How Do I Time Buying a Home Around My Job Start Date When Moving to Boulder County?

How do you time buying a home around your job start date when you are moving to Boulder County? You work backward from the day you start. Pick your start date, decide when you want to be in a home, and then set each step in between, from your pre-approval to your visit to your closing day, with some room left over for surprises.

A new job gives you a clear deadline, and that helps. It can also make the whole move feel rushed. A good plan takes the rush out, because every step has a place on the calendar before you get here.

I'm Carol, and Homes by Carol is my real estate practice here in Erie. Carol Vanlandingham is a REALTOR® with eXp Realty in Erie, Colorado, helping people through life transitions, downsizing, first homes and relocation across Erie, Boulder County and Northern Colorado. I've lived in this area for over 31 years, and I've been licensed for 10. Much of my relocation work is with people starting a new job here, including physicians, so I know how tight those dates can feel.

It means we begin at the finish line and fill in the steps behind it.

Say you start your job on a certain day. First, ask yourself where you want to be living that day. In your own home? In a temporary place while you finish the purchase? Your answer changes everything that comes before it.

From there, you set the dates that matter most: when you want to close, when you will visit, when you will have your pre-approval, and when you want to start looking. Your lender can tell you how long a loan usually takes, and once we have a home under contract, I keep track of every date and tell you what is needed from you and when.

Here is the order I use with people who are relocating. Your situation may change the details, and I will explain yours as we go.

Step 1: Start with a call

We talk about how you live, where you will work and what you want nearby. I learn your start date, your family's needs and any dates you can't move. Then I suggest a few towns to look at. This is also the moment to ask for my physician relocation packet if it fits you. It has a lot of local information, and I'm glad to send it.

Step 2: Get pre-approved early

I ask every buyer to be pre-approved before we tour, and it matters even more when you may need to decide during a short visit. A pre-approval tells you what you can comfortably spend, and it tells a seller your offer is real. If you don't have a lender, I have a list I recommend, and you're free to use anyone you choose.

Step 3: Match the town to your commute

Your job location should shape your search. Erie is about 15 minutes from Boulder and from Longmont, about 35 minutes from Denver International Airport and about 40 minutes from Denver, depending on traffic. Boulder and Longmont are about 15 minutes apart, and Niwot sits roughly halfway between them. Traffic changes the drive, so I encourage you to try the route at the hour you will actually travel. My article on choosing a town when moving to Boulder County goes deeper.

Step 4: Narrow the list by video

When you can't be here, I walk through homes and neighborhoods with you by video, so you can see the street, the yard and the things photos leave out. By the time you travel, you are seeing only the homes that are real contenders.

Step 5: Plan one good visit

Your trip should do double duty. I plan the route so you see homes and get a feel for each town on the same trip. My article on planning a house-hunting trip to Boulder County lays out how to use your time.

Step 6: Write the offer with your dates in mind

Your offer includes a closing date and deadlines for the inspection, the appraisal and your loan approval. We choose them together, with your start date in front of us. I review what has sold nearby, and I tell you how I think the home is priced. You decide.

Step 7: Sign from wherever you are

Most documents can be signed electronically, so you don't have to be in town for every step. I keep track of the dates and tell you what is needed.

This happens, and there is a calm way to handle it. If you need to start work before you can move into a home, you may want a temporary place for a little while. My article on renting before buying when relocating explains that choice, and it can take a lot of the pressure off the purchase. A move-in date that fits your life is worth more than a rushed closing.

These come up often, and each one is easy to avoid.

• Waiting until you arrive to start. The best time to begin is while you are still planning the move, not on the day you land.
• Setting the closing for your first day of work. Leave a cushion. A small delay is much easier to handle when you have room.
• Choosing a town from a map. The map doesn't show the traffic at 7:30 in the morning. Test the drive.
• Skipping the inspection because you are far away. A professional inspection matters even more when you can't walk the home yourself. I always recommend one.
• Forgetting that Erie sits in two counties. West of County Line Road is Boulder County, and east of it is Weld County. I work both sides, and I'll tell you which one a home is in.
• Getting pre-approved late. If you find the right home on a short visit, you need to be ready that day.

How early should I start planning if I am relocating for work?

As early as you can, ideally as soon as you know your start date. Early planning gives you time for video tours, a lender conversation and a well-planned visit.

Can I buy a home without seeing it in person?

Some buyers do, using video tours and a professional inspection. Most of my relocation clients narrow their list by video and then visit to see their top choices. I'll help you decide what you are comfortable with.

Do I have to be here to sign the papers?

Not for most of them. Most documents can be signed electronically, and I keep track of the dates for you.

Do you have information for physicians moving to the area?

Yes. I have a relocation packet with a lot of local information, and I'll send it when you ask through my contact page.

I listen before I advise, and I explain every step before you reach it. You can read more about my work with people relocating to Erie and Boulder County, or learn about the town on my Erie page. If you have a start date, even a rough one, send it to me and we will build the plan backward from there. Send me a note or call me at (303) 522-3130.