Buying from out of state · Knoxville + Nashville
Buy a home from out of state.
Get a clearer view before you make the move.MaX House helps buyers moving to Greater Knoxville and Greater Nashville compare locations, tour homes by video and plan visits, property checks and closing around their schedule.
Talk about my moveYou don’t need a flight booked to start the conversation.
Start here
Start with your timing, destinations and travel plans.
Your everyday destinations
Share the actual work addresses and other places you’ll visit regularly. Include the hours you need to be there.
Your visit plans
Tell us whether you can visit, when you could travel and what you want to see for yourself before making a decision.
Your moving dates
Put the job start, lease end or current-home sale beside your hoped-for move date. Those dates may need different plans. If you’re also selling, coordinate the sale and next purchase.
01 / Your buying plan
Decide what you need to see in person.
Buying from another state can include remote previews, an in-person trip or both. Start by deciding which questions you’re comfortable answering from a distance.
Talk with your lender early about your purchase budget and any employment changes connected to the move. Our first-time homebuyer guide explains preapproval, cash and the complete monthly payment.
02 / Your locations
See how the location fits your day.
A place that works for a weekend visit may not work for a regular workday. Use exact destinations to narrow the search before filling your calendar with showings.
Around Knoxville: test the approach, not just the mileage.
An Oak Ridge work site, a West Knoxville office and a destination in Maryville or Alcoa create different searches. Use the actual entrance and your work hours when comparing routes along Pellissippi Parkway or Alcoa Highway/US-129.
On a video tour, ask to see the turn into the driveway, the slope and the walk from parking to the door. A photo of the porch can leave those everyday details out. For a Knoxville/Knox County address, start record checks with the Property Assessor’s mapping resources; use the relevant county’s records elsewhere.
Around Nashville: put both work addresses on the map.
If one person needs to reach Franklin and another Midtown, compare both trips. If work is near Nashville International Airport (BNA), use the work address rather than the airport terminal or Downtown. Test the relevant I-24, I-40 or I-65 route at the hours you expect to travel.
For a newer home in an established neighborhood, ask to see parking, access and the space between neighboring homes. If there is a homeowners association (HOA) or shared ownership arrangement, request the documents before deciding what you can use or change. Check the address against Metro Nashville/Davidson County flood guidance; other counties have their own local resources.
03 / Video tours
See what listing photos leave out.
A useful video tour should help you rule a home out as well as keep it on your list. Send your questions beforehand and ask for a continuous walk through the spaces that matter to you.
Confirm appointment times in your time zone and the home’s. Knoxville uses Eastern Time; Nashville uses Central Time.
Start at the street
See the approach, parking, neighboring uses and outdoor areas. For a home with acreage, include the land and access in your comparison. Ask for a pause without narration so you can hear the surroundings. One visit cannot establish what noise is like all day.
See how the rooms connect
See how rooms connect, where stairs fall and what the windows face. Ask for measurements when furniture, storage or a workspace needs to fit; a wide-angle view can be misleading.
Look beyond the finishes
Ask to see accessible utility areas and visible wear, staining or repairs. Note questions for the inspector rather than treating an agent’s video as a diagnosis of the home’s condition.
Record what still needs checking
A video cannot reliably convey smells, every sound or how a home feels to you. Ask what was inaccessible, what needs another look and whether a live follow-up or in-person visit would help.
04 / Your scouting visit
Give your scouting trip a clear purpose.
If you can visit, use the trip for decisions that are hard to make through a screen. A smaller, better-matched set of homes leaves room to understand the location and return to a favorite.
Try the regular trips
Drive toward work when you’d normally leave, then try the return. Check the errands and services you expect to use. A Saturday showing doesn’t tell you everything about a weekday.
See what matters to you
Walk the entry, stairs and outdoor space. Spend time in the rooms you’ll use most. If reliable internet is essential, check service at the exact address with the provider.
Leave room to reconsider
Keep time for a second look and questions after the showings. You can leave knowing which homes you want to revisit or that your search needs to change. The trip doesn’t have to end with an offer.
05 / Offer + property checks
Keep the property checks in the plan.
Distance changes how you coordinate the work. It doesn’t make the records, inspections or decision deadlines less important.
Request the documents early
Review available seller disclosures and applicable HOA, condo or shared-ownership documents. Ask your title professional about recorded access, ownership and shared responsibilities. A listing description or map is a starting point, not the final answer.
Arrange an independent inspection
Ask the inspector how you can participate from a distance and discuss the report. Additional checks may be appropriate for the property. Your options after an inspection depend on the contract; CFPB’s inspection guidance explains the distinction from an appraisal.
Put deadlines where you can see them
Contingencies are agreed contract conditions, such as financing or inspection terms, with deadlines that matter. Keep the required decisions, time zone and responsible contacts in one place. Ask how a delay would affect your next step before committing to travel or movers.
If a home is still being built, compare completion and possession terms with your moving dates using our new-construction guide. If military orders or VA financing are part of the move, our VA and military homebuyer guide covers those additional questions.
06 / Closing + move-in
Plan the signing and the move separately.
Before booking the final trip or moving truck, confirm how the closing will work and when you can actually take possession.
Confirm how you’ll sign
Tell the lender and closing professional where you will be. Ask which signing arrangements they can accept, what identification is needed and whether documents must be returned by a deadline. Don’t assume every closing can happen entirely online.
Review the figures and verify instructions
Request the closing documents in advance and ask about anything you don’t understand. Before transferring funds, confirm instructions using a trusted phone number established independently—not one supplied in an unexpected email. CFPB’s closing-funds guidance explains why.
Confirm the home and the keys
Arrange the final walkthrough and review agreed repairs. If you can’t attend, agree who will be there, whether you’ll join by live video and how remaining concerns will be shown to you before closing. Confirm possession and key delivery separately from signing, then coordinate utilities, movers and any temporary stay around those arrangements.