Florida keeps topping relocation lists. One in four U.S. shoppers now house-hunts across state lines, and five of the ten hottest destinations sit in the Sunshine State, according to Florida Realtors. West Palm Beach claims a spot—yet distance adds pressure.
In January 2026 the median sale price here hit $518,000, up 13 percent year over year, according to Redfin. Tight inventory and rising costs mean timing, local intel, and the right agent are critical.
That’s where we come in. We scored dozens of brokers on relocation chops, tech skills, market savvy, negotiation strength, reputation, and move-day perks—only seven passed.
Meet pros like SquareFoot Homes in Palm Beach Gardens, a boutique team that lines up virtual tours and storage before your flight lands. Next, we’ll unpack our rubric, compare the finalists at a glance, and profile each one so you can choose confidently.
Welcome to your streamlined path under the palms. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why our list beats the generic “top-10” roundups
You deserve more than a popularity contest. We skipped the “biggest team, most closings” scoreboard and built a six-point rubric focused on what remote buyers need.
First, we weighted relocation expertise highest. Agents earn full credit only when reviews confirm they guide long-distance clients through video tours, remote inspections, and Florida’s tricky insurance maze.
Next came tech and communication. If an agent can’t jump on FaceTime to zoom in on a roof tile, they were cut.
We added local insight, negotiation results, verified reviews, and extra services such as storage hookups or bilingual staff. Each factor carries a fixed weight, so high sales volume cannot hide weak relocation skills.
Every candidate went through the rubric. We cross-checked Zillow stats, WalletHub scores, brokerage reports, and a February 2026 SouthFloridaReporter analysis that echoed our findings and spotlighted SquareFoot Homes and the Tricoli Team.
The math spoke. Only seven agents scored in the mid-80s or higher. That is why you will not see a random cousin’s agent here, just pros proven to turn long-distance house hunting into an easy yes.
Quick compare: meet the seven standouts
| Agent / Team | Years in business | 2025 deals* | Zillow rating | Niche strength | Relocation perk |
| SquareFoot Homes Team | 8 | 30+ | 4.7 ★ | Relocation-only focus | Sets up virtual tours and storage |
| Jeff Tricoli Team | 10+ | 320+ | 5.0 ★ | High-volume negotiator | Full support staff for fast closings |
| Brett Vlasek | 15 | 40+ | 5.0 ★ | Luxury and Northeastern buyers | Daily video check-ins, personal concierge |
| Will Olsen | 20 | 20 luxury | 5.0 ★ | Waterfront and global clients | Off-market access, bilingual service |
| Erica Wolfe | 18 | 43 | 5.0 ★ | Tech-first family moves | 360° tours, instant messaging |
| Andy Johnson | 14 | 32 | 5.0 ★ | New-build relocation guide | Zoom consults, builder walk-throughs |
| Kelly C. Richter | 11 | 50 | 5.0 ★ | 55+ communities | Relocation kit and senior-move support |
*Most recent 12-month period reported.
SquareFoot Homes Team: relocation without the headache
SquareFoot Homes Palm Beach Gardens relocation-focused real estate team website
Picture this: you are sipping coffee in Chicago while an agent unlocks a front door in Palm Beach Gardens and streams every corner to your phone. That is a normal Tuesday for SquareFoot Homes.
The boutique team focuses on one mission, relocation, and it shows. Before you buy a ticket, they set up virtual tours, record neighborhood drive-through videos, and send a cheat sheet on school zones, HOA rules, and commute times. Clients say the service feels “door to door,” even when those doors are a thousand miles apart.
Testimonials on SquareFoot Homes in Palm Beach Gardens describe that exact routine, highlighting virtual tours and remote signing that turn long-distance deals into everyday business for the team.
Numbers confirm the hype. The team has eight years in business, more than 30 closings in the past year, and near-perfect reviews. Comments praise lightning-fast replies and a knack for easing long-distance stress.
Their off-menu skill is move-day logistics. If closing and the moving truck do not align, they secure short-term storage and suggest vetted movers, so your sofa never sits on the curb.
Choose SquareFoot Homes when you want one contact for everything: keys, cameras, and even cardboard boxes.
Jeff Tricoli Team: powerhouse volume, precise results
Some buyers want white-glove guidance, others want a contract wrapped up yesterday. If you lean toward speed, the Jeff Tricoli Team delivers.
Jeff oversees a squad of specialists—showing agents, contract coordinators, marketing pros—each working within tight systems. The group helped more than 300 families last year and still earned a perfect five-star rating. Clear roles mean quick answers and no loose ends.
Remote clients notice the velocity. Need a FaceTime tour during lunch in Denver? A field agent is on it. Paperwork hits your inbox minutes later for e-signing, while a coordinator tracks every contingency through closing. Think speed paired with accountability.
Negotiation is their signature move. Tricoli listings average 98 percent of asking price, and buyers benefit from the same data-driven edge. Offers reflect micro-market trends so you stay competitive without overpaying.
A heads-up: the team’s scale means they will not arrange storage or research schools. They will share a vetted vendor list for lenders, inspectors, and insurance brokers to fill those gaps quickly.
Choose the Tricoli Team when efficiency and process matter and every hour equals money in this market.
Brett Vlasek: your insider from beaches to closing table
Relocating feels less like a guessing game when your guide grew up on these streets. Brett Vlasek pairs 15 years of broker experience with a lifetime of Palm Beach memories, and that mix shows in every deal.
Communication comes first. Buyers from Boston, Toronto, or São Paulo get daily video updates, shared market reports, and quick texts that read like tips from a local friend. Trust builds long before you step off the plane.
Local insight is his edge. Brett knows which gated communities match Northeastern social calendars and which waterfront pockets avoid heavy boat traffic. He flags flood zones, wind-mitigation credits, and other curveballs so you skip rookie mistakes.
Negotiation remains hands-on. With 40 closings last year and roughly half a billion dollars in career volume, Brett still writes and reviews every offer himself. Clients credit him with shaving five-figure sums off list prices or winning multiple offers while they were two time zones away.
Expect concierge extras. Need a mover, short-term rental, or insurance broker? His contacts open doors. Reviews often call him “above and beyond,” which is exactly what a remote move needs.
Choose Brett when you want a savvy local who treats your purchase like a personal mission, not just another file.
Will Olsen: luxury moves made effortless
Buying a trophy property from across the country sounds glamorous until paperwork, currency transfers, and tight travel windows kick in. Will Olsen turns that chaos into a calm, well-timed plan.
Ranked in the top four percent of Coldwell Banker agents worldwide, Will keeps a small client list so each buyer receives red-carpet attention. Licensed in Florida, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, he taps a multistate network that surfaces listings days before they reach public portals, a lifesaver in the premium waterfront market.
International clients value his bilingual fluency and mastery of foreign-ownership rules Florida updated in 2025. He lines up attorneys, title agents, and currency brokers early, preventing delays.
Efficiency shows on tour days. Clients land at PBI on Saturday, ride in a chauffeured loop of eight curated homes, sign digital offers Sunday night, and fly home under contract. One recent California buyer called the process “shockingly seamless.”
Pick Will when your wish list starts with ocean views, zero surprises, and a partner who treats luxury like logistics—flawless and on schedule.
Erica Wolfe: tech-savvy guide for a stress-free remote purchase
Erica grew up in Jupiter and speaks fluent “life on the Intracoastal.” Today she pairs that hometown knowledge with a digital toolkit built for buyers who shop by screen.
Start your day with a 360-degree tour you can spin in seconds or jump on FaceTime while Erica points out pantry depth and street noise. Reviews praise her lightning-fast replies; texts usually bounce back within minutes, so momentum never fades.
Her track record stays solid. She closed 43 deals last year, maintains perfect five-star ratings, and brings 18 years of experience. First-time Florida buyers appreciate how she blocks time to unpack every contract clause in plain language.
Extras matter too. Erica keeps a vetted list of pool inspectors, insurance brokers, and trades. She follows closing with a “first-week survival kit” email that covers trash pickup days, pizza delivery, and beach-parking hacks—little touches that make a remote move feel personal.
Choose Erica when you want digital muscle, hometown insight, and a guide who answers questions before you ask them.
Andy Johnson: relocation concierge with new-construction know-how
Building from a slab while you live two time zones away can feel like herding cats. Andy Johnson turns that chaos into an ordered checklist.
Based in Palm Beach Gardens and powered by eXp Realty’s cloud tools, Andy opens every relationship with a Zoom deep dive. You share must-haves; he filters communities, builders, and floor plans that fit. After you choose a direction, he acts as your on-site proxy, logging weekly video updates, attending design-studio meetings, and spotting issues before drywall hides them.
The numbers back him up. He closed 32 deals last year—many for new builds—and keeps a wall of five-star reviews praising his “never out of the loop” communication. Clients also highlight his skill at negotiating builder incentives such as appliance packages, closing credits, or better lot positions, savings hard to secure from afar.
Andy’s concierge touch continues after closing. He arranges utility transfers, suggests short-term rentals if construction slips, and keeps screened storage providers ready so your truck always has a landing spot.
Choose Andy when you need boots on the ground for a ground-up build and a translator who turns builder jargon into clear English.
Kelly C. Richter: patient guide for retirees and first-time Floridians
Downsizing, retiring, or just chasing sunshine after decades up north? Kelly Richter has guided more than 200 clients along that path and knows every speed bump.
Her calm approach starts with education. Look for a relocation kit in your inbox packed with HOA rules, Homestead tax steps, and a checklist for moving medical records. Those details feel minor until you are juggling movers and Medicare at once.
Kelly specializes in the 55-plus community maze from Lake Worth to Boynton Beach. She decodes which neighborhoods welcome big dogs, which bundle golf fees, and which boards approve buyers in days instead of months. Reviews praise her patience and straight talk, two traits that keep stress low when you have not bought a home since the Clinton years.
Volume remains solid with 50 closings last year, yet she still answers her own phone. Clients relocating elderly parents say she checked on painters, met furniture deliveries, and even stocked bottled water before move-in. That extra care shows up in her steady five-star ratings.
Choose Kelly when you want a steady hand, thorough prep, and a Realtor who treats your Florida restart like a family project rather than a transaction.
FAQs: buying from out of state
How can I trust a neighborhood I have never set foot in?
Start with tech, finish with local insight. Use street-view tools at different times of day, scan neighborhood Facebook groups, and check crime-heat maps for a first impression. Then ask your agent for a live video drive-through. They should show school traffic at 8 a.m., the seawall height at high tide, and even the neighbor’s roof so you can judge upkeep.
Layer in data such as recent sales, HOA rules, and flood-zone codes. A savvy agent packages all of this in one email so you can compare areas side by side. If possible, schedule a weekend visit; 48 hours of walking, eating, and test-parking near the beach often seal the decision. When good tech and boots on the ground combine, an unfamiliar street starts to feel like home.
Florida home insurance feels expensive. How big is the hit
Expect larger numbers than you pay up north. Storm risk and a tight carrier market push many Palm Beach County policies into the 4,000 to 7,000 dollar range per year, with older roofs or ocean proximity driving costs higher.
Price is only half the story. Insurability can break a deal if a 20-year-old roof disqualifies the home. A relocation-savvy agent brings in a local broker during the inspection window. They order a wind-mitigation report, review four-point-inspection items, and quote both homeowner and flood coverage before you waive contingencies.
The good news: credits add up. Impact windows, new roofs, and proper hurricane straps can shave hundreds off your premium. Your agent can often negotiate seller repairs or concessions so you inherit lower costs instead of a looming upgrad
What if my sale and purchase dates do not line up? Where do my belongings go?
Gaps are common and easy to plan for. Secure climate-controlled storage the moment timelines look shaky. A 10 × 20 unit fits most three-bedroom homes, and rates beat last-minute mover overtime.
Next, solve shelter. Your Realtor can negotiate a post-closing lease-back, find a month-to-month rental, or point you to pet-friendly extended-stay hotels. Adding a few extra days of cushion makes closing delays or weather hiccups feel like minor bumps, not disasters.
Can I close without flying to Florida?
Yes, thousands of buyers do so every year. Florida supports full remote online notarization, letting you sign documents on a live video call, verify ID digitally, and wire funds from your kitchen table
Your agent or transaction coordinator completes the final walk-through on video so you see that appliances remain and repairs are finished. The title company sends a secure link for e-signatures, then a digital notary watches as you sign. Keys go into a lockbox, a FedEx envelope, or your handyman’s pocket, according to the plan you choose.
Reliable internet and careful scheduling are the only must-haves. Line up the closing window a week ahead, confirm your bank’s wire cutoff time, and keep your phone handy for two-factor codes. Closing day then feels like a short video chat, not a cross-country sprint.
Yes, thousands of buyers do so every year. Florida supports full remote online notarization, letting you sign documents on a live video call, verify ID digitally, and wire funds from your kitchen table.
Conclusion
Whether you crave virtual walk-throughs, builder watchdogs, or lightning-fast negotiations, the seven Realtors above specialize in turning long-distance searches into smooth closings. Pick the pro whose strengths match your priorities and start planning your move under the palms.
