Can a Home Buyer Really Buy a Home without Seeing It?

I would think that folks with those kind of liquid funds, are more interested in the "numbers" as it pertains to the location of the property, than the emotional aspects of how it feels.

Good afternoon Ginny,

The video certainly gives the buyer a prospective of the surrounding homes, how close to the water the home is and the location on the beach. If the agent is taking the inside shots they certainly have a feel for the home and if time is of the essence I can see them making an offer and wanting to close quickly.

Ginny, earlier this week I listed a property and got an all cash offer, but the buyer had never seen it.    It was MUCH less than list price and think they thought "throwing a low-ball offer into the heap" would work.   It did not.

Great quality video of the area.  It would certainly attract a prospective buyers to the home.  

Ginny I would never spend that kind of money with seeing the property first, but that is me and I have never been in that position, so I might react differently if I was.

Ginny, to me I would want to see the interiors, then since I had big buckos, I'd be flying there on my private jet or be helicoptered in for a couple of hours and then write the check. 

BUT, that's not me! 

Ginny.  This video is just toooooooooo loooooooong.

I almost took a nap. There were no interior photos either.

Ginny, we don't have the picturesque homes like those along a shore, but No I have never sold a home in absentia. Nice shots of the exterior but where ae the inside photos

Good evening Ginny. I have been party to a few of these. The do make their decision based on the input of others. Nice to have discretionary funds like this.

Ginny: I think you outlined many of the primary reasons why someone would buy a home in this fashion (I would never do it myself). In addition to the reasons you mention, perhaps they are impulsive, are trying to tie up funds to avoid taxes, or are looking for a quick investment/flip opportunity. 

Ginny, Using a drone is a fantastic way to give a buyer a better view, especially if they are looking to buy without actually viewing the home.  If I were a buyer, I'd be super impressed. My husband I sold two homes sight unseen to military folks stationed in the UAE and Afghanistan, one about eight years ago and the other three years ago.  All the photos were provided by creating virtual tours and sending the links. Both were simple transactions, these soldiers were so happy to come back to the US to a real "home."

I recently had a buyer looking for a home in the Dallas area. He was relocating from 3 hours away. He drove in on a Saturday night and I showed him 5 houses the next day. We submitted offers on 2. Neither one worked out, but the next day, after he had returned home, "the perfect home" came on the market. He couldn't make another 6-hour round-trip drive, so I "skyped" him through the house and a half hour later I drew up the offer. We also "skyped" the walk-thru. He closed last month.

Good morning Ginny. I can't tell you that I haven't taken a property in trade without seeing it, but eventually did get to see the properties before the closing. I would never do that with a home that I was going to live in.

Make it a great weekend!

We have had so so many cash buyers, full price, never met them in person and because of real estate videos. A pair of buyers from France, one just happen from Australia. Real estate videos, not slide shows with a music bed but you are there done right videos for the show and tell delivery of information for the property, for the local area. Priceless. No bank, no showing a slew of properties and wasting gas. The buyer one by one looks at each open house on demand video late at night no matter what the weather or their location. Clone what you do and extend your reach with video!

I guess virtual tours are working fine for some people. However, it is still best to see and inspect the property first before buying it