Your Realtor is more than just someone you hire to handle paperwork and coordinate a transaction. They are meant to be your partner, your advocate, your eyes and ears. With that in mind, it is in your best interest to be selective about your Realtor. It is in your best interest to partner with a Realtor that is used to working with buyers from out of state and is familiar with all of the eccentricities that can arise when working together across a long distance.

It is not uncommon for buyers looking for a second or new home that is out of state to have a lot of extra questions that never occur to a local buyer. Don’t be afraid to ask every single one of them. Knowledge is power and the better you understand this process, the more confident and comfortable you will be with it. Again, you should think of your Realtor as your partner and never hesitate to rely on them if any questions or concerns arise.

Obviously since you are not local, it will be harder or maybe even impossible for you to attend every little event during the closing preparation. One event that many buyers love to attend is the home inspection. If you can’t be there in person, request that your Realtor attend and video-chat with you if possible. Once the inspection is complete, your agent will go over all of the details with you and give you the opportunity to ask questions about the results.

Sadly, there are a lot of unethical people out there trying to prey on homebuyers. It is not uncommon for scammers to post out of state listings on platforms like Facebook and Craigslist. One of the most common scams is posting stolen pictures from a fake listing with a price that seems too good to be true. Their goal is to get you into a false “bidding war” and run away with the earnest money deposit you put down to try and seal the deal.

When you think about all of the things that might go wrong when trying to buy a home out of state, you might get too nervous to pull the trigger. One of the best ways to reduce or eliminate these risks and buy your home with confidence is to purchase a new construction property. When you buy a new construction home straight from the builder you have all the extra security of knowing the seller is legit, the property was built to pass inspection with flying colors, and your investment is a wise one.

The Harborside El Jobean Blog is filled with tons of more articles like this to help you make the most of buying and selling real estate in Port Charlotte. Not only can you learn about all things real estate related, but you can get info about local events, attractions, and ways to live a more beautiful life here in Charlotte County. Please subscribe to our blog so you can get all of the hottest real estate tips and local updates.