How to Buy a Home in Murphy, NC From Out of State: A Step-by-Step Guide

You can buy a home in Murphy, NC from out of state by doing most of the work from home: get pre-approved with a lender licensed in North Carolina, sign a written buyer agreement, tour homes by live video, make one focused trip to see your shortlist, then handle due diligence and closing with a North Carolina closing attorney, often without a second trip. From the ridges above Hiwassee Lake to the valley around Andrews, the mountains come to your screen first, and to your front porch when you're ready. Here is how each step works from a distance.

Can you buy a home in Murphy, NC without living there?

Yes, and many buyers do exactly that. I'm Bonnie DuPree, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Town & Country in Murphy and an Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR), and I love helping buyers who live hours away find their place in the mountains of Cherokee County and the Georgia line.

Murphy sits at the far southwestern tip of North Carolina, where US-64, US-74 and US-19/129 meet, and the commercial airports in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Asheville and Atlanta are each roughly two hours away. That distance is exactly why a remote-first plan works so well: you save your travel for the moments that matter most. If you're still deciding where in the region to land, my step-by-step roadmap for relocating to the NC mountains covers the big picture. This guide focuses on the mechanics of buying from a distance.

What are the steps to buy a home in Murphy, NC from out of state?

Here is the order I suggest for buyers working from another state:

1. Get pre-approved with a lender licensed in North Carolina. A pre-approval shows sellers you're ready, and a lender who lends here knows mountain details such as private wells, septic systems and long private drives.
2. Sign a written buyer agreement before touring. Under current NAR practice, REALTORS® working with buyers ask for a written agreement before touring homes, including live virtual tours, and North Carolina requires buyer agency agreements in writing. It spells out how we'll work together.
3. Set up listing alerts. I set up a search around your price range, acreage, view, water access and preferred towns, so new listings reach your inbox as they come on the market.
4. Tour by live video. I walk a home with you on a video call, room by room, and step outside to show the lot, the driveway, the slope and the view.
5. Plan one focused trip. Once you have a shortlist of three to five homes, a two- or three-day visit lets you see them back to back and drive the routes you'd use every day.
6. Make your offer and complete due diligence remotely, then close with a North Carolina attorney, often from home.

If the buyer agreement or the difference between a listing agent and a buyer's agent is new to you, my post on how buyer and seller representation works in North Carolina explains the disclosure form, the written agreement and how agency works here.

On your in-person trip, save an afternoon for downtown Murphy or the Murphy River Walk. The trip is about the homes, and also about the place.

What can you check from home, and what is best seen in person?

Nearly everything has a remote step, and a few things are simply richer in person. Here is how I help out-of-state buyers divide the work:

Internet is one of the first questions I hear from buyers who work from home. My step-by-step internet address check shows how to confirm service at a specific address before you commit.

Many homes outside town limits run on a private well and septic system, and the septic permit on file with county environmental health describes the system approved for the home. My well and septic primer for mountain buyers explains what to request and why.

Views change beautifully with the seasons. When the leaves are down, ridge lines across the Nantahala National Forest open up, so photos from more than one season show a view's full character.

How does the North Carolina due diligence period work from a distance?

When you make an offer in North Carolina, the standard contract includes a due diligence period, an agreed window for investigating the property. The North Carolina Real Estate Commission's due diligence questions and answers explain that the period begins on the contract's effective date, that its length is negotiable, and that during it the buyer may end the contract for any reason with written notice. Typical items include home, pest and septic inspections, a survey, the appraisal, the title search and loan qualification. If you end the contract during the period, you typically receive your earnest money back but not the due diligence fee.

For an out-of-state buyer, the smart move is to negotiate enough time to finish everything comfortably and to line up inspectors before you write the offer. As an ABR, I keep that calendar front and center, share every report as it arrives and set up calls so you can ask questions while details are fresh.

Inspections are easy to attend by video. Many inspectors are glad to walk you through their findings on a call at the end of the visit, and the written report follows. My guide to what a mountain home inspection covers in Murphy lists the standard inspection plus the well, septic, radon, pest, chimney and survey add-ons buyers often choose.

Property taxes are easy to review remotely too: unincorporated Cherokee County parcels pay the county rate plus a fire district rate, while parcels inside Murphy's town limits pay county and town rates.

How does closing work with a North Carolina closing attorney?

In North Carolina, real estate closings are handled by attorneys. Your closing attorney typically handles the title search, prepares or reviews the closing documents, collects and disburses funds and records the deed. Many attorneys can arrange for you to sign your documents ahead of closing day from wherever you live, often called a mail-away closing, with your signatures notarized locally. Options vary by attorney and lender, so ask your attorney early what they offer and what your lender requires.

Sending your funds is a simple, calm step when you follow one habit: always confirm wiring instructions by phone with your attorney's office before you send anything. The Real Estate Commission's guidance on verifying wiring instructions advises buyers to verify directly with the closing attorney, using contact information taken from the attorney's own website rather than from the email that carried the instructions. Here is the short version:

• Look up your attorney's phone number on the firm's website.
• Call and confirm the account details before you wire.
• Call again after you send the wire to confirm it arrived.
• Treat any change to the instructions as a reason to call the attorney's office first.

What happens after you close on your Murphy, NC home?

Once the deed records, the house is yours, and the fun part begins. Setting up power, water or well service, trash, propane and internet can mostly be done by phone and online before you arrive. My new homeowner's local guide to Murphy lists who handles each service and which county offices you may visit.

My team, The DuPree Real Estate Group, is built on a "One Thing" model, where each specialist focuses on one part of the transaction. For out-of-state buyers, that means a specialist tracking contract-to-close details while you're miles away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I buy a house in Murphy, NC without seeing it in person?

Yes. Many buyers tour by live video and review inspection reports remotely, and most choose one focused in-person trip to see their shortlist, the drive in and the view before or during due diligence.

Do I have to be in North Carolina for closing?

Often not. North Carolina closings are handled by attorneys, and many can arrange for you to sign ahead from where you live with a local notary. Ask your closing attorney and lender early what they offer.

What is the due diligence period in North Carolina?

It is a negotiated window, starting on the contract's effective date, for inspections, a survey, the appraisal and loan approval. During it, the buyer may end the contract for any reason with written notice, typically receiving the earnest money back but not the due diligence fee.

Do I need a buyer agreement before touring homes by video?

Under current NAR practice, REALTORS® working with buyers ask for a written agreement before touring homes, including live virtual tours, and North Carolina requires buyer agency agreements in writing.

How should I send closing funds from out of state?

Follow your closing attorney's instructions and always confirm wiring instructions by phone with your attorney's office, using the number on the attorney's website, before and after you send the wire.

Let's start your mountain home search from wherever you are

Buying from out of state is a well-worn path to Murphy, and it can feel wonderfully personal when your agent is walking the land for you. Tell me what you're looking for, and I'll set up your search and your first video tour.

Reach out to me directly, or call me at (828) 361-1027. This post is general information, not legal advice; for contract and closing questions, please talk with a North Carolina real estate attorney.

The DuPree Real Estate Group is pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity. Bonnie DuPree, REALTOR® · RE/MAX Town & Country · Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.