Why hire a realtor when moving?
Moving is stressful enough when doing it locally. It is even more of a challenge when you are packing up your life to move cross-country. While your moving company can deal with the logistics of packing all your stuff and transporting it to another state, they, unfortunately, can’t help you find your next home. But thankfully, there are professionals for that task too!
Whether you are looking to rent or buy, a real estate agent is an invaluable resource, especially when you don’t know an area very well. These tips can help you find one from afar.
Conduct some online research.
The Internet is one of your best resources for finding a non-local real estate agent, as well as conducting research on the area in general and searching for available properties. A quick search will pull up the real estate agents working in a specific area, from which you can compile a list to contact. From an online search, you can generally get an idea for what are the largest real estate firms in an area and which agents are most in demand.
Ask for referrals.
If you know anyone who has recently bought or sold a property in your new city, ask them about the agent they worked with before. What did they like and dislike about working with that agent? Would they recommend that agent to you? Look at online reviews too, but treat them with healthy levels of skepticism.
Get recommendations from people you know that have worked with realtors before.
Interview each potential agent.
It will likely not be possible to conduct in-person interviews with potential real estate agents when you live across the country unless you make arrangements when you are visiting. Instead, you could conduct phone interviews or interviews over online video calls, which are your best substitute for an in-person interview. Use these interviews to ask questions, get a feel for an agent’s personality, and compare your possible choices.
Consider their experience.
You will depend on your real estate agent to guide you through the process of buying a property, understand the local neighborhoods, and negotiate on your behalf to get the best deal. With this in mind, you will want to find out about their experience, successes, credentials, how long they have been in the business, and more. Look for agents specializing in the type of property you are looking for, if applicable, as well as licensed realtors, who are certified professionals with additional real estate credentials and bound by a code of ethics.
Make sure you work with a licensed real estate agent.
Pay special attention to communication.
Because communication will be even more essential when shopping for a property remotely, this should be one of the details you pay the most attention to when evaluating the realtors. Take note of whether they respond to your communications quickly, offer multiple ways to contact them and follow up with you.
Choose based on personality.
Your goal should ultimately be to find a real estate agent who is skilled, experienced, and knowledgeable about the area. But it will help if you also consider their personality and how well you expect to be able to work with them. In the end, you should go with your gut and choose an agent you have good feelings about rather than one who causes you to hesitate.
Remotely choosing a real estate agent is not much different from finding a local one—it adds some logistical hurdles, which you can overcome. A local agent is an invaluable asset when you are moving cross-country. Be sure to take the time to find one before you move.