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I doubt that he kept the house. Likely, he moved in with Connie in her house or apartment.
They probably sold the house. She would have had no way to pay for the upkeep to it, nor the mortgage now that she's separated (remember, they're not divorced yet, so it is unlikely that he is giving her alimony. He MIGHT be giving her money every once in a while to provide for Bernice to get clothes, shoes, food, etc., but he's probably not helping Birdie out for herself). I have always assumed that this is why she moved back to her childhood home in the first place. She couldn't afford anything else.
Remember that when she went to Dot for a job, she had NO SKILLS outside of being a wife and mother. Who is going to give her a job in Chicago or any of the surrounding suburbs besides a fast food joint, or some sort of cashier job at a retail store? And any of those jobs certainly would not pay the bills alone. She would likely have to get two or three jobs to be able to make a little money to feed and clothe Bernice, and then no one would be home when Bernice got home from school. She'd become a statistical "latch-key" kid. And they would STILL need to move out of the house, and get a cheap (if there is such a thing) apartment somewhere, and with what little money Birdie would be able to bring home, that would mean likely living in a very bad (unsafe) area.
It was simply cheaper and more economical for Birdie to take Bernice and move back to her parents' house, and try and get a job there, as well as get a fresh start on her life.

I love what she does to the house

ask yourself why would she want to stay?

I think another part of it was that she knew she couldn't be the maternal figure that Bernice needed at a time like this, so she went to her mother's house, where Bernice would be cared for and Birdie wouldn't have to get a job right away. She would have time to grieve

she had no joband not really any skills as she was a homemaker so she couldnt really support herself but good question guess she didnt want to stay Id have done the same thing honestly

I also find the scene funny where she is packing things up and talking to her mom, she is also at the same time ripping curtains up!
Those weren't curtains. they were bed sheets as in the sheets from the bed she shared with her two-timing snake of a husband
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It's on this weekend, I'm going to HAVE to check that scene out!! Thanks!!

I have seen this movie SO many times, and I think I've just always thought it was her decision to leavenot that she "had" to. I also find the scene funny where she is packing things up and talking to her mom, she is also at the same time ripping curtains up!
And when she pulls out of the driveway you can see the windows have been busted out and she leaves the front door standing wide open.
Formerly Known As David-Indiana On IMDb

I have seen this movie SO many times, and I think I've just always thought it was her decision to leavenot that she "had" to. I also find the scene funny where she is packing things up and talking to her mom, she is also at the same time ripping curtains up!

I've seen this movie probably a dozen times and I've wondered the same thing. It doesn't seem fair, does it?
But I think it's probably the second thing you said: she wanted to start a new life. I think she wanted to get out of there and try to leave the bad memories and humiliation behind. And sometimes, when you're hurting real bad, there's no place like home. She headed straight for her mother's house in Texas.
Formerly Known As David-Indiana On IMDb