If you are making a move to a completely new state and city, you may be hesitant to look at homes for sale because you don't know what the market is like, what neighborhoods suit you, or what amenities the city can offer. This is why many people rent first, but if you're really hoping to buy a home as you start a new career and life in a new place, here are some house hunting tips to get you started:
Join Social media Groups
Most cities have social media groups for buying and selling, for family gatherings, or for religious groups. Find a local group who supports your interests. You can also follow city threads on places like Reddit to get a feel for what people know about the city and its neighborhoods. You can ask the online community for specific neighborhood suggestions so you have a basic jumping off place when looking for a home.
Follow Online Real Estate Websites
Some online websites show available homes on a map, which can help see the layout of the city you are hoping to buy in. You can find the locations of parks, schools, and libraries, and read reviews on each one. If you're looking for a family-safe neighborhood, you can also look at recent crime statistics and where they occurred. Generally, some areas will be more crime-heavy than others, and you can find these areas on the map and avoid them.
Real estate websites also connect with country records so you can view other homes that have recently sold in the area and how much they sold for. This can give you an idea if the area is trending up or down, depending on what similar houses are selling for now.
Hire a Buyer's Agent
You might not know where to look for your wish list, but a buyer's agent will have a better idea of where to begin. If you want a trendy but affordable condo in an area with good nightlife and access to boutique shops, your real estate agent will be able to help you navigate downtown areas, where house prices can change from block to the next depending on which small neighborhoods are the most desirable.
Research Cost of Living
Your new city could be much more or much less expensive than where you live now. You can have a general idea of how much house you can afford, but you don't want to accidentally bite off more than you can chew.
