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Anything special? Pre-view properties? Do live video walk arounds? Keep a copy of pre-approval letter on file? Go to home inspections in their stead?
Does the level of /service/effort differ by the level of income/price of property? What is the price point for high end service? Or is it just say, maybe they are a repeat client or something.
I'm mostly just curious. Have been finding it hard to "look" 8 hours away. Have a realtor, he mostly just waits for me to ping him. Maybe he thinks tire kicker (seems to be a favorite accusation of RE's) or maybe there just isn't anything he can really do to help.
Going up to look at a few probably nots. But if say, I was interested and I leave, what about home inspection? Does it help to leave a letter of preapproval which honestly they aren't worth that much anyway right?
Anything I can do to help me help him and vice versa?
I have previewed properties for long distance clients, and taken pictures and researched the property with the county... And yes, one time we did one of these live video walk-arounds.
Pre-approval letter.... Yes, important to have, we usually ask for a NEW one tailored FOR each offer that is made.
Yes, in a few cases we have gone to inspections in their stead. We go to inspections always, even if client is there.
Really depends on what you want and need. I would look for an agent who will take you seriously, and do what's needed. You need someone flexible and willing to go the extra mile.
We've had clients who we did everything... went out to look, shared pictures, made offer, attended inspections, and they didn't arrive until they were moving in.... that was a nervous one for me! But she was happy and it's what she needed.
We've had other clients who we had to prepare tours for who would be in town for only a short period. Hard to plan those in advance in fast moving markets, what's going to be available next week may not be on the market yet now. We have to be responsive and flexible.
You need someone that will go and look at homes for you. Then if it looks good, take video or Facetime you as you walk through together. In fast-moving markets, you'll lose out on homes. That said, if your criteria is all over the place it is very difficult for agents to figure out what you might be interested in.
I attend all my home inspections and yes, I've attended several for out of state clients. I videotape the home inspector talking about anything I think the buyer should hear directly from him.
I have previewed properties for long distance clients, and taken pictures and researched the property with the county... And yes, one time we did one of these live video walk-arounds.
Pre-approval letter.... Yes, important to have, we usually ask for a NEW one tailored FOR each offer that is made.
Yes, in a few cases we have gone to inspections in their stead. We go to inspections always, even if client is there.
Really depends on what you want and need. I would look for an agent who will take you seriously, and do what's needed. You need someone flexible and willing to go the extra mile.
We've had clients who we did everything... went out to look, shared pictures, made offer, attended inspections, and they didn't arrive until they were moving in.... that was a nervous one for me! But she was happy and it's what she needed.
We've had other clients who we had to prepare tours for who would be in town for only a short period. Hard to plan those in advance in fast moving markets, what's going to be available next week may not be on the market yet now. We have to be responsive and flexible.
Agreed 100 %. When I was an active Realtor I did the very same things and happily did so on the behalf of the client. Some situations it paid off and I got a successful closing out of it, and some it didn't. That is the very nature of being a Realtor.
I have made YouTube videos of my tour and posted them privately for their viewing (before Facetime was invented/around)
I always make sure that I have a pre-approval letter. I never know if Buyers are qualified so I don't want to waste my time.
I always attend the home inspection but typically to receive the summary.
If a Buyer's expectations, budget and they are looking in my area of expertise, I am willing to work with them. One never knows when it will generate another referral and closing.
Like others have said, in fast moving markets it is just hard for someone to make an offer from a far distance that has never walked on to the property. I have closed a property that my Buyer never stepped foot in but had met me before and went back home. That made me nervous too because he didn't see the property until the day before closing!
A decent percentage of my buyer clients are military/gov't and make their purchase long distance, the last one didn't step foot into the property he bought until a month after closing.. For him, I walked through all homes on facetime, taking add't photos if necessary. Was present for all inspections, coordinated settlement, changed all locks and coordinated utility activation. Stopped by the house every couple days to check on it and coordinated with contractors that were lined up to take care of some work before my client arrived stateside.
A different client, I picked up at airport, drove around for showings then dropped back at hotel, 3 days in a row. Took back to airport after weekend of viewings, then went under contract. Handled all inspections in their place, was their POA for settlement (won't do that again, only due to my hand killing me at the end of signing for them both), then met their movers at the property at 6am so they could start unpacking. My clients drove across the country that same day and arrived around lunch time.
Price point doesn't matter to me, same level of service is given depending on circumstances.
If you were my client, buying in my area, I'd definitely push to have a pre-approval on file on my end, as any listing agent is going to want to see one attached with an offer (and call your loan officer to try and get a better feel for you as a buyer).
Concerning inspection.. I am one that is always at an inspection (or have my business partner stand in), some agents have a policy to not show up for any, some are present for every one.. I like to be there as I chime up from time to time, which as I'm an agent is very concerning to some posters of questionable intelligence on this forum, but I've been to enough inspections to know to speak up when I see suspect things..
I'd ask your agent, before going under contract, what his/her policy is on inspections, IE do they attend them etc (along with recommend inspectors or place that task on you to locate and secure), so you can have your ducks in a row once submitting an offer, as in some areas, your offer may be stronger with tighter/shorter inspection windows (and, in a hot market, inspectors can at times be booked out 7+ days)
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