Buying Real Estate Sight Unseen in Hawaii
BY KAPINA LANSDALE
Purchasing a home without viewing it in person isn’t as uncommon as you think, especially not these days, with the help of technology and in the era of COVID-19. I think it’s safe to say 2020 is a year no one will forget. As we enter the last quarter of the year it’s certain that there have been quite a bit of changes but one thing has remained constant is that everyone needs a place to live. Due to COVID lockdowns, your home has become more important now than ever before. Spending more and more time social distancing, working, and distance learning from home, most likely you may be reevaluating your space and needs.
Rely on Reputation and Research
Doing research can be even more important than visualizing a new home. Having an excellent agent by your side is critical in any home buying situation. But when you buy sight unseen, you’re putting another layer of trust in this person. Your agent is going to be your eyes and ears, so to speak. The agent should know the area and have experience handling these types of transactions.
How many bad decisions have you made as a tourist in a new place because you didn’t know any better? Think of a time when you picked a disappointing restaurant or took a wrong turn. Frustrating, no doubt.
But now you’ve got hundreds of thousands of dollars and the hassle of the long-distance move on the line. So hire a top local agent ingrained in the community and who knows the market deeply, otherwise you’ll be trying to navigate unknown terrain as an out-of-towner… without a tour guide!
“But when you buy sight unseen, you’re putting another layer of trust in this person. Your agent is going to be your eyes and ears, so to speak.”
Buying Hawaii Real Estate Sight Unseen
If you don’t have the luxury of a physical tour, there are lots of ways to minimize the unknowns and risks with the sight unseen route. Let’s dive into how you can use the internet, great tools like facetime or zoom, and an amazing real estate agent to give yourself the best shot at a successful sight unseen home purchase. Buyers can close on their new home, fly to Hawaii and quarantine in their new home effortlessly.
Home Shopping Online
Recently, technology has become the most important tool in our toolbox. Many homes online will have tons of listing photos to look at, plus virtual walkthroughs (such as dollhouse views from Matterport) to give you a good sense of whether the home is worth a closer look. Use these tools to your advantage to rule out properties that aren’t a good match.
Once you know which homes you’re most interested in, have your agent book some showings and take you along on the tour using facetime or zoom. Sounds simple, but what’s really great about it is that you can get a better idea of the flow of the house and ask your agent questions in real time as they walk through each room to really get a feel for the property.
Remote Closing
Purchasing your Hawaii home can be accomplished entirely remotely from start to finish. Using video calls, signing documents electronically and mobile notary, your transaction can be completed just about anywhere in the world. Making sure you are using an agent that is not only familiar with the real estate market but also tech savvy to key!
Hawaii’s Mandatory 14-Day Quarantine
Brace yourself for move in day. As of today’s date, Hawaii has a mandatory 14-day quarantine in place if you are coming into the state. This also applies when traveling between neighbor islands. But what better place to be quarantined in than your paradise home.
Looking to Buy Sight Unseen?
If you have questions about living in Hawaii, how to buy remotely, or just basic how-to questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. For more helpful tips and island information Join my Newsletter and be the first to get notified on new updates.