Buying a Home Remotely During a PCS

01

Tell Pete what the camera needs to show

Ask about live video tours or recordings and agree on the format and timing. Identify the features you cannot compromise on before someone starts walking through the house.

Request a continuous view of each room and the connections between them. Ask for the street approach, driveway, exterior grade, storage, and major systems that are accessible. Note what cannot be seen or tested during a tour.

02

Keep an evidence folder for each finalist

Save the listing, available disclosures, your questions, the tour date, and any follow-up answers together. Ask for measurements where furniture, accessibility, or vehicle clearance will decide the purchase.

Review FEMA’s flood map for the address and ask follow-up questions about drainage, prior water issues, and insurance. Neither a video nor a map answers all the condition questions.

Sources: FEMA Flood Map Service Center

03

Make inspections a scheduled event

Choose an independent inspector and confirm access before your decision deadlines. Ask whether you can attend the review by phone or video and how quickly the written report will arrive.

For VA financing, keep the appraisal and inspection separate. Ask who will follow up on any repair work and what evidence you will receive before accepting it.

Sources: VA home-buying process

04

Get signing instructions before travel becomes urgent

Tell the lender and title company where you will be and what identification and appointment access you have. Ask what signing methods they can accept for your transaction, especially if you are overseas or considering a power of attorney.

Do not assume all documents can be signed electronically or that a general power of attorney is sufficient. Get the closing team’s instructions before relying on a plan.

05

Choose who will check the home before possession

Agree on who will attend the final walkthrough, what will be checked, and how you will receive the results. Confirm repair documentation, included items, possession timing, keys, and utility arrangements.

Keep an arrival backup until the closing team confirms the purchase is complete and possession is available. Remote preparation should make it easier to identify unresolved questions, not pressure you to accept them.

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