Should I rent and hold my current home when I move out of state?

[Denise Blansit]

Hello.  I am seriously interested in real estate investment and believe I have an opportunity now to pursue it.  I am planning a move out of state and am debating if I should sell my current home, or keep it as a rental and use the equity from it to purchase a home in my new location.  Are there any suggestions that would help me decide which is the best plan?  This would be my first investment and I am unsure if I am looking at all of the factors that I need to take into consideration to make this decision.

Thank you so much!

Denise