Moving to a new area means choosing much more than a house.
You’re trying to figure out where you want to live, what your everyday life will look like, how a commute will work, which communities fit what you’re looking for, what you can afford and what you may not even know to ask because you don’t live here yet.
Sometimes you’re trying to make all of those decisions from hundreds or thousands of miles away.
That’s where we start.
Before we focus on houses, I want to understand why you’re moving and what you need your new location and home to do for you.
Then we can begin narrowing the possibilities and gathering the information you need to make decisions that fit your life, not simply your search criteria.
Where Should You Live?
For many relocating buyers, this is the first big question.
Maybe you’ve heard about Stanwood or Camano Island but aren’t sure how living in one compares with the other.
Maybe you’re considering Arlington, Marysville, Anacortes, Mount Vernon or Burlington too.
Perhaps you need reasonable access to work. Maybe acreage is more important than proximity to I-5. You might want water nearby, room for horses, a shop, a particular type of neighborhood, access to services or simply a different pace of life.
There isn’t one community I can tell every relocating buyer is “best.”
There is only the community that works best for what matters to you.
I’ll help you compare the areas I know based on the priorities you’ve given me, explain differences that may be relevant to your search and direct you to reliable resources for information you should evaluate yourself.
The goal isn’t for me to choose where you should live. It’s to help you gather the information you need to make that decision for yourself.
Start With Your Life, Not a Listing Feed
Our first step is a buyer consultation. That can happen by phone, virtually or in person, whatever works best for you.
Before I start sending properties, I want to understand why you’re moving, your timeline, budget, preferred areas, commute considerations, the type of property you’re looking for and the things your new home needs to accommodate.
That could include pets, horses, hobbies, vehicles, multigenerational living, acreage or simply having a particular amount of space.
If you’re selling another home as part of the move, I want to understand that too.
From there, I can create a personalized property search based on our conversation rather than sending you a broad feed of homes that happen to fall within a price range.
That means less time sorting through properties that were never going to work and a search built around the reasons you’re moving in the first place.
Get to Know the Area Before You Get Here
You shouldn’t have to learn everything about an area during a rushed house-hunting trip.
I’ve called Stanwood home since 2001, and one of the reasons I create local content is to give people a better look at the communities they’re considering.
My Living in Stanwood, Washington YouTube channel includes videos about local places, parks, neighborhoods, homes, different price points and everyday life around the area.
If you’re still months away from moving, you can start learning about the area before you’re here.
You can also send me questions.
If you’re wondering about the difference between two areas, how far something is from a particular location, what types of properties you’re likely to find or something else that’s important to your move, those questions can help us narrow your search.
Explore Living in Stanwood, Washington on YouTube
What If the Right Home Comes Up Before You Can Get Here?
This is one of the realities of relocating.
You may be in Colorado, California, another part of Washington or another country when a property you want to see comes on the market.
You don’t necessarily have to wait until your next trip to learn more about it.
I offer virtual and FaceTime showings for relocating buyers when needed.
Rather than simply sending you another set of listing photos, I can walk through the property while you’re on the call with me. You can ask questions in real time and ask me to take another look at something you want to see more closely.
Depending on the property, that might mean taking a closer look at a room, walking the property, showing you how the home and outbuildings are situated or giving you another perspective beyond what was selected for the listing photographs.
A virtual showing isn’t the same as personally standing inside a home.
But when distance is part of your move, it gives you another way to gather information about a property rather than relying solely on the listing.
A Real Relocation: Colorado to Camano Island
When I helped Thomas and Jami relocate from Colorado to Camano Island, distance was part of their home-buying process.
I initially showed them the property virtually while they were still in Colorado.
That allowed them to see the home from a distance and move forward in their decision-making process without waiting until they could make another trip to Washington.
They later flew into town for the home inspection.
That’s one example of how a relocation purchase can work.
It doesn’t mean every relocating buyer should purchase a property before seeing it in person. It means we can adapt the process when distance creates a challenge and use the tools available to give you more information.
Your situation may look completely different, and we’ll build the process around yours.
Buying Rural, Waterfront or Acreage Property?
Relocating to Northwest Washington can also introduce you to property types and features you may not be familiar with.
Depending on where you’re moving from and what you’re looking for, you may encounter:
Private wells
Septic systems
Acreage
Equestrian properties
Barns and shops
Waterfront and water-view properties
Easements
Critical areas or wetlands
Other property-specific considerations
You don’t need to become an expert on all of these before moving here.
But if they’re relevant to a property you’re considering, you do need to know what questions deserve further investigation.
I have experience with waterfront, acreage, equestrian and rural properties and will help identify questions, gather available information and involve the appropriate professionals when additional expertise is needed.
That helps make sure unfamiliar property features aren’t simply overlooked because you’re new to the area.
Learn More About Buying Waterfront & Acreage Properties
Coordinating Your Home Purchase With the Rest of Your Move
A relocation rarely involves only a home purchase.
You may also be coordinating a job start date, the sale of another home, the end of a lease, financing, travel to Washington, temporary housing, inspections, closing, movers and the actual trip to your new home.
We can’t control every piece of that timeline, but we can identify the pieces affecting your real estate purchase and start planning for them early.
If you’re also selling a home, we’ll talk about how that sale may affect your purchase strategy and what information we need before you begin making offers.
If you have a firm date you need to be here, I want to know that at the beginning, not after we’ve found a house.
Your home purchase is one part of your entire move, and our strategy needs to take the rest of that move into consideration.
Once You’re Under Contract
Finding the house doesn’t end the work, especially when you don’t live nearby.
Your purchase may involve your lender, home inspector, title company, escrow officer and other professionals depending on the property. There will also be deadlines, documents, inspections and decisions along the way.
I stay involved throughout the transaction, help you understand what’s happening next and keep you informed when decisions need to be made.
If an inspection uncovers something, I’ll help you understand your options under the purchase agreement.
If a property requires additional investigation, we’ll identify the appropriate resources.
And if you aren’t physically here, we’ll determine what can reasonably be handled remotely and when your presence may be helpful.
You don’t have to figure out the Washington real estate process by yourself simply because you’re starting somewhere else.
Relocation Doesn’t Have to Mean Moving Across the Country
I’ve helped clients relocate to Northwest Washington from other states, but relocation can also mean moving from one part of Washington to another.
You don’t need to be moving across the country for an area to be unfamiliar.
If you’re moving to Northwest Washington from another part of the state, you may have many of the same questions as someone moving here from several states away.
The distance may be different, but the goal is the same: understand the area, determine what works for your life and coordinate the real estate with the rest of your move.
Frequently Asked Questions About Relocating to Stanwood, Camano Island & Northwest Washington
When should I contact a real estate agent if I’m planning to relocate?
You don’t need to wait until you’re ready to buy.
An earlier conversation can be helpful if you’re still trying to understand the area, your budget or which communities you should be researching.
We can start with where you are now, what you’re considering and what your timeline looks like.
You may be ready to buy soon, or you may simply leave the conversation with a better idea of what to research next.
Can you show me homes if I’m not in Washington?
Yes.
I offer virtual and FaceTime showings when needed for buyers who can’t physically be here.
You’ll be able to ask questions while I walk through the property and request additional looks at things that matter to you.
A virtual showing isn’t identical to being there yourself, but it can give you substantially more information than listing photos alone.
How do I decide between Stanwood, Camano Island, Arlington or another nearby community?
We start with your priorities rather than trying to pick a town first.
Your commute, budget, desired property type, proximity to services, acreage or waterfront preferences and the way you want to live can all help narrow the search.
I’ll help you understand differences that may be relevant to those priorities so you can decide where you’d like to focus.
Can you tell me which neighborhoods or schools are best?
I can provide factual information, help you identify resources and point you toward school districts and other sources that can help with your research.
But “best” is personal.
What’s ideal for one buyer may be completely wrong for another.
I’d rather help you gather information based on what matters to you than make that decision for you.
What if I’m selling my current home before moving?
Tell me early in the process.
The timing and terms of your existing sale can affect how we approach your purchase in Washington.
We’ll discuss your situation during the buyer consultation so you understand how the different pieces may affect one another.
Thinking About Moving to Northwest Washington?
You don’t need to know exactly where you want to live before contacting me.
That’s often part of what we need to figure out.
Maybe you’re still comparing communities.
Maybe you’ve narrowed it down to Stanwood and Camano Island.
Maybe you’re six months away from moving and want to understand what your budget buys here.
Or maybe the move is happening quickly and you need to start looking at homes now.
We can start wherever you are.
Tell me what’s bringing you here, what matters to you and what you’re trying to accomplish.
Then we’ll figure out the next step.
Schedule a Relocation Buyer Consultation
Not ready for a conversation yet?
Explore Living in Stanwood, Washington on YouTube
About Tricia Jacobs
Tricia Jacobs is a Managing Broker and REALTOR® with RE/MAX Gateway, serving buyers and sellers throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Island and Whatcom Counties.
Originally licensed in 1992, Tricia has decades of experience in real estate and has called Stanwood home since 2001. She is a Seller Representative Specialist (SRS®), an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) and a RE/MAX Hall of Fame Managing Broker.
Her experience includes residential homes, acreage and country properties, equestrian properties, waterfront and water-view homes, ADUs and multigenerational properties, investment properties and land.
Tricia believes good real estate advice starts with understanding the person sitting across the table from her. For sellers, that means learning why they are considering a move, what they hope to accomplish and what their timeline looks like before providing information about their property and the current market.
She doesn’t believe it’s always a great time to sell, because it isn’t. Her role is to provide accurate information, answer questions and explain the options available so her clients have what they need to make the best decision for themselves.
When a client does decide to sell, Tricia takes a hands-on approach to preparing and marketing the property. She helps sellers determine what is worth addressing before going on the market and what isn’t worth spending money on, then builds the pricing and marketing strategy around the individual property.
For buyers, Tricia provides experienced guidance from the initial search through inspections, negotiations and closing. Her background is particularly helpful with the additional considerations that can come with acreage, wells, septic systems, equestrian properties, waterfront and other unique properties common throughout Northwest Washington.
Tricia was honored to be voted Best Real Estate Agent in Stanwood & Camano Island in both 2025 and 2026 and serves as President of the Stanwood Commerce Alliance, Stanwood’s Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of real estate, you’ll usually find Tricia spending time with her family, horses and dogs and enjoying the Northwest Washington lifestyle she helps her clients call home.
Tricia Jacobs | Managing Broker / REALTOR®RE/MAX Gateway360-223-1100triciajacobs@remax.nettriciajacobsrealtor.com