First time home buyer (remote & out of state)

May 5, 2020 10:59 AM

Looking to buy a condo in Minneapolis over the next few weeks. Complication: I live in a different state and don’t have any connections in Minneapolis.

Do you have advice for a first time home buyer who’s hoping to purchase a place in the next 3-6 months remotely? Bonus points: do you have recommendations for brokers, lenders, or real estate agents in the St Paul/Minneapolis area?

posted by ttyn to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

I did something like this years ago, though I bought a single-family home rather than a condo. You'll be able to make at least one trip to visit the condo in-person before closing, right? You really want to make sure you can do that. There are a lot of layout things that can be dealbreakers that are immediately obvious in person but you'll never spot online (even assuming the realtor isn't actively trying to conceal them in the listing). Plus, you'll want to get a feel for the neighbourhood before buying, how conveniently-located your place is relative to local shops and services, that sort of thing.

For a condo specifically, obviously you'll want to read the condo rules pretty closely before signing anything.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:10 AM on May 5, 2020 [1 favorite]

I'm assuming you plan in moving there. You might want to think about renting initially then get to know the areas where you might like to buy.
posted by tman99 at 11:46 AM on May 5, 2020 [10 favorites]

I sent you a MeMail with our realtor recommendation. I'm also happy to answer any questions about the Cities. We love it here.
posted by advicepig at 1:11 PM on May 5, 2020 [1 favorite]

I sent you a MeMail as well.
posted by belladonna at 1:20 PM on May 5, 2020