Sight Unseen

Quick… think of some things you’d sign up for “sight unseen”. Buying a book on Amazon? Probably. Buying a bottle of a brand of whiskey you’ve never tried before? Maybe. Buying a new car without driving it? OK probably not. What about getting a mortgage loan or buying a house? Sounds scary? It doesn’t have to be!

Buying a Memphis Home While Stationed in Japan

We recently worked with an active duty military borrower who was being relocated to Memphis from where he’s been stationed in Japan. He was looking for a VA loan for his young family as they were finally moving back home to the states after being stationed overseas. The entire transaction was processed remotely… He filled out an application online. But it was followed by a quick phone call to confirm the details. He used our document collection system to submit his documents for underwriting. During the process, we relied heavily on emails and often scheduled phone calls when it was convenient for our borrower in his local time zone. We even sent the documents to him overnight to sign with a notary on his base. We never met him until after the closing. And he never actually saw his house until after getting his loan! He did the whole thing “sight unseen”. This isn’t the first time we’ve had a scenario like this. It’s actually more common than you might think, especially with VA borrowers. The key to success in a transaction like this is doing as much in advance as possible to avoid any last minute surprises. That means collecting the right documents up front so you don’t have to ask for them a second or third time and using technology to make the process easier. We love helping our military families get the home they want, especially when they decide to do the whole thing sight unseen!