How to Buy a House Out of State in 2022

Sally Norton

Guest Blogger

​When planning to move to a different state, you often cannot afford to take your time house-hunting yourself. After all, it takes a while to finalize such a process. And in the meantime, you would be stuck living out of a suitcase. Not to mention you would likely still have a job and other obligations at home. So, the question becomes: How to buy a house out of state in 2022? Well, read on and find out!

Know what you are looking for

If you want to buy a house out of state, you must know what kind of property you need. How much square footage do you need? Do you want your home to be near a school, so it’s more convenient for your kids? Maybe near a bus station, instead? What kind of amenities are you looking for? Without knowing the answers to these questions, the scope of available homes would be too large for you to find the perfect one. At least without visiting the state to check out the houses personally.

A stable and reliable internet connection and a home office are some of the most popular amenities in 2022!

Contact a local realtor

A reliable realtor is crucial for purchasing a home out of state. You need someone who knows the local housing market and can look for the best options for you. Even if you are planning to visit for a showing, you would, realistically, not have enough time to check out every piece of real estate in the town or city you are interested in. Not to mention that you would not be able to stick around to make offers in-person and handle the endless amounts of paperwork a home purchase requires. Of course, you should be very careful with selecting a real estate agent. It needs to be someone you can trust with how much you will be relying on them. So, take all the time you need to find the right realtor.

Organize an online or live viewing

Once your realtor has shortlisted a couple of homes that match up to your specifications, the next step is to check them out! Of course, you still do not need to go to your future hometown in person. You can ask your real estate agent to organize an online viewing for you. Just know that there are some things you cannot experience online, such as the smells and the humidity of the house in question. 

You want to make sure the layout of the house fits your future plans!

​Check the viability of purchase via a home inspection

​Even though our last point still stands, there is no reason to worry! This is because the following step of buying a house out of state is to have the home’s condition confirmed. Whether you are buying the house in person or through an intermediary, a home inspection is a crucial part of the process. A house inspector will be able to track down any problems a house might have and compile them into a list for you. Through that list, you would be able to decide whether you want to invest in the property despite the issues and potential cost of fixing them. Just remember that not every fixer-upper is an excellent find! Some are simply not worth fixing.

Finalize acquiring funds

​If you have located the house you are interested in and want to make an offer, it is time to secure your funds and do so! It is always preferable to have cash on hand in advance to make a down payment. But most buyers will still need to take out a mortgage. This might be somewhat tricky, considering you would likely need to do so in the state you would be moving to. However, your realtor should still be able to offer you advice! So, do not panic and rush into things for fear of the house’s owner not wanting to wait on you. 

​Make an offer

​Much like when buying a house in person, you will need to make a formal offer to secure your future home. Once again, you may choose to be there in person or have the process go entirely through your realtor. If you speak with the seller beforehand, you should know what to expect either way.

​Contract a reliable moving company

If you know that your offer will go through, then the next step of buying a home out of state is to secure yourself a moving company! You should always approach the task seriously when engaging in a long-distance move. Go through previous reviews. Ask for references, preferably from people who moved to the same state. If you are moving in winter, make sure you and the company have all the equipment to be prepared for relocating this winter. You can never be too prepared or cautious when it comes to long-distance and cold weather moves! Not if you want to arrive at your new home safe and with all your belongings in one piece.

Just remember that quality moving supplies are essential for the process!

​Attend the closing

Naturally, the final phase of buying a house out of state is attending the closing. It is very much preferable to do so in person, considering how you would typically be expected to sign mortgage documents at that point. Some lenders will insist that it must be you there signing everything. However, if you check ahead of time and confirm they are fine with a representative, it is still possible to attend online. At any rate, only once the closing is over are you free to relax and start making a list of things to buy for your new house! 

​Final words

You should now know enough about how to buy a house out of state in 2022 to be able to pull it off! Remember that it is better to take your time and get things right rather than rush through the process and make mistakes. If you do, we are sure that you will be just fine.