Whether you’re relocating to a new town or embracing the virtual marketplace without looking back, buying a home online today is easier than ever before. From finding a mortgage lender to navigating the closing process (and everything in between), successfully buying your new home online is now as possible as it is painless — that is, with a little help from your friends at The Jenn Smira Team, of course!

Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of finding (and buying) a home virtually in this day and age.

#1 Find Your Agent: First things first: Finding a Realtor who can help you through the process virtually is paramount. Conducting your home search virtually requires more dependency on a real estate agent than in the traditional process, which is why you’ll need to find one you can trust and who has a good reputation above all else. Remember: You’ll be placing your complete trust in your agent to find a home that fits your needs — without ever seeing it in person.

#2 Source Your Lender: When it comes to finding a mortgage lender, you’ll want one that has a reputation for delivering exceptional online experiences. Thankfully, many have made their processes more adaptable (and transparent) to the needs of online clients over the past several years.

Once you’ve chosen a lender that can conduct business with you virtually, it’s time to get started on your mortgage pre-approval. The pre-approval process helps you identify how much home you can afford and proves that your intentions to buy are serious. Having this completed before searching for a home can give you an edge on the competition by empowering you to make an offer more swiftly than those who haven’t yet been pre-approved.

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➤ Are you planning a home purchase in the near future? Read some of our buying resources here:

• How to Buy a House in DC from Out of State
• Why Work with an Agent to Buy Your Next Home
• What You Need to Know About Closing Costs in DC

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#3 Start Your Search: Between the expertise of your agent and the host of online databases at your fingertips, these days, finding your new home is as easy as typing in a ZIP code and applying some search filters. Once you’ve identified a few houses that you’re interested in, your real estate agent will walk you through the home via virtual tour or video call. It’s critical that you ask as many questions as possible during this stage. If you’re unsure about the property due to poor video quality or a lack of questions being answered, don’t be afraid to ask for a second virtual tour!

#4 Make Your Offer: Once you’ve found the right home for you, you’ll craft a game plan with your agent, the local expert who will help you make an informed decision around how much you should bid. Luckily, most of this process has already been transitioned online over the past few years, so the step of making an offer should be simple and straightforward. From there, your agent will be able to send your offer letter and any contingencies via email to the listing agent, and your agent will then let you know if your offer has been accepted, counter-offered, or rejected.

Have you heard of Final Offer for buyers and sellers? Read more about this exciting new tool here.

#5 Prepare For Closing: Once your offer is accepted, it’s time to move into the closing phase of the process. But first, there are a few steps that you must complete before closing on your new home. These include getting an appraisal and inspection, and the underwriting process.

Seeking more info on these steps? Our talented team is just a few clicks away.

#6 Make It Official: The last and most exciting step of the process is the actual closing, when you’ll sign all the necessary paperwork and hand over your down payment and closing costs. After this, you can officially call the house yours!

Ready to get started on your virtual home search? We’re here to guide you every step of the way!