Selling a Georgia home from out of state.

From another state, all you can see is your phone

You can't walk the house. You can't meet the contractor, see what the photographer saw, or watch a buyer's face during a showing. And the question that keeps you up is usually the same one: will someone take advantage of the fact that I'm not there?

That's the fear underneath every out-of-state sale. Not the distance. Losing control of your biggest asset to people you can't see.

One seller's version of that fear

She had a new job and a new home in another state. Her house in Lawrenceville sat unused, and the offers that came in first were investors coming in low. Her biggest worry was exactly this one: that someone would see an unused house and an owner far away, and take advantage of her situation.

So I became her eyes. I walked the house, built the repair list, got the work done, and read every offer with her, including which buyers were actually likely to close. It went under contract in 22 days to a buyer who planned to live there. She flew back once, for the final cleanout and to sign.

Read the full Easley Drive story

How I keep you in control from another state

For an out-of-state seller, I'm your eyes, your hands and your calendar in Georgia. You see what I see, you make every decision, and nothing about your house happens without you knowing. You decide; I handle it on the ground.

Do I have to come back to Georgia to sell my house?

Usually not for most of it. Georgia closings are handled by a real estate closing attorney, and many attorneys can arrange for you to sign from where you live. Ask about that early so it's planned, not scrambled. My Easley Drive seller came back exactly once, for a final cleanout and to sign.

What should I do with an empty house before it lists?

Keep the utilities on so the house can be shown, inspected and appraised. Call your homeowner's insurance company, because many policies treat an unoccupied home differently after a set period. Then get it clean and fix what a buyer will actually notice. I'll walk it with you on video, or for you if you can't, and build that list.

Who handles repairs, showings and inspections while I'm gone?

I do. I meet the vendors, let in the photographer, coordinate showings and inspections, and tell you what I see.

How do I know which offers are real?

Some homes draw heavy investor interest, and investor offers often come in low. They still have a use: competition. I'll walk you through every offer, what it really means for your bottom line, and which buyers are likely to close. Nobody gets to take advantage of the fact that you're far away.

Can I sign everything electronically?

Most of it, yes. Listing paperwork, offers and most transaction documents can be signed electronically. Closing documents depend on the closing attorney and your lender, which is why we bring the attorney in early.

How it works, start to finish

1. A call and a video walkthrough. Where the house is, where you are, and what you need from the sale: speed, price or both.
2. I walk the house. I build a short list of what buyers will notice, and only that.
3. The work gets done. Cleaning, touch-ups and repairs, coordinated by me, approved by you.
4. A launch built to sell. Professional photos, a listing written around the home's strengths, and a price set from today's comparable sales.
5. Offers, explained. Every offer walked through by phone, with what it nets you and how likely it is to close.
6. Inspections, appraisal and closing. I coordinate access for the inspection and appraisal, and when a home has something unique the comparable sales won't capture, I meet the appraiser there myself. Then I work with the closing attorney, so the finish line is planned around where you live.

You don't have to be here. You do have to trust who is.

Choosing an agent from another state is choosing who you trust with your biggest asset when you can't see it. Ask any agent you're considering how they'll keep you in the loop, who will be at the house, and how they'll tell a real offer from a lowball one. Then ask me the same questions.