How To Buy a House When Relocating During a Pandemic

COVID-19 has a lot of people around the world making plans, big changes, relocating and looking for new opportunities.

Many of us are extremely fortunate and have been able to keep our current jobs and continue to live relatively normal lives, minus the new health and safety procedures in place for everyone. There are many people who have even been lucky enough to take advantage of low housing costs and were able to buy their first home during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, there are also many who were forced to downsize or move due to lost employment and lost income. Some people are even considering relocating simply because they are living in a larger city, such as Edmonton and they want to be in a smaller community with a far lower risk.

Whatever the reason for relocating, it’s important to understand the process and how things are being handled during the pandemic.

How do you buy a house when you are hours away? How are you supposed to view it, get a feel for the town etc? 

Research First

If you’ve always lived in the city, then moving to a small town such as Bonnyville or St.Paul, Alberta might be a culture shock. No busy streets and crowded malls. No traffic jams and grocery stores lined up for days. But hey, during a pandemic, is less busy a bad thing? (Not really). 

The best place to start is to research the town you’re thinking about moving to. If the reason for your move is your employment, then it’s important to find suitable jobs before making your final destination decision. 

Research as much as you can about the area before relocating. Find local business directories to see what’s there, look for blogs highlighting some of the town’s best attractions and consider turning to social media for some insight as well.

Look for Facebook pages for the town, groups and local events that have been posted in the past. This will give you a great idea about what to expect and what sort of activities you might find there.

Look into other important things like schools, grocery options, healthcare/hospitals, vet clinics etc. Consider everything you and your family need to live comfortably, and find a town that suits your needs.

Do you have friends that already live there or have in the past? Call them up and ask some questions about the area.

Try and visit the town (a few times if you can) prior to moving there. Even if you can’t go into many stores, just driving around and making note of what the town has to offer will make you feel more comfortable and familiar when you officially arrive.

Drive through neighbourhoods that are appealing to you and keep track of street names or subdivision names that you like. This will be very useful for your realtor when they start your official home search. 

Talk to Your Real Estate Agent

Once you have a town in mind, it’s time to start your actual house hunting journey.

Calling a reliable realtor is going to be the best thing when you’re relocating to a new town. They will know the area very well and can answer all kinds of questions that you may have. Sometimes, with a smaller town, it’s hard to find the information you might be looking for in a Google search, but a realtor will have all the ins and outs of the area.

Give your real estate agent that list of places you liked on your last visit to give them a good starting point.

If you have kids, be sure to let them know so they can help you find a home near the best schools in the area while also keeping you in a safe neighbourhood. Willing to commute (or not)? Let them know where you have found employment and if you’re willing to commute or if you’d like to be as close as possible to work.

Other important things to talk to your realtor about when looking for a home in a new town: 

• Your budget
• Are you a first time home buyer?
• Do you have a house to sell first?
• Have you been pre-approved for your mortgage?
• Are there rentals available in the area if your current home doesn’t sell right away and you need to move for work?

Once your agent has a feel for your situation, they can begin the house hunt and the most important part of relocating.

While COVID-19 has put some policies in place that restrict certain services, it hasn’t stopped CENTURY 21 Poirier from selling houses, we have just modified how we do it.

Current COVID-19 Policies For Buying A Home With CENTURY 21 Poirier

Thanks to technology, relocating and buying a home has never been easier. Even with COVID-19 practices in place, the process is as easy and streamlined as it can be.

Our CENTURY 21 Poirier office offers up great options for buyers and eliminates the need for a ton of in-person showings.

Every client is sent as many details about each home as possible over email. We provide highlight sheets, proper photos, 360 degree photography and even virtual video walkthroughs. We are also able to send and sign official legal documents through online programs that eliminate a need for you to be in the office.

Once you have worked with your realtor to narrow down your top few choices, then we recommend coming for a visit to your new town and scheduling some final showings. As awesome as the videos and 360 photos are, there is no comparison to walking through a home in person.

All sellers are required to follow certain procedures to keep buyers safe and vice versa. Our team is working closely with all of our clients to do our part in flattening the curve, while still providing our clients with a great home buying experience.

Relocating can be a scary thing for everyone. Throw in a global pandemic and it seems like a terrifying process. While it is a big jump, keeping your family safe and happy is the top priority.

Our entire team is ready to help walk you through the process in a safe, stress-free way.

So if you’re ready to make the leap into small-town living and you’ve chosen Bonnyville, St. Paul or surrounding areas, call a CENTURY 21 Poirier agent today and take the first step to safer living.