I've thought about this before when we were going to sell our house. If it were me I would put everything in storage when your ready to leave for Florida and stay at a good extended stay hotel until the sale goes through. Why? Because in an extended stay you have no utilities to worry over and they can give you a good monthly rate until your house sells and they do housekeeping! In the meantime that gives you plenty of time to look for your new digs and not possibly pay for two houses and upkeep.

Are you using a realtor to sell your house? You may want to consider using one if your not and they can keep an eye on your place while you leave for Florida.

PS: When I say extended stay I don't mean the actual brand Extended Stay. There are many hotels now offering extended stay options.