She Found Me on ChatGPT From Hawaii. 45 Days Later, She Owned a Home in Esperanza, Boerne, Texas.
What happened: A buyer living in Hawaii wanted a smaller home with a pool in a nice community, one that would make leaving Hawaii worth it. She found me by asking ChatGPT. Using FaceTime tours, her daughter in San Antonio as our eyes on the ground, and a VA loan, she bought a 3-bed, 2.5-bath Sitterle resale on a gated street in Esperanza in Boerne, Texas. She paid below list, got seller concessions and appliances included, and closed in 45 days without ever walking through the house.
Who was the buyer, and what was she looking for?
She was moving back stateside from Hawaii and wanted a smaller home with a pool in a nice community. Her daughter lives in San Antonio.
She had one more requirement, and it was the one that mattered most. The house had to be worth leaving Hawaii for, without breaking the bank. Coming from the islands, outdoor living space was a must. So was a pool.
This was the first house she saw that checked that box.
How did a buyer in Hawaii find an agent in Boerne?
She asked ChatGPT, and it pointed her to me.
Then she vetted me the right way. She asked pointed questions:
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- How much do you work in Esperanza?
- What can you tell me about the extra tax?
- What services can you provide since we’re out of state?
Those are exactly the questions an out-of-state buyer should ask. My answer to the first one was easy. Our family is in Esperanza every week for church. We’ve sold many homes in that community. We also own two rental homes in the neighborhood across the street. We know this area well.
Why Esperanza, and why this house?
Because it gave her the pool, the outdoor space, and the smaller footprint she wanted, at a price that works in Boerne.
The home is a Sitterle resale with 2,200+ square feet, 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. It sits on a quaint little gated street inside Esperanza. It has a pool and backs to greenspace. The HOA takes care of the landscaping.
Under $600,000 with a pool is a great price point for Boerne. That’s a big part of why this one was worth it.
What is the "extra tax" in Esperanza?
It’s a WCID tax, a Water Control and Improvement District, at 0.95%. It is a special taxing district that pays for Esperanza’s infrastructure.
The total tax rate in Esperanza is 2.34%. Compare that to The Ranches at Creekside, right across the street, at 1.86%. The WCID is likely long-term, since Esperanza is still under construction.
I’d rather a buyer hear that from me before the offer than find it on their first tax bill.
How do you tour a house from Hawaii?
With FaceTime, a local family member, and a lot of calls scheduled around a 5-hour time difference.
I walked the house with her on FaceTime. Her daughter met me at the house to see it in person. Later, her daughter was also there for the final walkthrough.
Texas is 5 hours ahead of Hawaii. We planned our calls and FaceTimes around that the whole way through.
How did we make sure she wasn't overpaying?
We used comps, and she bought below list price.
Her two biggest worries were making sure the condition was good and not overpaying. For price, I pulled comps from Esperanza, from other Sitterle homes, and from pool homes around Boerne.
What happened at the inspection?
The pool needed repairs. The sellers agreed to have those done, and we also negotiated a seller concession on top of that.
The sellers used their pool guy, who had serviced that pool since it was put in. For the remaining repairs, we asked for a concession instead of seller repairs. We like to use our own contractors, so we know the work is done correctly.
How did we make a move from Hawaii easier?
We asked for the TVs and appliances, including the fridge, washer, and dryer, as non-realty items in the offer. The sellers included them at no extra cost.
Before the offer, I helped her figure out which items we could ask for in the contract, or offer to buy, to help with moving costs from Hawaii. When everything you own is coming across the ocean, a house with a working fridge and a washer and dryer already in it is a big deal.
What did the VA lender need?
The lender needed the foliage trimmed away from the house. We had it done and sent the lender photos to get a clean report.
This was a lender condition on her VA loan, and it also helped get the clear WDI (termite) report the lender needed. We arranged the landscaper, got the photos, and sent them to the lender. The buyers paid for the trimming. It was no problem.
How do you close on a house when you're still in Hawaii?
With a mobile notary. We set a 45-day closing to give them time to move across the ocean.
The buyers will sign from Hawaii. It only took arranging a location and a time with the notary.
Their pods and cars won’t arrive for about four weeks after closing, so they’re traveling for a month after closing. While they’re gone, we’re coordinating the contractors for the repairs covered by the seller concession.
What would I tell someone buying in Boerne from out of state?
It’s very possible to buy a house without ever seeing it in person, if you have the right agent on your side. Although if it all possible, we always recommend the buyer see the home in person. It puts a lot of pressure on the agent when the buyer hasn’t seen the home, since this buyer had a daughter close by, that definitely helped ease some of the pressure!
Ask the questions she asked. Find out how often your agent actually works in the neighborhood. Ask about the tax rate, not just the price. And ask what they’ll do for you when you can’t be there: tours, inspection help, negotiation, final walkthrough, and contractors after closing.
For a deeper look at what the remote buying process looks like, we put together this guide on buying a home in Boerne from out of state.
Aloha!
FAQ:
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying a Home in Boerne, Texas
Can you buy a house in Boerne without seeing it in person?
Yes. This buyer bought in Esperanza from Hawaii using FaceTime tours, her daughter's in-person visits, and a mobile notary for closing. What makes it work is an agent who knows the neighborhood and handles the on-the-ground work for you.
What is the WCID tax in Esperanza?
It's a Water Control and Improvement District tax of 0.95%. On this home, it brought the total tax rate to 2.34%, compared to 1.86% at The Ranches at Creekside across the street. It's likely long term because Esperanza is still under construction.
How do you close on a Texas home from out of state?
You can sign with a mobile notary where you live. For this buyer, that meant setting a location and time in Hawaii. We also set a 45-day closing to give her time for an ocean move.
Can you ask the seller to leave furniture or appliances?
Yes. You can ask for items like TVs and appliances as non-realty items in the offer, or offer to buy them. In this case, the sellers included the TVs, fridge, washer, and dryer at no extra cost.
Should you take seller repairs or a concession?
It depends on the repair. Here, the sellers had their longtime pool guy repair the pool, and we got a concession on top for the rest. We like using our own contractors so we know the work is done right.
About the author: Staci Gahm, The Gahm Real Estate Team, Keller Williams, Fair Oaks Ranch.
I serve Boerne and the Texas Hill Country. We’ve sold many homes in Esperanza, and we’re there every week.
📞 Contact us or call or text (210) 844-8683. Let’s map out your move.
