Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you really want this house, catch a red eye flight, see the house in person, and fly back home. The $2000 or so for a last minute ticket is well worth it when you consider what a mistake will cost you.
We are relocating to the other side of the country and in the area we are looking, desirable homes sell very quickly. We have a very good idea of what we want, and there is a house on the market that meets all our stringent criteria. It just had its second price drop (market time 40 days) and is a perfect price for us. Sellers are eager b/c they've purchased a new home on the other side of the country and move next month.
We trust our realtor (and have seen other homes with her in person, so she knows what we are looking for) and have family in the area. We have seen the house on FaceTime and my father will see it in person tomorrow. We don't move there for another 2 weeks (we have a rental lined up already).
Is it completely insane to buy a million dollar house without actually setting foot in it? We are hesitant to risk waiting the 2 weeks until we are physically in the city because sellers are eager and we don't think the house will last that long.
Advice, please! Thank you!
Wait...let me get this straight...
You are about to spend $1million plus on a home but are too cheap to spend $1000 on a RT coast to coast flight?
Yes, you are insane. You're going to spend a million and not look at it? I've looked at plenty of houses that look great on paper or in pictures but when you see them in person thay have disturbing defects which are hidden in the pictures.
If you're really hot for this property today is Friday, get on a plane this weekend and visit the property. It is a small price to pay for a million dollar investment.
My thoughts exactly. Get on a plane now! While the house itself might be terrific, what if you don't like the neighborhood?
But I also want to comment about your agent. If your realtor is such a hotshot and knows your likes so well, why did s/he not inform you about the house 40 days ago, or preferably even before it hit the MLS?
I see that OP's husband is able to make a trip after all, but I think a key point is that OP's father was going to look at the house. I think the decision would turn on how much she trusts her dad's judgment and ability to assess the house in line with OP's needs.
If I were in this situation and I sent my parents to look at the house, I'd feel pretty confident if they gave the ok. My inlaws -- not so much. I wouldn't trust them to assess the house, so I'd need to come up with an alternative.
OP,
"Insane" is hardly applicable without some context and perspective.
What is the materiality of a $1 million investment to you? Would it be a nuisance to lay out $1 million and feel like you made a mistake? Or would it crush you financially and emotionally for the rest of your lives?
Probably something in between the two, isn't it?
Regardless, it is supremely unlikely that a mistake will cost you $1 million. A mistake would cost you inconvenience, and time, and maybe 10% of the purchase to get out of it.
Would losing 10% of the purchase price crush you for a long, long time?
None of this is to imply you SHOULD purchase sight unseen. But, you ARE considering becoming an owner on your husband's say-so, aren't you?
AAAANYway, it is for the best that your husband will see it, and I hope it IS perfect for you.
It's not crazy. It depends on the personal situation of the buyers. Military personnel, transient employees, and expats often buy houses sight unseen. My father, a petroleum engineer, has bought three homes without seeing them first; one in California, one in Texas, and one in Alaska. He relocated frequently in his job and sometimes lived overseas when he was house hunting. He simply made extensive arrangements with realtors to help him find what he wanted and hoped for the best. And this was before the internet even existed. He reasoned that even if he didn't like the house, he was going to move out and sell it in a few years anyway, so he could certainly tolerate it that long.
We are relocating to the other side of the country and in the area we are looking, desirable homes sell very quickly. We have a very good idea of what we want, and there is a house on the market that meets all our stringent criteria. It just had its second price drop (market time 40 days) and is a perfect price for us. Sellers are eager b/c they've purchased a new home on the other side of the country and move next month.
We trust our realtor (and have seen other homes with her in person, so she knows what we are looking for) and have family in the area. We have seen the house on FaceTime and my father will see it in person tomorrow. We don't move there for another 2 weeks (we have a rental lined up already).
Is it completely insane to buy a million dollar house without actually setting foot in it? We are hesitant to risk waiting the 2 weeks until we are physically in the city because sellers are eager and we don't think the house will last that long.
It would be crazy to CLOSE on a house you've never been in... but not crazy to make an offer that includes standard inspections and reviews. You can get the house under contract if you're worried about losing it... Just be there to see it in person before the inspection AND/OR neighborhood review period expires, and INSPECT IT.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
