Relocating your family is tough duty with a multitude of tasks and decisions. A major decision is where to live and what to buy. If you are moving to an unfamiliar area, along with life’s daily challenges (e.g., jobs, family, pets, cars, medical services), finding the right home can seem overwhelming. This 3 part series offers time-tested tips to help you successfully manage the Austin home buying process. Here are our tips for tackling your Austin home search from afar.
How to Tackle Your Home Search When Relocating
Finding the right home for your family’s lifestyle and buying it for the lowest price possible is the result of successfully managing a series of tasks. Starting with a methodical online search that should begin as far in advance of your move as possible, a daily review of the ebb and flow of the listings and sales will educate you about the Austin real estate market conditions. You’ll gain perspective of the style and type of homes and property that are available; what has sold and for what price. This process will help you understand what your budget will buy in the new area.
Work with a Realtor Who Will Take Accurate Pictures for You
In the Austin real estate market photographs and videos of homes for sale are available on the internet from a variety of sources, like Austin Home Search. Google Maps provides street views which will give a more realistic view of the property, the street and the neighborhood. Don’t be afraid to ask your Realtor for more pictures or videos, particularly of specific characteristics that are important to you. We do this with many of our relocation clients and it really helps eliminate homes with visually unsuitable features.
Investigate Public Schools
Due Diligence: Schools will most likely define the neighborhood you can consider. Even if there are no school age children in your household, school quality remains a powerful influence on a home’s value. Several websites rate school quality. For example, www.GreatSchools.org and www.SchoolDigger.com are two websites we use to research Austin schools. We recommend that you make an appointment to personally visit the school and interview the Principal. Ask questions like: What are the best features of the school and what areas are in need improvement will help you gain insight. To determine the availability of programs important to your family, checkout community websites.
Where are the best schools in Austin? Check out our post, Top 3 School Districts in Austin.
Relocating to Austin?
We relocated to Austin from San Francisco about 13 years ago now. We have been in your shoes understand how overwhelming moving to a new city can be. We’ve helped many many families like you navigate the relocation process and find the right area of town for you and your family. Check out our Guide to Relocating to Austin for more tips for tackling your Austin home search from afar. Ready to get the process started? Call us at (512) 827-8323 or email us at info@11OaksRealty.com to discuss your move.
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