What a nightmare. Your new job starts in two weeks. It’s in another part of the country. And your old house is still on the market. Probably will be for months in this economy. You don’t want to sell the place for a big loss. Yikes!

Get ready for a challenge.

Additionally, you’ll be paying for two places but only living in one. Married? You might want to think about trekking ahead, staying in a small rental unit while your spouse stays behind to handle all of the miss-mash of unloading the house. That will give you some financial breathing-room and you won’t be so rushed to find the right property in the new town.

Single? You still want to consider the option of renting something cheaper while the other home remains on the block.

What You Left Behind

Hitched or not, when leaving town your realtor will be your lifeline. They are just as interested in selling your leftovers because that’s the only way they’ll get paid. Beyond that, here are a couple of other things that you should consider:

• Since the property is vacant, before you box, remove the furnishings and split, take some pictures of the interior. Frame them and scatter the photos in the rooms where they belong. In lieu of that, leave a photo album behind with the color shots in it.
• Carpets need to be cleaned, floors should be polished, minor repairs have to be completed.
• Make arrangements to keep your curb appeal appealing. Contract with someone to rake leaves, mow the lawn, throw the snow and do any yard maintenance that your real estate agent recommends.
• If there are any areas that need painting, do it. After the fellows cart your furnishing and boxes from the old place to the new, stay behind and thoroughly clean-up the home.
• Give your real estate agent a copy of your latest utility bills. This can be especially helpful if you have any Energy Star units. Savings on the necessities may be another push in the direction of a sale.
• Since the Austin movers have taken all of your things to the new locale, ask your realtor if they know of a company where you can rent a few nice pieces of furniture. A home looks cozier to a potential buyer with curtains and stuff inside.
• You want to request of your real estate agent to give you regular reports on such things as feedback they get when the home is shown, where the property is being listed and how many folks are touring it.
• Finally, scrutinize your homeowner’s insurance. You don’t want to be left in the rain because there’s a cap on the time an empty home retains coverage.