Selling Your Austin Home to Move
Leaving Austin?Sell well here. Land well there.
Diana handles the Austin sale and introduces you to a Compass agent in your next U.S. city.
When a job, family or the next chapter takes you somewhere else, the Austin sale has to work around a moving date, a new purchase and sometimes an empty house. Diana Roberts prices, prepares and sells it with an appraiser's discipline, and keeps it moving after you've gone.
Texas Agent·California Broker·Certified General Appraiser
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01 / Where You're Headed
to TennesseeCentral time
Leaving Texas changes more than the address.
Every state has its own taxes, contracts and closing customs. Diana sells the Austin home, then introduces you to a Compass agent who knows the rules where you are going. Here are a few differences worth knowing before you sign anything there.
What changes
Still no income tax. New closing costs.
- No state income taxStill noneTennessee does not tax wages either.
- No transfer taxTransfer taxTennessee charges a tax when the deed is recorded.
- Title companyTitle company or attorneyEither may run the closing. Your Tennessee agent will know which is usual.
General information as of September 2026, not legal or tax advice. Your agent, closing officer and tax advisor there confirm the details. Agent introductions are for U.S. destinations.
02 / The Sequence
Sell first, buy first or close the same week?
There is no universal right order. It depends on cash, financing, how quickly the Austin home should sell and how much temporary housing you can live with.
Sell first.
You know your number before you buy, and you negotiate the next home with certainty. The trade-off is a possible gap in housing. A short seller lease-back after closing, on the state's temporary lease form, can bridge it.
Buy first.
One move and no gap. The trade-off is carrying two homes for a while, sometimes with a bridge loan, and an Austin house that sells empty. Price and preparation matter even more.
Close the same week.
A clean handoff when it works. The two contracts depend on each other, so one delay can move both. Diana builds in realistic dates and backup plans.
Diana models each path against the market she sees for your home right now, with your lender and the agent on the other side. Selling one home before buying another.
03 / Price It Once
On a deadline, the first price matters most.
A home that sits after you've already left costs twice: carrying costs and leverage. Diana's appraisal work shapes a list price built to meet the market the first time, not to be corrected after the moving truck is gone.
Comparables a buyer would actually consider.
Not a ZIP code average or price per square foot. The sales, pendings and active homes your buyer is really choosing between.
What is live at your price today.
Your home competes with the current market, not last spring's. Diana positions it against the homes buyers will see the same weekend.
The net you need for the next move.
Knowing what has to be left after closing costs, and why, makes every negotiation calmer and faster.
Brokerage pricing and a formal appraisal are separate. For a high-value or unusual home, an independent pre-listing appraisal can add a documented view of value; Diana's appraisal services are provided through The Appraisal Shop. Diana's valuation approach · Luxury home appraisal · Why homes don't sell
04 / Selling From Away
An empty house still has to sell.
Many sellers are already in the next city when the Austin home goes live. Diana becomes the one set of keys, and you get the updates wherever you are.
05 / Before You Go
The Texas loose ends people forget.
Small things, much easier to handle before the truck arrives. Current as of September 2026; your CPA and title company confirm the details.
Tell the appraisal district.
Your exemption ends when the home stops being your principal residence. Texas law asks you to notify the appraisal district in writing before May 1 of the following year.
The home sale exclusion.
If it was your principal residence for two of the last five years, federal law may exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 for most married couples). Texas has no state income tax.
FIRPTA withholding.
If the seller is a foreign person for U.S. tax purposes, the buyer generally withholds 15% of the amount realized at closing, with some exceptions. Plan it with a CPA early.
The paperwork tail.
HOA resale documents can take time, so order them early. Then final utility readings, mail forwarding and garage codes for the new owner.
06 / Land Well There
The right agent where you're going, introduced personally.
A referral directory hands you a name. Diana starts with what you need: the market, the property type, the price range and how you like to communicate. Then she makes the introduction herself and stays in touch while both sides of the move come together.
Network figures from Compass, Inc.'s Q2 2026 Form 10-Q. Participation and services vary by market, brokerage, brand and professional.
Moving abroad? Diana can still sell the Austin home and plan a closing you can sign from overseas. An agent introduction outside the United States is not something she can promise today.
The Strategy in Practice
Homes Diana is representing now.
Should I sell my Austin home before I buy in another city?
It depends on cash, financing, how quickly your Austin home is likely to sell and how much temporary housing you can live with. Selling first gives you a known number; buying first gives you one move but can mean two payments. Diana models both against the market she sees for your home right now.
Can I sell my Austin home after I have already moved?
Yes. Diana coordinates showings, vendors, inspections and the buyer's appraisal visit, and keeps you updated wherever you are. A vacant home needs a plan for utilities, lawn and pool care, security and light staging so it still shows well.
How do I close on my Austin home if I am out of state or overseas?
Texas has allowed online notarization since 2018, including for signers outside the United States, when the title company accepts it. A mail-away closing with a local notary is another option, and some sellers use a power of attorney. Ask the title company early which it will accept.
What happens to my Texas homestead exemption when I move?
The exemption ends when the home stops being your principal residence. Texas law asks you to notify the appraisal district in writing before May 1 of the year after your eligibility ends. Your title company and tax professional can confirm how the current year's taxes are prorated at closing.
Do I owe capital gains tax when I sell my Austin home?
Maybe not. Federal law may exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for most married couples filing jointly, if the home was your principal residence for at least two of the last five years. Texas has no state income tax. Confirm your situation with a CPA before you list.
Can Diana find me an agent where I am moving?
Yes, anywhere in the United States. Diana starts with what you need: the market, the property type, the price range and how you like to communicate. Then she makes the introduction personally through the Compass network and stays in touch while both sides of the move come together.
I am moving outside the United States. Can Diana still help?
Yes, with the Austin side. Diana can price, prepare and sell your Austin home and plan a closing you can sign from abroad when the title company accepts it. An introduction to an agent in another country is not something she can promise today, so plan that part separately. If you are not a U.S. person for tax purposes, plan for FIRPTA withholding with a CPA early.
I am not a U.S. citizen or resident. Does anything change when I sell?
Possibly. If the seller is a foreign person for U.S. tax purposes, federal FIRPTA rules generally require the buyer to withhold 15% of the amount realized at closing, with some exceptions. Talk with a CPA early so the closing is not delayed.
Should I get an appraisal before I list my Austin home?
For most homes, Diana's pricing analysis answers the question. For a high-value or unusual property, an independent pre-listing appraisal can add a documented view of value before launch. A formal appraisal is a separate engagement, and Diana's appraisal services are provided through The Appraisal Shop. Luxury home appraisal.
Keep Exploring
The rest of the selling plan.
Moving On
Before the boxes, start with the Austin number.
Tell Diana where you're headed and when. She'll show you what your home is likely to sell for, which sequence fits and what should happen before you leave.
Diana Roberts · Austin Real Estate Advisor · Compass
Texas Agent · California Broker · Certified General Appraiser
512.888.8326 · diana.roberts@compass.com · Compass profile ↗
Diana Roberts is a Texas real estate sales agent with Compass and a California real estate broker (DRE #01405276). Verify Texas licenses with TREC · Verify with the California DRE. Diana is affiliated with The Appraisal Shop, and her appraisal services are provided through The Appraisal Shop under a defined client, intended use and scope of work. Formal appraisal and brokerage representation are separate engagements. Referrals to agents in other U.S. markets are made through appropriate broker-to-broker arrangements. This page is general information as of September 2026, not legal, tax or lending advice; confirm tax, exemption and closing questions with a CPA, the title company or an attorney. No pricing, preparation or launch strategy guarantees a sale price or timing. Compass Concierge eligibility and terms vary. The direction dial shows true compass bearing from Austin with distance compressed and is not to scale. State tax and closing differences are summarized as of September 2026. Compass network figures are from Compass, Inc.'s Q2 2026 Form 10-Q.