Pick an agent who knows how to help you buy from far away, not only one who knows the area. Before you commit to anyone, ask how they work with buyers who live out of state.
I'm Eugene Fulton Jr., a real estate agent in Charlotte County and Sarasota County, Florida. I help buyers from New York, New Jersey, and Illinois buy a home and move to Southwest Florida. Here's what I'd want you to know before you pick someone.
What should I ask an agent before I choose them?
When you can't be here in person, how an agent works matters as much as what they know about the area. Ask these three things:
- How will you communicate with me? Find out how and how often you'll hear from them.
- How do I see a house if I'm not there? Ask what a showing looks like when you're a thousand miles away.
- What's your process for relocation buyers? A relocation buyer is someone moving here from another state. Ask them to walk you through how they help someone who lives out of state.
What's the most common mistake out-of-state buyers make?
They hire a local agent without checking whether that agent knows how to guide a buyer through the process from far away. Knowing the area is only half of it.
What does that look like in a real purchase?
A buyer's home inspection came back. An inspection is when a trained professional checks the house and writes up what they find. Their agent forwarded the report. There was no call and no video walkthrough, and nobody helped sort out what was worth replacing from what was only cosmetic, meaning how something looks rather than how it works. The buyer was left to read a long report alone, from hundreds of miles away.
How do I handle showings for buyers who live out of state?
I do live video showings at a time that works for you. We walk through the whole house together, and I'll show you every room, closet, and corner. Then we go outside to look at the backyard, and I take you through the neighborhood too, so you see the street and what's around it, not just the house.
How do I handle inspections?
I attend whenever I can. If I can't be there, I email you a copy of the report as soon as it comes back, and we pick a time that works for you to go over it together. I'll help you sort what matters from what's cosmetic, so you're not guessing.
What's the one thing I tell every buyer?
Go with someone who explains every step and keeps you aware of every deadline. Buying a home comes with dates you have to meet, and the inspection period is probably the most important one. Those dates are set in your contract, so you should know them from day one. When you live out of state, you want someone watching each of them with you.
What should I do next?
Make a short list of agents and ask each one the three questions above. Listen for who explains things clearly and tells you how they'll handle the parts you can't be here for, like seeing the house and going over the inspection.