Long-Distance Real Estate: How to Purchase a Home in Palm Bay, FL, From Out of Town

Posted: March 28th, 2025

It’s a Great Time to Buy in Palm Bay

Palm Bay is one of the top-growing cities on the Space Coast, with abundant opportunities for coastal luxury living. As of January 2025, it’s considered a balanced market, with plenty of opportunities for buyers to find the perfect home in the area. Inventory is up, and homes are priced competitively compared to other cities in the region. In short, now is a great time for buyers to begin their home search in Palm Bay, FL.

Why Should You Relocate Here?

This city offers something for everyone in the family.

First, the area is home to several top-rated schools in the Brevard County Public School system. You’ll find elementary, middle, and high schools that offer quality education for children of any life stage. Are you looking for higher education options? Eastern Florida State College has a campus in Palm Bay, and the Florida Institute of Technology is just a short drive away.

Palm Bay is also the perfect place to enjoy all the natural beauty and outdoor entertainment that Florida has to offer. Think kayaking, paddle boarding, and going on hikes through natural preserves. If connecting with nature is at the top of your list, look no further.

What’s more, Palm Bay’s economy is growing, thanks to the aerospace and defense industries in the region. It’s a popular relocation destination for L3Harris employees and anyone working at one of Cape Canaveral’s many space tech companies. Retail and healthcare sectors are also strong here, offering diversity to the region.

Whether you’re relocating for a job or simply looking for a change of pace, you’ll find just about everything you need to thrive in Palm Bay.

How to Start Your Search from Out of State

So you’ve selected Palm Bay as your ideal location–that’s a great first step! But house hunting is a little different when you aren’t close by to drive through the area and see the for-sale signs for yourself. While online luxury home listings should be thorough enough to give you a good feel of your selected property, a virtual search misses out on a few important factors:  

• What’s the neighborhood like? Is it walkable? 
• Are there good community amenities available for homeowners?
• How easy is it to navigate to your favorite stores?

But don’t worry: with the help of a great Realtor, your home search and purchase can be just as simple as it would be if you’d done it in person.

Find the right Realtor

This testimonial from Andrea H. says it all:

“We were traveling from out of town looking to purchase a new build in a planned community. Connie Hayes was recommended to us from our local realtor. She helped us navigate through the process of working with a developer, representing our interests and familiarizing us with the community as well. She was knowledgeable, professional, and accessible throughout the process. I would not hesitate to call upon her or anyone at Ellingson Properties should I have any future real estate business in this community.”

It takes a special kind of Realtor to represent your interests and advocate for your needs when you’re out of state. You need to find someone who:

• Offers clear and consistent communication
• Is knowledgeable enough to familiarize you with the community
• Can explain the process and keep track of your timeline, especially when a corporate relocation is involved
• Comes recommended by others in your selected area

Seek out recommendations and testimonials on line as well as from other real estate professionals. A good Realtor will have a wide network of contacts and should be able to point you in the right direction.

Get your preapproval

Yes, we recommend getting a mortgage preapproval before you begin your home search. This may seem like putting the cart before the horse, but here are a few reasons why this is the best order of operations: 

• It helps you get a birds-eye view of your financial situation. Armed with your preapproval, you’ll be able to easily narrow down your home search. It’ll also help protect you from dashed hopes and unrealistic expectations.
• It tells sellers that you’re a serious candidate to buy their home. Having a preapproval ready lets sellers know that you’ve done your research and you won’t flake out when it comes time to sign your contract. 
• It helps make closing smoother. Most of the mortgage legwork is done during the preapproval process, so your lender will have less to do to get you to the finish line.

If you’re unsure about the right lender for your needs, your trusted real estate agent can offer their own recommendations.

Research and visit

After those first two critical steps, it’s time to begin house hunting in earnest. Your realtor will send you listings of homes that suit your criteria, but you should also keep an eye on the market and send them any homes that pique your interest. Most of your research at this point will be online.

If it’s possible, now is a good time to take a trip to Palm Bay to see your potential houses in person. This will give you the opportunity to get a real feel for the neighborhoods and the region in general. If a visit isn’t possible, that’s ok–your Realtor should be able to tour your selected homes and send you virtual visits.

It’s important to have a real estate professional by your side by this step. With years of experience in the industry, your agent will be able to point out any flaws or defects they find in the home that may not be visible virtually. For example, they can tell you about any odd odors or high humidity they experienced while touring your selected homes.

Create your timeline

If you’re moving for a corporate relocation, there’s a good chance you’ve already outlined your timeline–at the very least, you know the date by which you need to be in your new location. But even if your move isn’t for a career opportunity, it’s important to define a timeline to keep you on track and make sure all involved parties are on the same page.

You’ve already knocked out the big steps by this point (selecting a Realtor, talking to a lender, finding the right home), but don’t forget about the finer details. You’ll want to include:

• Finalizing your mortgage
• Scheduling an inspection
• Secure homeowners insurance
• Having the home appraised
• Moving to your new location

Sometimes it’s easier to start with the final date (your closing date) and work backward. Many of these milestones will be laid out in your home purchase contract, but it’s a good idea to follow up on them on your own.

Don’t skimp on the appraisal and inspection

Above, we mentioned adding an appraisal and inspection to your out-of-state moving timeline. While you can skip your inspection, and your lender may grant you an appraisal waiver, we highly recommend going forward with both items before you finalize your home purchase.

Your inspection is your opportunity to really get to know your home right down to the foundation–literally. Your inspector will be able to alert you to issues like termites, outdated plumbing and electrical systems, roof problems, and beyond. Each of these issues can cost thousands of dollars in repair, so knowing about them beforehand will help you determine if you’re prepared to take them on. Additionally, they can be powerful chips at the negotiating table.

Lenders typically require appraisals before finalizing a home loan. While an appraisal waiver can save you some time and money, it can also lead to some serious issues–namely, overpaying for your selected home. Forgoing an appraisal may impact your ability to refinance your home and even make a profit when you sell the home in the future.

Celebrate your closing day

With all the legal and technical details squared away, it’s time to pack and hit the road! Your closing day should be exciting, whether you’ve already managed to visit the property in person or not. Enjoy getting to know your new home and helping your family settle into a fantastic new neighborhood.

Start Your Palm Bay Home Search Today

Purchasing a home in Palm Bay from out of state can seem daunting on the surface, but with the help of a respected real estate agent and some planning, it’s a lot easier than it seems. Ready to call Palm Bay, FL, your new home? Get in touch with one of the real estate agents at Ellingson Properties. Search our site for available homes in Palm Bay.