To Rent or Sell my current home?

[Brandon Abernathy]

I am in the process of purchasing a new home for my family, but I am debating if I should rent my current home or sell it. My current home is a 3 bed/2 bath (1350 sq ft) house. I have about $25k equity in the current home. It should rent for about $1200 a month with mortgage at $658 a month. This would be my first time renting a property. 

If I sell my current home, I would most likely use the equity to pay down or possibly pay off my student loans. Then set aside my monthly savings to get into the real estate investment market at a later date.

What is the viewpoint of the BP community?