It's too late to start a lawn from seed now. Definitely wait till late summer/early fall. You can use the time till then to get some soil tests, and determine how much sun the yard gets, to determine what grass you should plant. When you do plant the seeds you will need to be keep them moist for at least two weeks. If they dry out at any point you might have to start all over again. A few hundred feet of hose and some automatic timers can water if you aren't there.

I figured that would be the answer, thanks. But what about the weeds? They've been dug up and dumped but the area is just open soil sitting there waiting for new tenants. How long before they come back?

Doesn't sound like you're going to live there any time soon.

Just throw down some Scotts Turf Builder Shade mix with the water saver technology (most have that now), water it, add some starter fertilizer let it grow so you don't have a mud pit. Hopefully do it when there's going to be some rain for a few days since you won't be there to water.

Whatever you get you get.It may or may not survive the summer but it'll probably get torn up while you're renovating. If you're not done renovating in the fall, throw down some more seed over whatever happened to grow.

When you're done remodeling, kill the old grass, redo the grading around the house so you have proper drainage. You might need to bring some top soil in for that. Do a soil test. You might need to adjust the pH, add organic matter (compost), or whatever else the soil test tells you.

Then either lay sod or seed with a better seed depending on the time of year and your budget.

You didn't mention where the house is located. Climate isn't the same everywhere and the answers depend on that.

The house is on the North Fork of Long Island. Thanks for all the advice.

September

Chances are there's going to continue to be a lot of rain for the next week or so. I think because it's such a narrow strip between the sound and the ocean it's a little cooler.

I'd put down something so you have grass this summer. May not be great, some of it may die but I think even a crappy lawn looks better than just dirt and weeds. Go with the Scotts seed with water saver since you won't be there to water. I think you'll get decent germination but pick something that germinates fast like perennial rye, fine or tall fescue.

Yea i agree with these guys, best wait til September/october. I have patches in my back yard where i cleared some big shrubs out a few months back, the area is now full of weeds, but there's no point wasting time or money on it now, just wait til fall then redo it, come spring you should be fine. if you do anything now, it will just die over the summer anyway.