Last updated October 30, 2026
You can buy a St. Louis house without touring it in person. One of my buyers did it from Denver: he saw the house once, at an open house, and never walked it with me. The steps are the same as any purchase, but a few of them carry more risk when you’re not here, and those are the ones this page covers.
In five steps: get preapproved by a lender first, have your agent walk houses for you on live video, write the offer with the inspection contingency intact, use the inspection report to see what video can’t, then do the final walk-through on video and close remotely through the title company. The five steps ↓
Yes. My Denver buyer saw the house once, at an open house, and made the offer from there. I walked it again on a live video call and shot it in 360 so he could go back through it anytime before the inspection. What a video tour should show you ↓
No. The inspector’s report comes with photos, and you can join by phone or video while the inspector goes over the findings. What matters is keeping your inspection contingency, because it’s your chance to back out on what the report finds. Inspecting from a distance ↓
Yes. My Denver buyer closed remotely after I did the final walk-through on video, and a family member picked up the keys. Ask the title company early how they handle a buyer who can’t be at the table. The walk-through and closing ↓
Start with three things you can check from anywhere: your commute, what your budget buys by ZIP code, and whether the address is in the City, a County municipality or unincorporated County. The hub page walks through all three. Choosing an area →
Sources: George Kindler’s transactions, including a purchase closed remotely by a buyer living in Denver; St. Louis County sales data.
The same steps as any purchase, with your agent standing in for you at each one you can’t attend:
A financed purchase usually closes 30 to 45 days after the contract, so if you have a move date, work backward from it.
How it went on a real sale: My buyer was living in Denver and moving back home to St. Louis. He saw a one-bedroom near Christie Park once, at an open house, then texted me: “Hey, I want to write an offer on this home.” We never toured it together. He closed remotely, and a family member picked up the keys. The full story →
The things that cost money, not the finishes you can see in the listing photos. On a live video walk-through, ask your agent to show you:
How it went on a real sale: I decode the furnace and air conditioner serial numbers at every showing, so my buyers know the age before the inspector does. For the Denver buyer, I walked the house on a live video call, brought my 360 camera and saved the photos to a shared folder he could go back through anytime. Going forward I’m using private 3D tours, which keep the whole walk-through in one place. The full walk-through checklist →
Price it from the comparable sales, not the listing’s story, and keep the protections you’d want if you were here. You won’t get a second showing before the inspection deadline, so the inspection contingency is the one to keep. A preapproval letter and a clear closing date make an out-of-state offer believable.
How it went on a real sale: Before the Denver buyer wrote, I pulled the comparable sales. The listing described the house as worth $180,000 and priced it at $160,000 as if it were a deal; the comps said it was worth $160,000, not $180,000. We went under contract at $160,000, and before any inspection the seller offered $30,000 off. Which contingencies to keep →
Let the report and its photos be your eyes. You don’t have to be there; join by phone or video while the inspector goes over the findings, then read the full report. In St. Louis, add a sewer scope: much of the housing is decades old, and the sewer line from the house to the street belongs to the owner.
Then negotiate from the report like any buyer: repairs for the items that affect the loan, safety or moving in, and a credit or warranty for small things you can live with. How to use the inspection report →
Verify every wire by phone, at a number you looked up yourself. Buying from a distance means more of the deal happens by email, and fake wiring instructions are the most expensive email you can get. Before you wire a single dollar, call your title company at a phone number you found on your own, not one from an email, and confirm the account and the amount.
How it went on a real sale: I watched an experienced investor lose $27,000 two days before closing to wiring instructions that looked exactly like the title company’s. That’s why I give every client the same rule on every deal. What I tell buyers before closing →
Your agent walks the house on video right before closing, so you see the condition yourself: that the agreed repairs were done and nothing changed. Then the title company handles the signing remotely. Ask them early how they do it, so the documents and the timing are set before closing week. Someone you trust can pick up the keys.
How it went on a real sale: Before the Denver buyer closed, I did the final walk-through on video to confirm the condition for him. He closed remotely, and a family member picked up the keys. When you can move in after closing →
Before you buy
If you don’t know where you’ll work or how long you’ll stay, renting first can be the cheaper way to learn the area. If you know both, buying from out of state works. Renting first vs. buying →
About the same as buying locally: a financed purchase usually closes 30 to 45 days after the contract. Start with a lender two to three months before your move date. How long buying takes →
Each hospital has its own set of nearby areas, prices and tax bills. The physician guide maps them for BJC, SLU, Mercy, Missouri Baptist and St. Luke’s. Areas near each hospital →
This is one piece of the St. Louis home buying process. See how it all fits together:
📚 Complete St. Louis Buyer Guide →
Grew up in South St. Louis, lived in Dogtown for 6 years, now in South County. You'll find us at Wellspring on Lindbergh on Sundays. I'm not selling you a house — I'm showing you how to think about buying or selling a house.
One text, email, or call is all it takes to put that experience to work for you.
Questions about what you are reading? I answer personally — no team, no handoff.