Should You Consider Purchasing a Home in PA Sight Unseen?
Online shopping has reached new heights and buying a house without visiting it in person is trending. Should you consider purchasing a home in PA sight unseen?
Did you know that 33% of U.S. residents bought a home without seeing it in person?
The term "sight unseen" means to buy a house online without physically going to the property.
From the comfort of your couch, you can sign all the paperwork necessary to buy your next home online. One of the documents you must sign is a sight unseen addendum, which is an agreement for online buying.
There are a few steps that come with buying a home sight unseen, but they aren't much different from buying a home in person. For instance, you still need to be pre-approved for a mortgage. Then, you may make an offer to the seller and if they agree to it, you get an inspection and order a title report.
All these steps would be completed online.
Here are the pros and cons of buying a home in PA sight unseen, as well as five tips that can help if you choose to do so.
Pros
Buying a home online is faster and may be cheaper. This is because you cut down on travel time and may avoid a "bidding war."
Your real estate agent can help you get a professional home inspection, as well, even if you're remote.
You need to get an inspection to catch any issues before officially buying the property.
Travel fees can be a large problem, especially if you need to buy plane tickets to and from your destination. In 2020, the average domestic airfare price for traveling to LAX International Airport was $330.61. Along with hotel fees, food, rental cars, and gas, you can be looking at up to $1,000 to get your boots on the ground.
If you're buying a home sight unseen, you can avoid these costs.
Cons
There aren't many cons when it comes to buying a home sight unseen. Instead, there are a few things to be wary of.
Issues at closing can occur if there is a change in your credit score or if there is a problem with your payment transfer. Your real estate agent will be able to help you with any problems that occur, so you will not face any problems alone.
1. Choose the Right Agent
Your real estate agent should have "boots on the ground." They are the key to buying your next home, especially if this is your first time buying a home.
If you're looking to buy a home in PA, you should look for a real estate agent in the area. They are able to travel to the property more often than an agent who isn't located as close.
A real estate agent will help guide you through the process and use their expertise to help you.
It is vital that your agent understands the neighborhood. From there, contacting an agent over email or phone is simple!
2. Take a virtual tour
Technology now allows us to visit homes from our computer screen. Taking a virtual tour is helpful because you get a different perspective of the house.
The camera acts as your eyes and walks you through the property. With a virtual tour, you can imagine yourself living in the home.
If you have a local agent from the area, they can even go to the house and FaceTime or video call with you. This way, you are able to have control over everything you want to see.
3. Wait to Buy Furniture
Even with a virtual tour, you may not get the right feeling of the space. It can be tricky to visualize what table will be able to fit in the dining room until you're in the room itself.
If you want more details about your space, you can request a copy of the floor plan.
The floor plan will tell you the exact dimensions of each room, and will even tell you how high your ceilings are. It is a great asset to have as a purchaser of a home sight unseen.
4. Inspect the neighborhood
Neighborhoods play a large role in many people's decisions when buying a home. It's something that is very important to include in your sight unseen buy.
Every neighborhood is different, and you must be clear on what you want. Do you want neighbors close by, or somewhere most secluded? By telling your agent what you want, they can direct you to the perfect homes for sale.
A great tool to use when searching for your next home is Google Maps. There is a Street View feature where you can view the area as if you were walking down the street.
In PA, you can get all the information you need about public school systems online, as well.
5. Remote Closing
Understanding the closing process beforehand can help you avoid potential issues. For example, Pennsylvania requires a state deed transfer tax. There are a few other fees you need to be aware of, and your real estate agent will give you all the information you need.
Coordinating between many people to be at the same place at the same time can be tricky. Electronic paperwork makes the closing process quick and more efficient.
The importance of having an agent becomes clear at closing. You have to trust them to do the final walkthrough of the house.
Doing a final walkthrough assures that the home is in the same state as it was during the inspection.
Finding Your Home in PA
Now that you know five tips to help you buy a home in PA Sight Unseen, you can decide if this is right for you. Online shopping for a house may come with its doubts, but you are not alone in the process.
Your real estate agent will be right by your side during the entire process to guide you with their expertise.
If you're interested, contact Palmer Realty so that we can help you take the next steps!