TL;DR

If you are moving from Nashville to Phoenix, decide first whether your priority is maximizing the sale price or reducing the work and uncertainty before your move. A traditional listing may reach more buyers but usually requires showings, preparation, and a timeline that depends on the market and the buyer's financing. A direct cash sale can be simpler for a home that needs work or for a seller with a firm move date, but compare written offers and calculate your expected proceeds. Confirm the mortgage payoff, closing date, possession terms, and every fee before signing. A sale is not final until the contract closes.

Moving states is already a lot to coordinate. Selling the Nashville house at the same time adds practical decisions: when to list, whether to fix anything, how long to keep utilities on, and whether the closing date leaves enough time to hand over the home before heading to Arizona.

The right plan depends on your house, finances, and move date. Here is a way to compare the options without assuming that the fastest offer is automatically the best one.

Start with the move date, not the offer

Write down three dates before you talk with buyers or agents:

When you need to leave Nashville
When you need the sale proceeds, if you are relying on them for the move
The latest date you can comfortably remain responsible for the property

Those dates are related but not identical. You may be able to close before leaving and arrange a short, written post-closing occupancy agreement. Or you may need to move first and manage the property from Arizona while it is listed. Do not assume a buyer will let you stay after closing. Any occupancy period, rent, insurance responsibility, deposit, and move-out date should be addressed in writing.

If your new job or housing starts on a fixed date, build in room for a delayed closing. Title review, payoff statements, title issues, appraisal requirements, and buyer financing can affect timing. A promised closing date is not the same as a completed sale.

Compare the two main ways to sell

List with a real estate agent

A traditional listing may make sense when the home is ready for the open market and you have time to prepare it, allow showings, and wait for a buyer's financing and inspections. It may expose the property to more buyers, but the final price and closing date are not guaranteed.

Ask an agent for a realistic sale range, estimated seller costs, and a timeline based on comparable homes near your Nashville address. Discuss whether you can list while living out of state, how showings will be handled, and who can respond if a repair or access issue comes up after you move.

Sell directly to a cash buyer

A direct buyer may be worth considering if you need a simpler sale, the property needs repairs, or coordinating showings from Phoenix would be difficult. You may be able to avoid preparing the home for a conventional listing, but the offer may be lower than a price achieved through broader market exposure. The actual difference depends on the property and the written terms.

Home Buyers of Nashville's homepage describes its process as buying homes as-is, making no-obligation offers, covering closing costs, and allowing the seller to choose a closing timeline. The company says it aims to provide an offer within 24 hours and may close in as little as seven days. Those are the company's published statements, not a guarantee that every property or title situation will meet that schedule. Ask for the exact offer, deductions, and closing date for your home.

Why this Nashville buyer may fit a relocation sale

Relocation is one of the situations specifically mentioned on Home Buyers of Nashville's About page. The company presents itself as a local Middle Tennessee team and describes direct purchases for owners who want to avoid repairs, showings, and the uncertainty of a traditional listing.

That may be relevant when you are preparing to start life in Phoenix and do not want to coordinate contractors or repeated access to a Nashville home from another state. Still, a buyer's website is not a substitute for a comparison. Ask how the proposed price was calculated, whether the company is the final buyer, and whether any inspection or assignment term could change the deal.

The company also publishes a process that starts with basic property details, followed by an offer and a closing date selected by the seller. Before sharing personal information, review the site's privacy statement and use contact channels you can independently verify.

Make a simple net-proceeds comparison

Compare the likely amount you keep, not just the headline offer. For each option, estimate:

Mortgage payoff and any home-equity loan
Property taxes, HOA balances, liens, or other amounts due at closing
Agent compensation, concessions, and likely repair costs for a listing
Closing charges and any other deductions in a direct-sale contract
Mortgage payments, insurance, utilities, and maintenance during the selling period
Moving and temporary-housing costs if the Nashville closing is delayed

Request a current payoff statement from your mortgage servicer and ask the closing company for an estimated settlement statement. If the home is jointly owned, inherited, in a trust, or has a lien or title issue, identify the required signatures and documents early.

For a direct offer, ask the buyer to put the purchase price, earnest money, closing date, contingencies, inspection rights, and all fees in the contract. For a listing, ask the agent to show how the suggested list price and estimated seller proceeds were calculated. If you need an overview of selling during a move, our relocation home-sale guide covers additional planning considerations.

Decide what happens to the home before you leave

If the Nashville home will be vacant during the sale, plan for ordinary upkeep and risk management. Confirm your insurance policy's requirements for an unoccupied home, arrange regular checks, secure doors and windows, set up mail forwarding, and keep utilities active when needed for maintenance or inspections. Do not cancel coverage or shut off services without checking the policy and sale plan.

Make a written list of what stays with the property and what you are taking. Keep keys, garage remotes, alarm instructions, appliance manuals, and any required access details organized for the closing or listing agent. If you are selling as-is, clarify whether personal property, unwanted items, or appliances are included. "As-is" does not answer every question about what must be removed.

If you are weighing whether to sell before leaving, living in Arizona while the Nashville home is still for sale may be possible, but consider who can handle repairs, inspections, and urgent issues. A trusted local contact can help, but confirm their responsibilities and give them written authorization only where appropriate.

Questions to ask before signing with a cash buyer

Use these questions with any direct buyer:

Is the offer amount the amount I should expect before mortgage payoff, or are there additional deductions?
Can you provide proof of funds and identify the buyer named on the closing documents?
Are you purchasing the property directly or assigning the agreement?
What inspection or cancellation rights are included?
Can the price change after inspection, and what would allow that?
Which title or closing company will handle the transaction?
What is the closing date, and what happens if it is delayed?
Can I remain in the home after closing, and if so, under what written terms?
What items must be removed before possession transfers?
Can I take the agreement away and have it reviewed before signing?

Do not sign blank or incomplete paperwork. Take time to read the agreement and seek legal or tax advice if the terms or consequences are unclear. If you are behind on payments or have received a foreclosure notice, contact your mortgage servicer promptly and review the separate Nashville foreclosure sale guide. A purchase agreement alone does not stop a foreclosure.

One move, two markets, and a decision you can verify

Selling a Nashville home before moving to Phoenix is mostly a coordination problem. Set your dates, compare realistic net proceeds, decide how much preparation you can manage, and make sure the closing and possession terms fit your move.

A cash buyer may offer a more direct route for some sellers. A traditional listing may be the better fit for others. Get the important terms in writing, confirm them with the closing professional, and choose the option that works for your property and timeline rather than relying on a broad promise.