Relocating with only a weekend to find a home? How to prepare before you fly in, plan a packed day of showings, and buy with confidence from out of state.
When you’re moving for military orders or a new job, you rarely get a relaxed house search. More often you get a long weekend, a rental car, and a lot of pressure to fly home with a contract.
It can be done. I once showed a military family 19 homes in a single weekend, and later took the lead on getting new carpet installed before they moved in. A weekend like that only works with a plan, so here’s how to make yours count.
Get pre-approved before you book the flight
A pre-approval letter shows sellers you can actually buy, and it shows you what you can comfortably spend. Without one, you can tour all weekend and still not be able to write an offer on Sunday night.
Talk to a lender a few weeks before your trip. If you’re military, ask about VA loans and whether your housing allowance can count toward your income. Keep the lender’s cell number handy during the trip in case an offer needs an updated letter in a hurry.
Narrow your areas by commute first
Northern Virginia is big, and traffic patterns matter more than miles. Before we look at a single house, I want to know where you’ll work or report, what time you start, and whether you’d rather drive, take a train or ride a bus.
That alone can shrink the map to a few areas. Springfield, Burke and Lorton come up often for families headed to Fort Belvoir or the Pentagon. If one of those is on your list, my Springfield neighborhood guide gives you a feel for the area.
Use video to shorten the list
The homes you see in person should already be finalists. In the weeks before your trip, send me listings that catch your eye, and I’ll do live video walk-throughs of the strongest ones. On a video call you can ask me to open closets, look out the back window, or stand in the yard so you can hear the road noise.
A good number of homes will drop off your list this way, which saves your weekend for the real contenders. New listings often pop up right before you arrive, so I’ll keep watching and add any that fit.
Plan the weekend like a route, not a wish list
A packed weekend works when the schedule makes sense on a map. Here’s how I set one up:
- Group showings by area, so you’re not crisscrossing the county between houses.
- Allow about half an hour per home, plus drive time. You’ll want longer at the ones you love.
- Build in real breaks. Eat lunch. If the kids are along, plan a stop at a playground.
- Photograph the front of each house first. After the eighth kitchen, they blur together, and that first photo tells you which house you’re looking at.
- Rank them every evening. Pick your top three while they’re fresh, and keep Sunday afternoon open for second looks.
- Do a trial run to work from your top pick, at the hour you’d really leave.
Writing an offer from out of state
Being out of town won’t stop you from buying. Contracts can be signed electronically, and I’ll go over every line with you by phone or video before you sign.
Your earnest money deposit is usually sent by wire or electronic transfer. Before you send any money, call the title company at a number you’ve looked up yourself and confirm the instructions. Scammers sometimes send fake wiring emails during real estate deals, and that one phone call protects you.
If you also own a home where you live now, my post on whether to rent or sell when you PCS covers that decision.
Inspection and move-in from afar
You can join the home inspection by video, or ask the inspector to call you afterward and walk you through the report. I can be there in person to see what the inspector sees.
Between contract and closing, I can let in contractors, meet the appraiser, and check on anything the inspection turned up. Before settlement, I can do your final walk-through on video so you see the house as it is that day. Then you’re setting up utilities, scheduling delivery of your household goods, and knowing exactly where the keys will be when you land.
Let’s plan your trip
Send me your travel dates, your workplace or duty station, and what you’re hoping to find, and I’ll start building your weekend. You can reach me here, or see more about how I work with buyers on my buying page.
