Moving long-distance is never easy. And selling your old home while buying a new one is a stressful experience. Add finding the perfect home for your retirement into the mix, and you’ve got what could be an overwhelming situation for some! How do we know where to move? How do we find a house? How do we get the old one sold?
In a nutshell: How do you juggle everything and still come out on top?
Well, that’s exactly what Ron and Allyson Almeida did. They moved more than 600 miles south from their longtime hometown in Connecticut to their retirement dream home in North Carolina.
It wasn’t easy. But getting help from a few top-notch professionals made it look easy.
“Our home was under contract in four days, and we purchased our retirement home seamlessly [long-distance], without having to fly down or rent between houses,” said Allyson. “Such a blessing!”
Find out how the Almeidas did it, and how you can too.
Moving Long-Distance
Ever since Ron retired last year, he and Allyson had been researching the best places to retire. Central North Carolina caught their eye. (Considering its beautiful weather, stunning lakes and golf courses and an affordable cost of living, what’s not to like?)
As listeners of The Dave Ramsey Show, they were familiar with the RamseyTrusted program—a nationwide network of the top-performing real estate agents who follow Dave’s financial advice. The Almeidas used the RamseyTrusted program and connected with Greg L., an agent in central North Carolina. Greg answered all their questions and got them excited about their potential retirement relocation, which soon prompted a visit to the area.
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Ron and Allyson flew down to North Carolina to explore various towns that piqued their interest. After getting a better idea of the area on their trip, they continued to look at houses online when they got home. And then they found it: their retirement paradise. It’s a beautiful home near the Seven Lakes and West End areas of central North Carolina.
“Our home was under contract in four days, and we purchased our retirement home seamlessly [long-distance], without having to fly down or rent between houses,” said Allyson. “Such a blessing!”
Buying a House 600 Miles Away
The Almeidas decided this was the one. So they reconnected with Greg and asked him to help them start the home-buying process. “The choice was easy,” Allyson said. “After listening to Dave for so many years on the radio, I knew we'd be in great hands.”
As you might guess, buying a house more than 600 miles away is extra-challenging. But, with Greg, they felt confident. “His level of service was absolutely exceptional,” Allyson said. “He always picked up the phone or called right back to answer our questions—incredibly helpful, when moving to another state entirely.”
Allyson said Greg was “always a step ahead and always in our corner.”
The Almeidas were able to close on the house under a tight timeline thanks to their ELP and his network of professionals. They never even met up until the walk-through and closing.
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“Greg was able to recommend the three types of inspectors we needed and a great attorney,” Allyson said. “Words cannot express our level of gratitude!”
Managing Two Home Transactions
Meanwhile, as Greg made arrangements for their retirement home, Ron and Allyson again used the ELP program to find a real estate agent who could help them sell their Connecticut home. That’s how they met Amina B.
“[Amina] was instrumental in the timing of it all, which made it possible to avoid another trip to North Carolina before the actual move,” Allyson said. “[Amina provided] expert pricing of our home and advice on how to best conduct a contingency purchase.”
Real estate contingencies are contractual conditions that must be met before closing on a house. If the conditions aren’t met, the buyer or seller can back out of the deal. Basically, contingencies make sure that both the buyer and seller are getting a fair deal.
The Almeidas didn’t want to get stuck paying two mortgages, nor did they want to rent in between closings. So, Amina helped them set a contingency that stated they first had to close on their new home before the closing date for their current house.
With Amina’s help, Ron and Allyson were also able to accept an offer that was above their asking price!
“[Amina] was instrumental in the timing of it all, which made it possible to avoid another trip to North Carolina before the actual move,” Allyson said. “[Amina provided] expert pricing of our home and advice on how to best conduct a contingency purchase.”
Congratulations, Ron and Allyson! Enjoy your retirement home.
Find Real Estate Agents to Help With Your Long-Distance Move
Moving 600 miles away could’ve easily knocked the Almeidas off their financial goals. Instead, they found help to seamlessly balance the timeline of their home sale with a new home purchase by using a RamseyTrusted real estate agent. If you want to make your move run as smoothly as the Almeidas’, check out the RamseyTrusted program. We’ll connect you with the top-performing real estate agents in your area for free, so you can find one that best fits for you.
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