Selling Your Texas House When Relocating

Relocation packages vary widely. Some employers cover moving costs only; others offer a guaranteed home buyout, temporary dual-location housing, or a lump sum you manage yourself. Ask HR for the relocation policy in writing, including any deadline to accept a buyout offer and how it is calculated, before you make decisions about listing, pricing, or timing.

If your employer offers a guaranteed buyout or works with a relocation management company, read the appraisal and offer terms carefully — the amount, timeline, and conditions can differ meaningfully from what you would get on the open market or from a direct cash buyer. Compare it against other options before accepting.

Selling before you move avoids paying for two homes and managing a vacant property, but it can mean a tighter timeline and temporary housing at the new location. Selling after you move means the home may sit vacant during showings — ask your homeowners insurer about vacant-home coverage, since standard policies often limit or exclude coverage once a home has been unoccupied for a set period (commonly 30 to 60 days, though this varies by policy).

If you will not be in Texas to sign closing documents in person, ask the title company early about remote closing options such as a power of attorney or mail-away closing, so it does not become a last-minute problem.

The standard federal home-sale gain exclusion lets a single filer exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or a married couple filing jointly up to $500,000 — but generally only if you owned and used the home as your main home for at least two of the five years before the sale. A purely job-driven move often does not leave time to meet that test.

The IRS has a specific partial-exclusion rule for this situation: if your new work location is at least 50 miles farther from the home than your old work location was, you may qualify for a reduced exclusion even without meeting the full two-year requirement. The reduction is based on how much of the two-year period you actually met. Confirm your eligibility and the exact calculation with a tax professional — IRS Publication 523 spells out additional conditions.