How do you buy a Chicago home when you live out of state? You buy a Chicago home from out of state by doing most of the work from home first. Get pre-approved, narrow down neighborhoods, and use live video tours to build a shortlist. Then make one focused trip to see your top homes in person, and handle the inspection, final walkthrough, and much of the closing from your current city.
Maybe you have a start date at a new Chicago job, a moving truck booked for six weeks from now, and very little time to fly back and forth. Most of the out-of-state buyers I work with visit Chicago at least once before they buy, and the ones who get the most out of that trip are the ones who did the groundwork first. This guide walks through each step in the order it actually happens, so you know what to do from home, what to do while you are here, and what can be finished after you fly back.
You can buy a Chicago home from out of state with very little travel when you follow these steps in order:
The goal is to make your trip count. When the research and the first round of showings happen before you get on a plane, your time in Chicago goes to the homes that actually fit.
On Chicago's North Side, a well-priced condo or single-family home can go under contract within days. If you start touring before you have a pre-approval letter, you can find the right home during your trip and still lose it, because sellers take offers from buyers whose financing has already been checked. That matters even more when you are buying from another state, since the seller may already be wondering how smoothly the sale will go if you are not local.
Lenders will usually ask for:
If you are self-employed, expect to provide two years of business tax returns as well. If you are changing jobs as part of the move, tell your lender right away, since your offer letter, start date, and how you are paid are all part of how they review your income.
Most loans for a home you will live in require that the home becomes your primary residence after closing, not that you live in Illinois today. Illinois down payment assistance programs have their own income, price, and residency rules, so ask your lender early whether you qualify. For more on the numbers, see my guides to down payments in Chicago and the credit score you need to buy a home in Chicago.
Not every Chicago agent has a system for buyers who live in another state. You want an agent who tours homes for you on live video, shows you the block, sends written notes afterward, plans your trip around the right homes, and keeps you updated on a schedule you can count on. A polished website and good reviews are a starting point, but they do not tell you how someone handles a buyer who is 1,000 miles away.
I have helped many out-of-state buyers purchase their Chicago homes, and the steps in this guide are the process I use with them. Most of them came to Chicago at least once before buying, and we used live video to make sure that trip was spent on the right homes.
The most useful question you can ask any agent is simple: "How many out-of-state buyers have you helped recently, and can I talk to one of them?" An agent who has done this will answer with specifics. When you call references, ask:
Before any agent tours a home with you, including a live video tour, you will sign a written buyer agreement. This is a National Association of REALTORS® requirement, and the terms, including compensation, are negotiable before you sign. I add a clause to every buyer agreement that lets you cancel at any time, for any reason, if you are not happy with my service, because I do not want anyone to feel stuck. My guide on who pays your buyer's agent in Chicago explains how compensation works and what to ask before you sign.
Choosing the neighborhood is usually the hardest part to do from a distance, because Chicago changes block by block. Two homes at the same price in the same general area can make for very different daily lives because of the train line, parking, building type, noise, or how far you walk to groceries and restaurants. Start with your non-negotiables before you look at individual homes:
Google Street View lets you move block by block and see what the streets look like. The CTA trip planner shows your real commute from any address. If schools matter to you, use the CPS School Locator, because school assignments in Chicago depend on the exact address, and my guide to Chicago neighborhoods with the best-rated schools is a good place to begin.
If you want to research safety, use official city data and check every address the same way. My guide on how to use the Chicago crime map before you buy shows you how. You can also read about the Chicago neighborhoods relocators most often get wrong and the best neighborhoods for professionals relocating to Chicago.
To see what these neighborhoods actually look and feel like before you visit, watch my neighborhood videos on my YouTube channel, Chicago Living & Real Estate. I walk the streets, show the housing, and talk through what daily life is like in each area, so you can narrow your list from home.
Each Chicago neighborhood has its own mix of housing, transit, and price ranges. My neighborhood guides cover Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, North Center, Roscoe Village, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Andersonville, Edgewater, Uptown, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Avondale, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Near North, and the South Loop. If Lincoln Square is on your list, read what to know before moving to Lincoln Square from out of state.
Listing photos are marketing, and they are taken to make the home look its best. Use photos, floor plans, and 3D tours to decide what is worth a closer look, then use live video tours to cut the list down before you travel. A live tour gives you something a recorded one cannot: you can say "go back, I want to see that wall again," or ask me to open a closet, check a window, or step outside to show you the alley.
When I tour a home for an out-of-state buyer, I show you more than the best rooms. I look for the things photos tend to leave out:
After each showing, I send written notes you can read again later or share with a partner who could not join the call. After three or four video showings, homes start to blur together, and the notes keep each one clear. By the time you book your flight, you should know which two to four homes, and which blocks, deserve your time in person.
The trip is where you confirm what the video could not fully show you. Plan it once your financing is ready and your shortlist is small, not before. A few days is usually enough when the research is already done.
I am committed to making the most of your time while you are here. I plan efficient, focused tours so you are not driving back and forth across the city or seeing homes that were never a real fit. Recently, I helped clients buy a condo in the Gold Coast for their daughter, and we toured 22 properties in one weekend so they could compare everything on their list before heading home.
Use your time here to:
Come ready to make an offer. On the North Side, the right home may not still be available after you fly back, so have your pre-approval letter updated and your questions answered before you arrive.
Before you make an offer, ask for a comparative market analysis on that specific home. It compares recent sales of similar homes nearby, so you know whether the price is in line with the market. When you have spent only a short time in a city, these numbers matter even more, because they give you something solid to base your offer on.
Chicago purchase contracts usually include an attorney review period, typically five business days after the contract is signed. During that time, your real estate attorney can propose changes to the contract or cancel it. Your offer should also include an inspection contingency, which lets you negotiate repairs or credits, or cancel, if the inspector finds serious problems, and a financing contingency, which protects you if your loan does not come through. My step-by-step guide to buying a home in Chicago covers how this timeline works.
If you are buying a condo, make sure you have time to review the association's budget, reserve fund, insurance, building rules, meeting minutes, and any planned special assessments. These documents can show building problems that no showing will. My guides to Chicago condo HOA fees, special assessments, and non-warrantable condos explain what to look for.
The inspection usually happens within days of the accepted offer, which may be after you have flown home. If you are still in town, come. If you are not, I attend the inspection and share it with you on a live video call, so you see what the inspector sees and can ask questions in the moment.
Ask any inspector you are considering for a sample report. A good one is full of photos, written in plain language, and clear about what is serious, what is routine maintenance, and what needs a closer look. Also ask whether they regularly inspect the type of home you are buying, because a vintage condo building, a greystone two-flat, a high-rise condo, and a newer single-family home do not have the same issues.
Much of the North Side's housing is older, so inspectors here often look closely at:
A camera inspection of the sewer line is worth adding on many older single-family homes and small multi-unit buildings, since a sewer repair can cost far more than the inspection. Once the report comes in, your attorney and I go through it with you and decide what to ask the seller for, whether that is a repair, a credit, or a price change. Being far away should never mean accepting a problem you would push back on in person.
Illinois law allows remote notarization, so many closing documents can be signed with a notary over a live video call. Your lender and the title company decide which documents can be signed this way. Some lenders still require certain documents, such as the loan note, to be signed in person in front of a notary, which you can usually do near where you live today and then send by overnight mail. Your attorney and title company will tell you early which documents need which method, so nothing is a surprise the week of closing.
Shortly before closing, I do the final walkthrough for you and record it on video, so you can confirm the home is in the condition the contract requires. After closing, I coordinate getting the keys to you, whether that means meeting you at the home, a lockbox, or another plan that fits your move-in date. To plan your budget, see my guide to closing costs for Chicago buyers and how long it takes to buy a home in Chicago.
Here is how the work splits between you and me when you buy from out of state.
Step | What you do | What I do in Chicago |
|---|---|---|
Shortlist | Join live video tours from home and ask questions | Walk the home, building, alley, and block on video, then send written notes |
Your trip | See your top homes in person and walk the blocks | Line up the showings and walk them with you |
Offer | Review the comparable sales and sign electronically | Prepare the market analysis, write the offer, and negotiate |
Inspection | Attend in person or join by live video and read the report | Attend the inspection and show you what the inspector finds as it happens |
Final walkthrough | Watch the video and confirm everything looks right | Walk the home and record it on video for you |
Keys | Plan your move-in day | Coordinate getting the keys to you after closing |
Yes, it is possible, but it is not common. During COVID, I helped a buyer from North Carolina purchase a beautiful foursquare home in Graceland West without ever seeing it in person, because they could not fly in. The home was listed at $1.1 million, and we negotiated the price down to $1.05 million.
It worked because every step in this guide was followed closely, with detailed video tours, a thorough inspection, and strong protections in the contract. Still, most of my out-of-state buyers make at least one trip before they buy, and I recommend it whenever you can. If you truly cannot travel, plan on more video time, more written notes, and extra care with the inspection and the contract.
Buying from a distance works best when you know where the risks are. Most problems come from moving too fast without enough information:
None of these are reasons you cannot buy from out of state. They are reasons to follow a clear process. If property taxes are new to you, my guide to Chicago property taxes for home buyers explains what to expect.
Yes. Most out-of-state buyers get pre-approved, narrow down neighborhoods and homes by live video, and then make one focused trip to see their top choices in person. The inspection, final walkthrough, and much of the closing can be handled after you fly home.
It is strongly recommended, and most buyers do visit at least once. Buying without visiting is possible, and I have helped a buyer do it, but it takes more video time, more written notes, and extra care with the inspection and contract.
A few days is usually enough when your financing is ready and you have already narrowed your list by video. Use the trip to see your top homes, walk the blocks, and test your commute, and come ready to make an offer.
Yes. A written buyer agreement is required before an agent tours a home with you, and that includes live virtual tours. The terms are negotiable before you sign. My buyer agreements include a clause that lets you cancel at any time if you are not happy with my service.
In most cases, yes. Illinois allows remote notarization, and many closing documents can be signed over video. Your lender and title company decide which documents qualify, and any that need an in-person notary can usually be signed near where you live and sent by overnight mail.
Include an inspection contingency and a financing contingency, and use the attorney review period, which is typically five business days in Chicago. If you are buying a condo, make sure you have time to review the association's budget, reserves, insurance, rules, meeting minutes, and planned special assessments.
Start with your commute, your budget, the type of home you want, and your daily routine. Use Google Street View, the CTA trip planner, the CPS School Locator, and official city crime data, and check every address the same way. Then talk with an agent who can show you how the block, building, transit, and parking compare in each neighborhood.
If you are relocating to Chicago and want a clear plan before you start touring homes, begin with my free Ultimate Chicago Relocation Guide and my free Chicago Buyer's Course. You can also read more about how I work with relocation buyers.
When you are ready, schedule a complimentary and confidential buyer consultation here. It runs about an hour, and we will talk through your timeline, budget, commute, the neighborhoods that fit, and how to plan your trip. You can also call or text me directly at 773.719.0989.
Information on written buyer agreements is from the National Association of REALTORS®. Accurate at the time of research, deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Lender and title company requirements vary, so confirm the details of your own purchase with your lender, attorney, and title company.
Dee Savic is a Realtor with Baird & Warner, a 24+ year real estate professional, and a 27+ year Chicago resident with 300+ closed transactions and more than 190 five-star reviews across Google, Zillow, Realtor.com, and FastExpert. She helps buyers, sellers, and relocating professionals across Chicago, including Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, North Center, Roscoe Village, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Andersonville, Uptown, Edgewater, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Avondale, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Near North, and the South Loop.
Relocation is a big part of her business. For buyers moving from out of state, Dee tours homes on live video, sends written notes after every showing, attends the inspection, does the final walkthrough on video, and coordinates the keys, whether her clients are here in person or still living in another state. If you are moving somewhere outside Chicago, she can connect you with a trusted agent from her nationwide referral network.
Dee Savic
Realtor® | Baird & Warner
4553 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
773.719.0989
[email protected]
deesavic.com
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I'm Dee Savic, your trusted Chicago real estate expert, and I'm here to guide you through your relocation journey. Discover why Chicago is the perfect city for you; from its diverse neighborhoods to its cultural vibrancy, Chicago offers an unmatched urban experience. Together, we'll find a community and home that fits your lifestyle and aspirations.
