A blind date can be scary enough, but at least you don’t need to take out a mortgage and put thousands of dollars down when going on a blind date with a person. A blind date with a house, however, can be a bit more stress inducing. Purchasing a house without physically seeing it and inspecting it first may seem crazy to some, but thanks to technology, 21 percent of homebuyers say they have made an offer on a house without seeing it first, according to a survey from Redfin.
As Reuters reports, for many people who are relocating out of state, it can be very difficult and not cost-efficient to travel and actually see a house before buying it. There are some things that can be done, however, to remove the blindfold associated with purchasing a home sight unseen.
For example, while pictures and 3D tours are great and should be used, a live video tour is usually the best option. Using something like FaceTime, Skype, or any other app that can provide live video or streaming, the actual dimensions of the house and its current state can be better determined, and these tours can be conducted just like any other Realtor-guided tour.
Another key is to find an agent you trust. This should always be near the top of the list, but especially when they have been able to see and walk through the house and you have not. A Realtor who shows they are invested in the prospective homebuyer's decision and are going the extra mile to make sure a home is right for them can go a long way toward the decision to put in an offer or not.
Finally, when buying a home without visiting it first, homebuyers can tend to focus solely on the house and completely forget to check out the neighborhood too. Again, technology can help here. Google StreetView is a good way to take a virtual tour of a neighborhood.