Getting a better-paying job offer is usually something to celebrate, especially when it comes with a chance to advance your career. But what happens when accepting that opportunity means moving to another state, and the house you need to sell isn’t attracting buyers?

That’s the situation one homeowner shared on Reddit after spending two months trying to sell his house without getting an offer he’d accept.

With just three weeks until his family is supposed to move, he’s running out of time. He can’t afford two mortgages, and he’s considering selling to a company that promises a quick cash offer. The problem is that doing so could mean walking away from a substantial amount of the equity he’s built.

A better-paying job comes with an unexpected problem

In a Reddit post, the homeowner explained that he’d received a job offer in another state that would pay considerably more and advance his career.

There was just one problem. His current house wasn’t selling.

After two months on the market, the property had attracted a few showings but no offers he considered reasonable. He and his wife were preparing to relocate in three weeks, and the uncertainty was becoming increasingly stressful.

His wife was panicking; he worried about the move, and the family couldn’t afford two mortgage payments.

Turning down the job would mean giving up an opportunity he’d worked toward. But moving without selling the house could leave them facing expenses they weren’t prepared to handle.

He’s considering a quick cash sale, but there’s a catch

With the moving deadline approaching, the homeowner started looking into companies that buy houses directly from sellers.

A friend recommended a service that advertises cash offers within 24 hours and a quick closing, with the option to sell the property as-is.

For someone who needs to move in three weeks, that kind of offer is understandably appealing. There would be no need to wait for another buyer to come along or worry about the usual delays that can happen during a home sale.

But the homeowner was concerned about how much money he might lose.

He worried that a cash-buying company could offer significantly less than his asking price, potentially costing him as much as 30% of the equity he believed he’d built in the property.

That left him wondering whether accepting a lower offer was worth securing the new job and avoiding the financial strain of two mortgages.

Reddit users had plenty of suggestions for the homeowner

Many Reddit users felt the homeowner’s biggest problem was his asking price. Several pointed out that if a house has sat on the market for two months without an acceptable offer, it might be time to reconsider what buyers are willing to pay. Others shared similar experiences of accepting less than they’d hoped for because the cost of waiting simply wasn’t worth it.

Commenters also offered several suggestions for moving forward:

Lower the asking price: Work with his real estate agent to review comparable sales and consider a more substantial price reduction to attract buyers.
Rent out the property: Find tenants who can help cover the mortgage while he settles into his new job, possibly with a property manager.
Consider temporary housing: Rent a smaller place in the new city rather than taking on another mortgage immediately.
Compare cash offers carefully: Get written offers from cash buyers and compare the actual proceeds with what he could reasonably expect from a traditional sale.
Talk to his new employer: Ask whether relocation assistance or flexibility with his start date might be available.

The homeowner admitted that he’d already lowered the asking price once and was frustrated by the lack of interest. He also had concerns about becoming a long-distance landlord and said a previous cash offer seemed suspiciously low.

For now, he appears more comfortable working with his real estate agent than rushing into a sale he might regret.

Sometimes selling for less can still be the better financial decision

It’s easy to focus on how much money you might lose by accepting a lower offer, but holding out for a higher price also has a cost.

Every additional month the house sits on the market means another mortgage payment, property taxes, insurance, and maintenance expenses. And if you’re moving to another state, those costs can add up quickly.

Sometimes accepting less than you originally wanted makes more financial sense, especially if it means avoiding months of additional expenses and moving forward with a better-paying job.

For this homeowner, the question isn’t simply how much equity he can walk away with. It’s whether holding out for more money is worth potentially missing a career opportunity that could benefit his family for years to come.