How do I buy a home sight-unseen when relocating?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
I've done this enough times that it's a process now, not a gamble. But I want to be clear with you: buying a home you've never stood inside carries real risk, and my job is to reduce that risk as much as possible — not to pretend it doesn't exist.
On stage The 60-second answer
Captions on · Transcript below
The stage is set.
Chris's video answer is on its way. Until then, the short answer above says the same thing.
The transcript posts with the video.
The longer answer
Here's how I approach it. First, I do a video walkthrough of any serious candidate before you spend energy on it. Not the agent's highlight reel — a real tour, walking every room, opening closets, showing you the basement and the mechanicals and the yard and the street view in both directions. I narrate what I'm seeing, including the things I'd want to know if it were my money.
Second, I tell you about the neighborhood from street level. The listing photos show the house. They don't show what's across the street, what the traffic sounds like at 7am, whether the block is well-maintained or not. I walk it.
Third, if you can get here for one trip — even two days — I'll make those two days count. We'll see the strongest candidates, you'll drive the commute, you'll get a feel for the area. That trip changes everything. If you genuinely can't make it before closing, we make the video process as thorough as it can be, get the inspection done by someone I trust, and I'll be at the inspection in your place.
The piece I can't do for you is make the decision. But I can make sure you're making it with clear eyes. That's what I'm here for.
The next department over
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From the editor's desk
“As Founder and Editor, I review, correct, and stand behind every answer.”
Is your situation more specific than the market? That's the one worth talking through.