We have helped several clients make the move from out-of-area and have developed a tried-and-true process to help you get to know the nuances of each neighborhood, commutes, and lifestyle options, making the process a breeze, even if your time on the ground here is limited or non-existent.
Our process for out-of-area buyers
- A long first conversation. What you're leaving, why you're moving, your timeline, and what your budget buys here compared to where you're coming from. We spend time getting to know exactly what you're looking for so that when we're your eyes in town, we're thinking through your frame.
- Narrowing the map before you fly. We shortlist the areas worth your time so a visit isn't spent driving aimlessly.
- Video tours that tell you something. We virtually walk homes slowly and deliberately, with the camera focused on what matters: the grade of the yard, the noise from the street, ceiling height in the basement, the view from the kitchen window. We want you to get as good a sense as possible of the nitty gritty, the smells, and the feel, when you can't capture it in person.
- A trip planned around your life, not just houses. The commute at the hour you'd drive it, the grocery store, the trailhead, a Tuesday evening in each area. We work with you to know what priorities to watch for when touring a home.
- Writing an offer from a distance. Electronic signatures, remote notarization where allowed, and us at the inspection on your behalf.
- Resources. Contractors, utilities, licensing and registration, and where to buy skis. Moving somewhere new is the part that takes longest, and we keep helping long after closing.
Coming from a coastal market?
Most of our relocation clients arrive from Seattle, Portland, or California, and the biggest adjustment is what the same budget buys. Our analysis of premium housing across six Northwest markets lays out the differences with real numbers.