Eight Tips for Buying a Home Virtually Before Your PCS to Hawaii

It’s a time of great uncertainty for so many of us. Now, more than ever, our homes are our haven. If you’ve recently received orders and are PCS’ing to Hawaii, we’re sure you’re feeling overwhelmed. How are you going to find a house in this unprecedented time?

PCS’ing to Hawaii?

Photo by: Natalya Zaritskaya Unsplash

We’re here to tell you — take a deep breath... Good news… So much of the home buying process can be done virtually.

First, let us start by easing your online home buying fears. We get it, how can you really know a space if you’re not in it? If you don’t see the closets, look at the bedrooms, walk through the yard? We’re here to tell you that we’ve been doing this for years for many happy families. 

Our buyers’ consults are done virtually and we maximize all of the latest tech tools. Even with the different time zones, we are able to coordinate a virtual meeting with us to answer all of your questions, introduce you to a local lender and set up a custom home search just for you. We can supply you with 360 virtual tours of the homes you are most interested in.

Take advantage of our expertise, especially now since Open Houses are prohibited. We can complete the entire real estate experience without physical contact. Which might sound crazy, but it’s what we do best.

Of course, we wish things were different, however as military relocation specialists, we work with families all over the world that are PCS’ing to Hawaii. Many of our clients want to have homes when they arrive on the island — and we help them find one. 

Below you’ll find tips for remote home buying, including helpful resources that are available to military families.

1. Find a Local, Military-Friendly & Experienced Agent 

If you’re looking to buy a home virtually, this is the most important piece of advice we can give you. A local agent knows the market and understands the VA loan — including pricing and neighborhoods, what’s available, and can introduce you to local VA lenders. They can be your boots on the ground. Now, more than ever, real estate agents are essential (and, we’re not just saying that!). 

Even if you do not choose The Vazquez Group to help you, we want you to know how vital this is to choose the best agent for your family. There is A LOT involved in buying a home and you want to make sure your agent has your best interest at heart.  

2. Join our Facebook Community -
Together we are a community of Veterans, Spouses, and Military Members here to assist you with your PCS to Hawaii.

Group - PCS with Aloha Military Homes Team
https://www.facebook.com/groups/myhawaiipcs/

Page - Aloha Military Homes Team

Additionally, our PCSing to Hawaii videos series cover helpful topics like weather and seasons, the pre-approval process, and tips for living off base. 

3. Research Neighborhoods (we can help!)

Are you a young family looking for beachside vibes? City dwellers, who love to be in the middle of the action? Suburbanites, who want a quiet community? 

Finding the right neighborhood for your families’ needs is essential. Check out our neighborhood guide to learn more about Oahu’s different communities. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention — if you have kiddos, you’ll want to research schools too. Honolulu Magazine ranks public schools; take a look to learn more. 

One of our current listings in Kaneohe (per blog publish date). Photo: HI Central MLS

4. Research Homes Online 

We can certainly help you find a home, but having a basic understanding of what’s out there and what you’re looking for will not only help us do our jobs better, but will allow you to have realistic expectations. We recommend having an agent set up a search directly from the Multiple Listing Service to insure the homes you are viewing are still available. You can view current listings here. Or feel free to reach out to us to set up your FREE custom search. 

5. Know Your Wish List 

Now that you’ve researched homes on Oahu, you’ll have an idea of what you actually want in a house. Looking for a big yard? Need multiple bedrooms? Want proximity to the beach? Come up with your dream wish list and let your agent know. They can tell you what’s realistic and find homes that meet your criteria.

6. Know Your Budget 

We highly recommend getting a solid pre-approval. This is really important, whether you’re buying a home in person or remotely. Why? You don’t want to find your dream home and find out that it’s completely out of your budget. Here’s a video that dives into this topic more. If you need help finding a local lender, let us know!

7. Get Your VA Loan in Order 

If you’re planning on using a VA loan to buy your new home, there are some things you’ll need to prepare. Not only will you need to be pre-approved for a loan (see tip six), you’ll need to confirm eligibility and know your credit score. Check out our VA Home Loan Guide for everything you need to know to get started. 

8. Close Remotely 

Once everything is sorted —  you’ve been pre-approved for your VA loan, you have been accepted and under contract, you’ll even be able to close remotely. You can sign documents electronically throughout escrow, currently, the only signatures you will need to make in-person will be from the escrow company and your lender. That can happen with a notary that will come to you wherever you might be!  Closing on your home remotely will add peace of mind before you move.

Moving to a new city is always stressful. When you add the uncertainty of Covid-19 it only adds to the anxiety. Buying a home doesn’t need to be overwhelming and we’re here to help take that weight off your shoulders. Reach out to learn more. 

Looking for more PCS resources? Check out our PCS Checklist and Eight FAQ’s from Our Clients.