central Appraisal District.

What if you have owned the house less than two years?

You may still exclude part of the gain. The federal exclusion on a home sale normally requires owning and living in the house for two of the five years before the sale. IRS Publication 523 allows a partial exclusion when you move for work, including a new job location at least 50 miles farther from the home than your old one. A CPA can confirm whether you qualify.

How do employer relocation packages work?

They vary widely, so read the written policy before you list. Some employers reimburse selling costs such as agent commissions or closing costs. Others work through a relocation company that may offer to buy the house if it has not sold within a set period, usually based on appraisals. Many programs require you to use their process from the start, and listing on your own first can disqualify you.

Ask human resources three things: what costs are covered, whether there is a buyout option and how it is priced, and how the benefits are taxed. A buyout offer is often below what an open market sale might bring, but it puts a firm floor under your timeline.

What is the sensible order of operations?

Read your relocation policy, total up what it costs to hold the house each month, and get a payoff statement. Those three numbers tell you whether to sell before you move, list after, or take a faster certain sale. Put the homestead notice on your calendar so it is not forgotten in the move.

If your start date leaves no time for a traditional listing, we buy houses in Austin and across Texas on a closing date that fits the move, including from sellers who have already left town. Our guide to selling your house when relocating covers the remote closing details.

House Buyers Texas buys houses; we are not attorneys and this is not legal or tax advice. The rules turn on facts specific to your situation, so an attorney or CPA is worth the consultation before you commit to a route.