Buying a home, either a house or an apartment, is a big and expensive deal. You will have to invest all of your time and energy into searching for your dream home and then invest all of your money in buying it. However, when you have to do all of this from out of state, that is, when you have to buy a property that is located in some other state, things get a lot more complex and stressful. Many things can go wrong and you may end up with a property that is either in a bad shape or that you just don’t really like. But, don’t worry – we are here to help you out. We prepared a list of some golden rules for buying a property in DC from out of state. So, if this is something you need help with, keep on reading.
Decide Where You Want to Live
When it comes to golden rules for buying a property in DC from out of state, the most important one applies to deciding where you want to live. So, postpone choosing the right awnings for your home, postpone choosing the colors of your new walls, postpone choosing even a real estate agent. Everything can wait.
Of course, you already know in which state or in which city you are moving to. But, do you know in which neighborhood and on which street? These are just as important! You need to find an area that is close to your work and to your children’s school, an area that has green parks for your dog, an area that is safe and has a well-developed transportation system, etc.
Moreover, you also have to know what kind of a home you are looking for. Don’t rely on your real estate agents solely – they can’t read your mind. You must be the one to create a list of must-haves (location, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amenities, etc.).
Hire a Real Estate Agent
If you found a home you like, your first instinct would probably be to buy it instantly, find some movers on sites such as bestlongdistancemovers.com, and relocate. Don’t rush your decision! Maybe there is a better property out there! Maybe your dream DC home is waiting for you around the corner!
It is always better to hire a real estate agent when buying (and selling) a home. Only an expert of this kind can help you find a home that suits all things on your must-have list and a home that suits your budget. Moreover, hiring a real estate agent is pretty much a must when it comes to buying a property in DC from out of state. That agent will be your ‘inside person’, a person whom you can trust. Since you are not there, you will need somebody to guide your home-buying process and make sure that you don’t get scammed, so, hire your agent on time!
Have Your Finances in Order
Before we continue talking about golden rules for buying a property in DC from out of state, first we have to mention something that all sellers and buyers must know about real estate agents – they are not your financial advisors! Yes, they can tell you whether a certain home is too cheap or too expensive, but they can’t tell you whether you can afford it.
So, don’t start long-distance house-hunting before organizing your finances. Talk to your financial advisor, your banker, or your mortgage lender to find out how much money you can afford to spend on your future home.
Ask for a Virtual Tour of a Home You Like
Once your real estate agent has found you several homes you like, ask him (or her) to give you a virtual tour of each of them. That is still a lot better than just viewing pictures from the site. This way, you can see all areas in a home, areas that may make or break your decision whether to buy a certain DC home or not.
Many real estate companies offer this feature to their international clients, so don’t hesitate to ask. Moreover, before doing this, it would be a good idea to think about all the things you want to find out about a certain home and write them down in form of questions. Ask those questions during live tours and you will get the best possible answer followed by a live video.
Visit the Home and Have it Inspected before Buying
Imagine finding your dream home somewhere in Maryland. It suits your budget, it suits your needs, and you got a satisfying video tour of it. Would you buy it instantly? Well, if you are smart, you wouldn’t! You need to see it in person and, most importantly, you need to have it professionally inspected before you sign the papers and close the deal.
Just as previously said, don’t rush anything. Visit the home you plan on buying and find a trustworthy home inspector. Together, go through all the nooks and crannies of that home and ensure everything is in order. If everything is, then you can go ahead, buy that Maryland property, and find the best people for the job to relocate you and your belongings to another state.
Close and Sign Online
Sometimes you can’t close the deal right away. There may be other buyers, the seller may yet not have prepared the property for sale, etc. Don’t worry if this happens. That is, if you made a deal with the seller, and if you have checked and inspected the home already, you can close the deal and sign all the papers online.
Your real estate agent will guide you through the process of buying a property in DC from out of state online. So, let us mention it just one more time – be sure to have a good agent. You need somebody you can trust to make this big purchase easy and stress-free.
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