How to inspect house when purchasing out of state

[David Yee]

Hello! I am currently reading J. Scott's The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs. I plan to purchase my first property within the next year but will most likely be doing so out of state due to financial constraints. 

How can I go about inspecting a home while out of state? Do I need to fly there? Doing so doesn't seem very cost effective. Thank you!

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @David Yee:

Hello! I am currently reading J. Scott's The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs. I plan to purchase my first property within the next year but will most likely be doing so out of state due to financial constraints. 

How can I go about inspecting a home while out of state? Do I need to fly there? Doing so doesn't seem very cost effective. Thank you!

That's a common method. If you're buying homes that are newer or recently renovated, you may be able to rely on pictures, video, and home inspections to purchase sight unseen. It's not recommended, but it's possible.

I would consider narrowing your search down to several properties, then flying out in person to look at their condition as well as the surrounding community.