Make the most of a 3 day relocation house hunting trip

You’re getting ready to move across the county in a few months. For a new job or a new adventure or a change of scenery. Relocation is a big, complicated step. A lot of our relocation clients pick a 3-day window to fly out and start seeing houses a few months before the move. We’ve compiled all the things we’ve learned to make a relocation trip that much easier for you. Here’s how you can plan your relocation house hunting trip and condense it into 3 days.

Make the most of a 3-day relocation house hunting trip:

Plan in advance
Explore the area
See some homes
Write Offers

Plan Ahead

To maximize your relocation house hunting trip, find a real estate agent that specializes in relocation hunting.

Work with that agent in advance to discuss your home requirements and needs. It will help them eliminate areas, homes, and amenities that just won’t work for you.

Plan on seeing about 8-10 homes during your trip. This means long and dedicated days with your agent – the more time you can give them to plan the more you’ll be able to see.

DAY 1: Explore the Area

Spend the first day of your relocation house hunting trip exploring neighborhoods. You agent can help you narrow down areas that make sense for you. Don’t skip this step – you don’t want to find a home you love in an area that doesn’t suit your needs.

For example, if you have young kids finding are area with a great school district will be important. If you want to have a minimal commute, targeting a spot that has good access to public transportation or is close to your office is key.

Narrow down your search to 2-4 areas and neighborhoods that you really like and focus your search there.

DAY 2: Visit homes

The second day is the day to dive in and start seeing homes. Your relocation real estate agent should be able to plan a route to help maximize your time and keep you from driving back and forth across the city. Set the goal of visiting 6-8 homes – a couple in each of the areas you like.

Wear comfortable shoes, carry some water, take time for a lunch break – it is going to be a long day.

As you see homes be sure to rank them for your agent – tell them which ones you like the most and the least. It will help them get to know your preferences and dislikes when it comes to a home. It can also help you cross off some homes without even seeing them. Maximize time spent looking at homes you actually like in areas you love.

At the end of Day 2 of your relocation house hunting trip, you’ll want to have a couple of homes on the shortlist of possibilities.

DAY 3: Write offers

On the morning of Day 3 you can squeeze in a couple more walkthroughs if you want or if you only have one home that you like from the day before.

Afterwards, you want to spend the third day writing offers with your agent. Ideally you have 2-3 homes that you’re making an offer on before you head home from your relocation house hunting trip.

BACK AT HOME:

Stay in touch with your real estate agent. They will let you know if any of your offers were accepted, what they need from you next. You agent can also help coordinate inspections, refer you to people to help with repairs or cleaning, and can even arrange for you to close on your home long distance.