Buying a home that you haven't walked through isn't the disaster scenario you might think

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Published Date 9/10/2021

It's true. People buy houses they have never walked through. Aided by both technology and their agents, it's possible to choose a house you've never seen in person. Circumstances often include being geographically unavailable (military, new job, etc.) but with time constraints that can't be helped. And believe it or not, these home purchases are not the disaster scenario you might imagine.

According to NewHomeSource's Carmen Chai, a 2018 poll commissioned by Redfin revealed that 20 percent of homebuyers surveyed said they made an offer on a home sight unseen. "A similar survey in 2017 revealed that millennial homebuyers were the most likely to put in an offer without ever stepping foot in the home, with 45 percent saying they had done so, followed by 30 percent of GenXers and 12 percent of Baby Boomers," says Chai." As for locations of these never-seen-in-person homes, the top five cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, and Austin.

You can purchase your home sight unseen safely, smartly, and without any hesitation, according to Chai, who offers a guide on what to keep in mind. First, there can be no equivocation on what it is you want. It's not at all like an instinctual feeling of finding a winner when you see it. You must be clear on the desired bedroom and bath count, square footage, lot size, budget, location within a given community, home-style, schools, etc. How close do you need to be to a hospital, public transit, or a market? No room for being hesitant about these details. If your budget can't stretch to get everything you have in mind, a priority list is a must for your remote agent.

To get a feel for what you are looking for, look locally at model homes and open houses to give you some ideas. Do you require a single-story home, or is having a 2-story with the master bedroom downstairs acceptable? "Your must-haves and deal-breakers list will help guide your search, but it'll also dictate specific parameters you're looking for to your real estate agent and anyone else helping you house hunt," says Chai.

The agent you choose to help you identify the home you intend to buy is key. Choose someone with a team of experts in place so that he or she can lessen your anxieties about the eventual purchase. FaceTiming or Skyping are almost as good as being there in person, so don't ignore this vital type of communication technology to make yourself feel more comfortable with the agent you select. Ask about how comfortable the agent is with this process. "Some agents may specialize in military relocations and be very familiar with the process, while others may be a little out of their depth," says Chai. Their schedule should remain flexible enough to accommodate the different time zones involved, especially when you are having inspections performed or have meetings with lenders on your behalf.

Builder salespeople are only too happy to "walk you through the models," using their smartphones while explaining their homes' amenities, designs, features, and options. They can even "take" you to the available homesites a specific floor plan might be available to build on. If the builder builds subdivisions across the country, there may be a similar floor plan you can visit that is closer to where you are. New builds are often the easiest choice since you can be involved with the home construction process so there are no surprises about what the final product will look like.

Whatever home you choose, real-time walkthroughs and recorded videos are key, since your agent can provide commentary on what they're seeing and touching. Perhaps the home backs up to railroad tracks, a busy street, or a school athletic field that has night games with bright lights. Maybe the hardwood floors and carpet are not in great shape. You often can't see these things by looking at online photos. Only a live person can clue you in. Ask your agent to take extra photos for things not shown in the listing, since the listing will only show off the home's assets and might skip showing the closet-sized powder room under a set of stairs or the awkward steps to the basement.

Google Maps and Google StreetView are resources you can count on to help you get acquainted with the neighborhood as well. "Type in the address of your potential home and look at the grocery stores, restaurants, green spaces, and community centers that line the area," says Chai. "Don't forget to check for how close it is to your new workplace, your kids' school, gas stations, the highway, or other key stops in your day-to-day life." You can ask your agent to visit the local city hall to see what is being planned nearby. You can also check city websites for crime rates, public school "report cards" and real estate sales.

A full home inspection is a must, including a roof inspection, pool (if any) inspection, the foundation, the water pipes, and any other structural issues in the home. Your agent can add caveats to your purchase agreement so that you're only purchasing if the home is in healthy shape. You can also make the entire agreement contingent on having seen the home in person before signing on the dotted line, even if all else is agreed to. If the home is not you expected, this contingency plan is essential.

Remote closings are common these days. Your agent will send you your contract and all addendums via email, which you can sign electronically. Funds are transferred via bank transfers or wire transfers. Physical signatures are required and can be done at a local participating title/escrow office and documents can be sent via FedEx to complete the process.

Source: TBWS

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