House hunting is a challenge – from deciding what type of property to buy, where it should be, and what your final budget is, to factoring in your different lifestyle needs, it’s a time-consuming process that takes a lot of effort and commitment. When you’re trying to do it from another city or state, it’s infinitely more difficult! Here’s a guide from our team that’s full of helpful tips to make this process less stressful and much more rewarding.
Research is key
While there is no true substitute for seeing an area and a property in person, the Internet is a fantastic resource that can do a lot of the legwork for you. Spend time researching different areas and neighborhoods and you’ll find information on crime statistics, housing prices, the schools, commute times, and local government as well as plenty of insights into the local lifestyle.
It’s also a good way to research different real estate agent companies and find out what options are available to you. There may be some less traditional services that offer better prices on real estate than you may expect and partnering with an experienced local real estate company is a very useful source of information that can help you narrow your search.
Make a list of priorities
When you’re buying from a distance, it’s more important than ever to have a list of priorities for the home you’re looking for – and to know where you are or aren’t okay with compromising. This will help you cross off neighborhoods quickly, so you don’t waste time looking at properties that won’t meet your needs. While everyone’s priorities are unique, there are some things that every buyer should consider in their search.
- Type of home – Apartment, condominium, free-standing home, duplex, etc.
- Your budget.
- Number of bedrooms, bathrooms and living spaces.
- Access to quality schools, your commute and the available public transport and other facilities – For families as well as for resale purposes.
- Safety – Crime statistics in the area.
- Pet friendly – If you have dogs, cats or other pets, you may need a backyard, permission to have a pet, and access to parks.
- Quality of the home – Are you up for a bargain and want to remodel or do you want your home to be in great shape and ready to live in?
- Your deal breakers – What will make a home unacceptable? Repairs, too small, too dark, less than optimal neighborhood, etc.
Keep in mind that this list is different to your wishlist, that it’s about the things you need rather than the things you want. It’s a great idea to make a wishlist too, so you can look for bonus features that can help you decide between similar properties that tick the rest of the boxes.
Keep an open mind
While it’s important to know what you want, you also have to keep an open mind and be realistic about what you can achieve in your new area and on your budget. Lifestyles and communities are unique across the country, and even homes that make sense in one city simply don’t work in another. If you are dead-set on a certain housing style or neighborhood, you can easily miss out on something that’s different but absolutely perfect for your needs. Keeping an open mind ensures that you’re open to new opportunities that you may not have even realized existed!
Make a travel budget
As we said earlier, there is just no substitute for seeing a location or property in person. A home may look perfect on the internet, it may appeal to plenty of people – but it needs to be right for you. If possible, have a friend, colleague or family member in the area visit the home and take plenty of photographs and video. If it’s still looking like a great property, then now’s the time to visit it in person.
Try to have several properties lined up to view and give yourself a few days to look around the area yourself so that you can get familiar with it. If you are moving for work purposes, try including a trial run from the area you like to your office, so you have an idea of what neighborhoods are more feasible. Visit the schools in person and see if they have availability for your children. Drive around the area and see if it suits your lifestyle and if you feel welcome and comfortable.
Having a budget set aside for this process is invaluable – the last thing you want is to make a big purchase like a home and then find out that it’s just not right for you once moving day arrives.
We hope you found this advice from our team helpful – good luck with your move and happy house hunting!