5 Things To Avoid If You're Buying A Home Virtually (Or Unseen)

Buying a house without even seeing it in person first sounded like an absolutely insane idea before the pandemic hit. Over the course of 2020, people did just that because they wanted to leave densely populated areas for smaller towns and the countryside, where it seemed that it was less likely that you would be hit by the illness. Now, people are still buying homes just by looking at them online. And while it can be done successfully, there are some pitfalls that you should be aware of and make every effort to avoid. Here are some tips on how you can avoid some of the worst possible mistakes.

Don’t Be Shy About Asking Questions

Especially because you won’t be able to see everything in person, it can be easy to misunderstand the layout of the house or have a question about the age of the air conditioner. If you’re in doubt about anything, you can save yourself money and a lot of hassles and disappointment if you take the time to ask good questions about the things that are truly important to you.

Get the Best Local Real Estate Agent

Local real estate agents who know the area and the houses will be able to tell you all about the best properties, and they’ll be able to let you know which ones you should avoid. They can also act as your eyes and ears, especially if you’re buying a property that isn’t in the state or general area that you currently live in.

Make Full Use of Technology

When you’re looking for a house, make sure that you’re using all of the resources available, especially the technology features. For instance, you should look into getting a FaceTime tour with your agent walking around so that you can get a better idea of what the flow of the house is like. You should also take full advantage of the photos on the listings, and you can look at Google Street View to learn more about the street and neighborhood that the house is in.

Get a Floor Plan

Having a floor plan will save you the trouble of some major misunderstandings about size and layout. Even pictures can be deceiving, and you don’t want to end up with a house with surprises. If there isn’t a floor plan available, see if your agent can get basic measurements so that you can draw a rough floor plan yourself. From this, you’ll know if you’ll need to buy different furniture.

Get an Appraisal and Home Inspection

It’s so important to let experts be your eyes and mind when you can’t even see a property in person. If you’re getting a loan, your lender is going to require an appraisal regardless. But you should also get an inspection, which can save you the trouble of finding that the plumbing is old or there’s another major repair that the house needs.

When you’re looking for homes for sale in the Twin Cities but plan on buying sight unseen, get as much information as you can so that you can make an informed decision that will benefit you.