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All You Need To Know About Long Distance House Hunting

Author By: Staff Writer | Updated Date: 05-30-2023

Long distance House huntingIf you are making a long-distance move and are anxious to the point of sleeplessness, this guide will tell you what you need to know in order to be fully prepared and stress free:

Relocating to a new city can be exciting. However, at the same time, you will have to face multiple challenges. On top of that, if your new destination is long-distance, house hunting will be a major challenge for you.

Thousands of people buy their ideal home this way, but you will still need to have a good real estate agent who has detailed knowledge about the area of concern along with realistic expectations

Let's explore the various aspects of long-distance house hunting in detail:

Research the new area by yourself

Consider doing some preliminary research on the new area by yourself before hiring a real estate agent.

  • To access information about the new area, check out maps and read guidebooks and online sources.

  • You can also visit the new state or city before you decide to buy a house there. This will give you a more authentic feel for the area which you can’t access through the internet.

Hire a real estate agent or relocation specialist

If you are looking for assistance in finding a new home in a new state, it will be a good idea to work with a realtor or relocation specialist, this will make your work simpler and easier.

  • A realtor works with the homebuyers and helps them buy a house. There are a few agents who specialize in working with out-of-state home buyers.

  • Since it’s the responsibility of a real estate agent to serve the best interests of the buyers, they will give their best to meet the needs of their buyers during a real estate deal.

  • A realtor will head the house hunting process, attend an open house with you, and regulate any negotiation or inspections.

  • You can conduct a Google search to find a suitable realtor who will assist in your long-distance house hunting process. You can even contact a locally listed agent and request them for referrals.

  • Later you can hire a relocation expert who will help you relocate seamlessly into your new house.

    • They will help you with your next steps and give you a smooth experience.

    • A relocation specialist will help you find professional movers, storage facilities, and other services which you might need during a move.

    • They will help you plan your relocation and can even assist with pet relocation.

    • A relocation expert will also help you regulate the coordination of enrolling your kids in a new school and managing home renovation projects.

Tip: Though several moving companies will include the services of a relocation expert in their package if it's not there you can always search for one online.

Research the best neighborhoods

Once you have decided which city or town you want to move to, you will need to research the best neighborhoods to stay in.

Here we have a few factors you will need to consider while choosing the best neighborhood for your relocation:

  • The crime rate (for your safety).

  • Schools if you have kids or plan to have in the future.

  • Traffic (for an easy commute to the office and other important places).

  • Parks, local business places, and other amenities.

  • Proximity to highways, railroads, or other busy places (to avoid noise pollution).

Try checking out Google Street View or Google Maps and get an idea about the various neighborhoods. You can easily see if your favorite restaurants, local libraries, and more are somewhere near your location.

Find the living cost

While moving to a new city or state, you may find things to be either cheaper or more expensive than your previous city or state. In most cases, people relocate to a different city or a state because that place requires a lower cost of living. However, if you are driven by other factors like a new job, you would be wise to know more about the cost of living in each plan and establish your budget accordingly.

Though you may get a house in your budget, the daycare costs, property taxes, grocery bills, transportation expenses, and other miscellaneous things can make your life a more costly venture compared to your previous town or city.

Examine your tax situation

A type of cost that varies according to the location would be taxes. It’s a good idea to check the sales tax, residential tax, and employment tax applicable to the state or country to which you are moving. Overall, these taxes will create a large dent in your take-home pay and will affect the amount you can spend on everyday essentials or accommodation.

  • It’s important for you to find out about the various events taking place in your new area of residence. If you find any plans for rezoning, you should expect the tax to change as well.

  • If you want to learn about these plans, visit the website of the city or try finding out about them from the planning department of the city.

Close the deal remotely

It would be ideal to visit a few houses and explore a few neighborhoods physically before you consider buying a home. If you can’t do this, you will need to do your house hunting remotely.

You can make an offer on a house from a considerable distance away as well and begin its closure online. You will simply need to provide an e-offer along with a digital signature. If you hire a real estate agent, they can maneuver the process from a long distance as well. Even if you can’t close the documentation in person, we suggest you send the signed documents through the mail overnight. However, any such mails need to be insured due to their confidential nature.

Here is a list of a few such important documents:

  • Homeowner’s insurance proof

  • Closing disclosure

  • Day of closing

  • Deed

  • Title documents

  • Riders

  • Bill of sale

  • Certificate of occupancy

  • Affidavits

  • Loan application

  • Secure your funds

  • Mortgage contract

  • Promissory note

How to avoid scams?

The biggest risk of long-distance house hunting is that you may fall under the trap of potential scams. Online scammers take advantage of homebuyers who live far from the place where they are house hunting and won’t be able to see their selected house until moving day. In many instances, the scammers may use a stolen image of the house and advertise it for sale even if they don’t own the house.

If a seller asks you to make an ardent to secure a house for you, it’s advised that you don't take their offer and instead investigate the matter. It’s a good idea to hire a local realtor who will help you identify any such frauds.

Take advantage of social media

If you are relocating to a new state or a city, it’s recommended you announce this news to your social media connections. By doing this, you can post about your move on Twitter or Facebook and request your connections for any kind of assistance you may need. You never know if someone might be of immense help to you.

If you are relocating for a new job, school, or family, we suggest you use the resources available to find a new home.

Always be adaptable

We recommend you stay flexible while buying a house, especially when you are executing the process remotely. It’s difficult to find a house that fits all the requirements you might have mentioned in your checklist, but you may find a house that matches 9 out of the 10 requirements you have mentioned in your checklist. You may not find a house in one of the best neighborhoods, but your real estate agent can help you find an even better house.

A long-distance move can be both stressful and adventurous. You will need to invest a lot of time and effort to find an ideal home and quality movers who will help you with the move.

If you follow the above-discussed guidelines, you will not regret making such a big investment later in your life. Hiring professional movers will help you reduce stress and relocate smoothly to your new destination.

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