Military Buyers Rely on Virtual Tours to Purchase Homes Without Visiting

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Date:

03 Nov 2025

While most homebuyers prefer multiple in-person showings before making offers, a distinct segment of the Space Coast market is purchasing homes without ever setting foot inside. Shane Burgman, team leader at The Burgman Group, sells 10 to 15 properties each year to buyers who rely solely on detailed video tours.

“It’s not uncommon, for any given year, where I’ll sell somewhere between 10 and 15 homes to people that never even saw the property. Everything is based on my video that I’ve filmed for that home,” Burgman said. “A lot of times that is the case. They’ve never met me in person, we’ve done virtual calls, and then they trust me enough to be able to show them a home virtually, purchase the home virtually, and then end up moving in the home.”

This trend, driven largely by military relocations through his work with Real’s Military Division, reflects a shift in remote real estate transactions that goes beyond the virtual adaptations seen during the pandemic.

Military Buyers’ Approach

Military buyers have specific characteristics that make sight-unseen purchases possible. Their frequent relocations, typically every three to four years, create both urgency and familiarity with remote decisions. “Serving in the military is a very unique industry, and when you serve in the military, you have a better understanding of the lifestyle,” Burgman said, drawing from his own 10-year Navy career as a nuclear missile technician.

The military lifestyle means buyers must often make major decisions with limited time and information. “There’s sometimes a sense of urgency where they don’t have an ample amount of time to find a home if they have that option,” he said.

This urgency is eased by relocation benefits from major aerospace employers expanding on the Space Coast, which offer bonuses covering moving costs and commissions. These benefits help reduce the financial risk of buying remotely.

Virtual Tour Process

Burgman’s remote selling process centers on thorough video documentation that goes well beyond standard property marketing. “Sometimes it’s a 14 minute long video. I’m going through and touring it. I’m giving them very direct, candid feedback and narration over this video about what’s wrong with it, what may be an issue in the future.”

Burgman’s approach emphasizes honesty over sales tactics. By pointing out potential problems and future maintenance needs, he builds the trust required for buyers to make significant purchases without a visit.

The detailed narration replaces the buyer’s own inspection, demanding that agents have strong property knowledge and insight into construction. “Very, very direct with these people, enough to where they can trust me and then make an informed decision based on a video,” he said.

Balancing Stress and Outcomes

The virtual transaction process can be stressful for agents. “I’m always like, people are always like, that buyer has to be extremely stressed out. And it’s like, I’m stressed out. I’m just hoping they love the house,” Burgman said. “It’s such a high level of stress. And I think that’s just the environment that I’m so used to working in, to where it becomes second nature.”

Despite the pressure, buyers regularly express satisfaction after move-in. “It’s a burden on me until they move in and like, Oh my God, we love the house. It’s so much better than we imagined,” he said.

This level of buyer satisfaction indicates that detailed virtual tours, when provided by knowledgeable agents, can be a reliable alternative to physical inspections for certain buyers.

The virtual transaction model, shaped by the needs of military families, may point the way forward as more buyers become comfortable making real estate decisions using digital tools.

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