Help on Relocating to Fort Worth! (Dallas, Keller: extended stay, sale, real estate)

[jcamber]

Hi,

I have accepted an offer to start work next week in FW, December the 26th! The relocation company will be listing my home here in Indiana but I'm having trouble deciding what the best thing to do is as far as the transition process so I was hoping some of the people that have relocated could shed some light...

The real estate agents have recommended my wife and daughter not move with me because it's harder to sell an empty house. With that being said, we are entering the winter and it gets COLD here in Indiana and obviously I have no reason to believe my house will sell soon. I also will get a guaranteed buy out but that won't happen until the house has been on the market for 5 months. I have been struggling with

a) I move by myself, rent a furnished room in someone's house so I don't have to buy furniture and I can have a housing solution that is cheap and practical
b) I move by myself, rent an apartment and rent or buy furniture while my house sells (buying furniture is not as desirable because I would then have to figure out what to do with the excess furniture once I move my household down to FW). note: No idea how much renting furniture costs.
c) I say screw the real estate agents, rent a HOUSE, move my family and furniture and then move again when my house sells and I buy a house in Keller. This is the most expensive one because renting a house is significantly more expensive than either renting a room or an apartment yet, it would put me close to my family right away. It could also delay or impact the sale of my home in Indiana.

If you have been relocated and went through the same predicament as me, what was your decision and how did it work out?

Thanks!

[nsumner]

I don't think your family needs to stay back. True that a house doesn't sell as well when it's empty but have your realtors should look at staging the house with the minimum furniture. Your agent can look at working with furniture stores and they can use your house as an advertising tool for the furniture. Usually just a few pieces per room and some greenery. I have done it here in Dallas and Fort Worth for several clients. That way you can go on with your life and your house will always be in showing condition. Leave some towels and small accessories too. You wouldn't have to worry about maintaining the utilities on 2 houses at the same time either.

[Guingirl]

Congratulations!! You are going to be BUSY!!! I would bring your family just simply for the fact that I know I wouldn't want to have to commute back and forth on the weekends or for however long it would take you to sell your house.

There are corporate apartment housing available and extended stays that aren't too bad. You could also rent a reasonable apartment for a few months (when we were looking 4 months was about the minimum available for the locations that I would want to live at-month to month was too transient for me). Four months would give you an idea of where you think you might like to live.

Good luck to you!!

[jcamber]

nsumner> not a bad idea! I'll run that idea by my agent and see what she says thanks!!

Guingirl> corporate apts are anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 and more... I actually have the option of getting a corp apt from the relocation company but only for 60 days, then I'm on my own... I'm pretty certain it will take more than 60 days for my house to sell therefore my idea about either renting an apartment or a house... I also think bringing the family down to a rental would mean a double move as there's no way I can buy a house until mine sells (too much equity in it and not enough available cash to put a decent downpayment :S).

Right now I'm leaning more towards renting a room or an apartment but definitely NOT excited about not being with my family and having to travel back every weekend... ugh...

thanks!

[ChristieP]

Renting a room is difficult. This isn't very common anymore.

Honestly, I'd recommend getting a room at the Budget or Intown Suites. These are like furnished 1 bedroom or efficiency apartments. They have all of the applicances, a bed, a couch, TV and bathroom. They only have maid service a couple of times a week. You can usually get a good weekly or monthly rate, and your company may get a discount, too.

Good luck!

[Sonshine]

I agree w/the poster who said that it would be best if you staged your home and moved w/your family. But I understand that sometimes that's not possible. If you do have to find a room to rent you should try craigs list dot com (don't know if they'll let me post the link here). Click on Texas and Dallas Fort Worth and then Real Estate. I've seen people posting there before looking for rooms to rent, etc.

Hope this helps. Welcome to Texas!

[usedwithcarecom]

If you move-in into your own place (rent or buy) in Fort Worth area and need some stuff to start you off, you can find a lot of good quality clean used beds, dressers, working washers, refrigirators and a bunch of kids stuff cheap --used but in great condition--from usedwithcare dot com, deliver any time 24/7