Tips for long-distance house hunting in Texas

Steps to take when long-distance house hunting in Texas 

Home shopping from afar might not be the ideal situation, but it's maybe your only option. So, whether you need to relocate quickly because of a job opportunity or you've always dreamt of living here but are currently living in California, for example, sometimes a remote purchase is the best option. So, before you call interstate movers to help you arrange an easy transfer from California, keep these things in mind to make the process more straightforward. 

1. Find a trustworthy and experienced local real estate agent 

Make finding a great agent your number 1 priority when long-distance house hunting in Texas.

There are numerous agents with different levels of expertise and experience. Finding the right one for your situation means some (preferably all) of the following: 

• Your agent should be experienced in long-distance home shopping; 
• Should be skilled in using the technology that is required every step of the way (taking and sending the right pictures, virtual showings, e-signing); 
• Has a working license;
• Is adaptable to your schedule, especially if you live in a different time zone; 

• Shows a good understanding of your tastes, wishes, preferences, and home must-haves. 

Having good communication with your agent is essential since they will be the ones seeing everything close up instead of you.  

2. Get to know the area as much as you can 

When purchasing a home from afar, you simply can't leave everything to your real estate agent. Therefore, this is a step where you can use the Internet to your advantage as well.  

The relocation experts from mod-movers.com, who have helped numerous clients successfully relocate, recommend first looking up commute times to work, local schools rankings, and crime rates. The majority of their clients said researching the area independently and talking to friends and relatives made them decide to move to Texas. 

So, put some time aside and do your homework. There's plenty of online information, like info on housing and job markets, livability scores, crime rates, and living costs. Knowing all this will help you in choosing the best neighborhood for you and your family. 

3. Decide on your needs and non-negotiables 

It would be best to narrow down your top five non-negotiable characteristics when it comes to your ideal house and neighborhood. That might be having a garage, a park or run trail nearby, or multiple bathrooms. Either way, having a list like this one will save everyone's time as it will help your agent find the best fit for you. Consequently, you won't lose time looking at homes that don't have what you want them to have. 

4. Establish a realistic budget when long-distance house hunting in Texas 

As your research expands, you should get a good idea of typical living costs and home prices in the neighborhoods you like. For example, you should consider the average public transport costs, gas, childcare, groceries, and home prices.  

Once you have a general idea of all the costs, it will be easier to decide your budget for buying a house.  

Before online home shopping, you should check the basic living costs of the area.

5. Plan a couple of visits (and budget for that too) 

If possible, it would be best if you prepared a travel budget too. This means you should have a couple of trips arranged. Use these trips to meet with your real estate agent, familiarize yourself with the neighborhood and its amenities, and check out the top choices in person. 

However, you don't want to put too much pressure on solely one trip and risk making a rushed decision. So, it would be best to plan at least two visits before choosing the one. 

6. Be flexible 

However, even if you have your house and neighborhood must-haves cleared, it's important to keep an open mind. You never know what the housing market offers before you enter it.  

It's advisable to explore other neighborhoods and not be fixed on a single one. This way, you will ensure you see the whole city's offer and don't risk missing on something better. 

Trust your real estate agent if he decides to show you houses in multiple neighborhoods.

7. Make a strong offer and close the deal 

Finally, long-distance house hunting in Texas might be tough on both buyers and sellers. Therefore, it's your agent's job to assure the seller you are a serious buyer. 

Here are some of the things to do in order to make a competitive offer that will catch your seller's eye.  

• Presenting an all-cash offer will put you on top of the list no matter what. 
• Since this isn't realistic for the majority of buyers, having a mortgage pre-approval will help your seller know they will receive a payment. 
• If the housing market is competitive and busy, you might benefit from the pre-underwriting.  
• Finally, the higher your down payment is, the higher the chances your offer gets accepted. Ideally, the down-payment should be 20% of the whole house price, but having around 10% will show meaningful equity too. 

The takeaway from long-distance house hunting in Texas 

Searching for a perfect home remotely is sometimes stressful, but as long as you have a good real estate agent and a planned process, you will be one step closer to closing the deal each day. After you're finished with the long-distance house hunting in Texas, the thing that's left is to arrange a stress-free move and settle into your new home. Happy house hunting!