Making the Most of Your House Hunting Trips in Your Relocation
Chances are you will make at least one trip to your new location before you actually move in order to look at, and hopefully buy, your new home. Time will probably be limited, so make the most of this time by doing the following (see video at bottom of page):
1. You should thoroughly research housing on-line in advance so you know what is available, pricing, etc. I don't advise going on this trip blind since you'll waste time. Research the towns and communities that interest you, along with schools if applicable.
2. Develop a thorough list of the properties that interest you.
3. Ask your REALTOR® to arrange for you to see the homes on your list, and others that may be suitable given your criteria. You can add new properties that come on the market at the last moment.
4.Be prepared to spend the entire day or several days looking at houses and see as many as you can. If you are in an area you don't like, let your agent know so you don't waste time going to other homes in that area.
5. Take lots of notes (notepad, iPad) and make sure you have a copy of the MLS printout for each house you are seeing so you have all the information, or use your iPad or similar device. It’s probably best to have your REALTOR® drive so you can explore more readily.
6. Take a digital camera (and battery charger) and a video camera if preferred (or use your SmartPhone, iPhone, iPad). Seeing lots of homes in a short period can be confusing, and you will find it hard to remember what you saw.
7. Try to rank order homes as you go to eliminate those that are low on the list.
8. Don't take too much time at each home so you keep moving along and see everything you want. You can always revisit homes that interest you.
9. Depending on your personal situation, prepare yourself mentally to make a buying decision when you find the right house. If you have done your homework, and with a good REALTOR®, you will likely find the home you want during your trip, so you need to be prepared to move ahead quickly, especially if you are house hunting in a seller’s market where homes disappear within days.
10. Take your checkbook for your deposit (check with your REALTOR® to see if this is needed), and make sure you have a current pre-approval letter (as recent as possible) for any offer you make. Put your loan officer on alert in case you need to call/email to get a revised pre-approval letter quickly while traveling. You may also want to have a copy of a proof of funds for your deposit/downpayment; it likely will be required if you are paying cash.
Need more relocation tips and advice on what to do and not do??
Please reach out to me at (760) 840-1360 so we can discuss your personal relocation needs, questions and concerns. I am happy to help you from start to finish with your relocation here to SoCal, or with a move out of this area.
And if you are moving someplace other than SoCal, I can still assist you. I know a great network of highly qualified agents around the country and can help refer you to the right person to help find your new home and/or sell your current one.
Here are the prior articles (with videos) in this series in case you missed them:
Video #10 – Help Your REALTOR® Help You in Your Relocation
Video #9 – Finding School, Crime and Other Information During Your Relocation
Video #8 – Packing for your Relocation: Do It Yourself or Not
Video #7 – Making Your List and Checking it Twice: Your Relocation Checklist That Is
Video #6 – Questions to Ask Your Movers
Video #5 - Buying vs. Renting When Relocating to Your New Home
Video #4 – Finding the Right REALTOR® to Help in Your Relocation
Video #3 – Moving with a Relocation Package
Video #2 – Getting Pre-Approved
Video #1 – Relocation Expenses
Introduction to Relocation Tips Video Series
