Desperate to move! WWYD?

[Mamathulu]

Ok, so DH's still on a 10% pay cut (because of the recession) and has decided to look for another job. I've now been in our 3 bed maisonette for almost 10 years, dh has been here for 4 and 1/2 of those. We now have 4 DC's, DD (!2), DS (8), DS (2) and DS (8 months) and I've just been diagnosed with ME. Being up 3 flights of stairs has never been ideal, and we've long wanted to be on the ground floor somewhere. I also have to pay back my mum her £12000 deposit at some point. DD and DS1 see their dad on Tuesdays, Thursdays and stay over every other weekend
Given the current climate of no-one seeming to sell for a year, we were thinking of renting out the maisonette and renting a 3 or 4 bedroomed place for a while. It would give us a chance to see if we like another nearby town or not, get us out of this place quickly, and mean that when we sell it we can sell it without a chain. (But can you sell with tenants in place?)

You can sell with tenants in situ if sold as an investment property. Marketed the right way would achieve this (get a good EA).

I rent my "home" out currently because my husbands job has taken us overseas, and we plan on giving the tenants notice before putting the property on the market. Makes life easier for our situation. Plus we will be living in accomodation provided by Mr Gonzo's employer still.

Oh so you won't have problems paying the mortgage while also paying rent then? That's my nightmare situation - I don't think we could manage even a month of it. I'm not sure it's going to work anyway, but if we don't at least try to move soon, I think I'm going to go slightly potty. (Been in the same flat for a decade, same town for 23 years, save 2 at uni!)