There are plenty of good reasons why you might want to buy a house in a different state from your current location -- and thankfully, modern technology makes it possible to shop for a home and work hand-in-hand with trusted professionals who can make the process easier for you. Whether you're going to be living in the house full-time and want to have the purchase handled before you move, you'd like to find a vacation home in one of your favorite places to visit, or you are hoping to invest your money in real estate somewhere you don't actually live, you're not alone! Plenty of people are buying homes from across the country these days, and you can make it work for you if you understand what's involved and make sure you're working with people you trust to help you make big decisions. To be successful in your remote purchase, make sure you're covering these basics. **Know why you want to buy remotely** It's absolutely fine to have more than one reason for buying a home in a different state -- for example, perhaps you want a vacation home that you can also rent out short-term when you're not staying there to help cover the mortgage, so you're looking for both a second home and an investment property. But you need to think long and hard about your primary reason for buying a house in a state where you don't currently live full-time well before you start shopping because your primary reason should help you determine what will (and won't) work for you. **Research, research, research** You might have a general idea of where you want to buy a house -- maybe you've always wanted to own a home in the mountains, on the beach, or in your favorite city to visit. But you'll need to get much more specific than that before you start seriously looking for a house and start the purchasing process. **Get some resident opinions** Do you know anybody who lives in the area where you want to buy? This can be a huge asset when you're trying to purchase a home in a different state. And the good news is that you don't necessarily have to know someone in the area already; you can craft relationships from out-of-state with knowledgeable people and ask them every lingering question you have about your future home purchase. **Decide on a neighborhood** When you feel confident that your research has answered every question you have about the pros and cons of each possible market, town, or neighborhood, it's time to start narrowing down your choices to two or three (at most). **Pre-approval still matters** When you're buying a house remotely, you probably want the process to move along as quickly as possible, and you want to seem competitive with any local buyers. This means you really should get pre-approved by a mortgage lender before you start shopping in earnest. **Securing the mortgage could be more challenging** Even if this is a home purchase that you're intending to make your primary residence, be aware that getting a mortgage to buy a house in another state can require jumping through even more hoops than normal. **Hire a local agent** It might or might not be beneficial to hire a local lender, but it's absolutely critical that you find a local real estate agent -- preferably one who has specific knowledge about the neighborhood or area where you want to buy. **Walk through a house at least once before making an offer** This might not be possible depending on your own availability, but if you can, do your best to walk through any home you're seriously considering buying before you make an offer. **Try to be there in person for the inspection** Maybe you couldn't make the pre-purchase walk-through, but one time when you really should try your very hardest to be present at the house during the closing process is for the inspection. **...And consider additional inspections** Inspection requirements vary from state to state. Some states require pest inspections, for example, while others consider pest inspections optional. **Consider a title agency with a national presence** You don't actually have to be present for the closing, but working with a title company that at least has offices in your state and the state where you're buying can really help expedite processes and make the closing smoother for everyone, including the seller. **Find a trustworthy property manager** If you're going to be moving into the home yourself, then you obviously don't need a property manager, but if the home is going to be an investment property or vacation rental, then you'll need someone to look after it while you're away.
