It’s official, the Marketplace (aka Army Tinder) is open! 

If you’re PCSing soon, we can imagine that your mind is going a million miles a minute. We see you endlessly scrolling spouses pages and doing ALL. OF. THE. RESEARCH. for every possible duty station.

If homeownership is your goal, we are here to share some pointers and review the timeline of buying a home.

The best gift to yourself is time – and before you stress about lacking orders, keep reading! 

It’s no secret that military families are often faced with “hurry up and wait” timelines. And while not knowing your exact duty location months in advance is hard, you can still help yourself. 

You don’t need to know your next duty location in order to acquire proper home buying knowledge. Education is key.

If you want to buy a house, do not walk into this process blindly or rely solely on your realtor. Your agent is a great resource but you are the decision maker.

Gaining knowledge of the process makes everything run smoother, and in the midst of a PCS we need everything smooth. Do your research! 

Check out Steps For Homebuying to get started. 

Thankfully it’s only October!

Once your spouse finds a 1:1, or they feel strongly that they will be headed in a certain direction, we encourage families to link with a trusted real estate agent.

If you need help connecting with military affiliated agents who have proven their value and skill, let us help you! 

“What happens if we don’t get orders? Or what happens if our orders change?” you ask.

Thankfully, it costs $0 to talk with a real estate agent and a lender. If you’re sent to a different duty station, just tell your agent and adjust your plans.

It’s better to plan and adjust, than to scramble at the last minute. 

Fun fact: When you purchase real estate and use a VA Loan, you do not pay for real estate services. The seller is responsible for those costs and the VA does not allow for buyers to pay real estate commissions. 

Having a conversation and developing a relationship with your agent is beneficial. This gives you time to convey your wants and needs, and it gives your agent time to put feelers out for properties that may be hitting the market in your desired timeframe.

You can connect on a personal level, and to ask all of your questions. On the flip side, if you find an agent and you just don’t mesh well you still have time to find someone new! 

More on knowing if your agent is a good fit: What are Real Estate Agent Red Flags?

By February (or sooner), our goal is for our spring and summer PCSing families to be connected with real estate agents in their new location.

Your agent will connect you with reputable local lenders and you will receive a preapproval which details your borrowing limits. Talk with your lender and spouse about a reasonable budget before it’s time to begin searching. 

Some families will take a trip to their new duty station to search the area. We see this as a great opportunity to get to know the area and to meet your agent in person.

Most likely you will not find your home during this trip.

The main focus is to find what neighborhoods suit you best – so when something pops up closer to moving time, you can be comfortable submitting an offer!

If a trip to your new duty station isn’t feasible, please know you’re in the majority. As long as you communicate clearly with your agent, it will all work out. 

Pro tip: If you can’t schedule a trip to check out the new location, we recommend connecting with other spouses on social media. Super helpful spouses may even do a walkthrough with your realtor and give you their honest opinion! 

Once your orders are in hand, you will be ready to start seriously house hunting. Before you get started, here are a few things to keep in mind! 

Timeline TIPS 

• Connect with an agent ASAP 
• It takes about 30-45 days from signing a contract until closing (move in day). Plan for extra time for house hunting, so 3-4 months from start to finish. 
• New construction timelines vary, so if you’re set on making ALL of the selections for a new construction home, start looking in January/February for a summer PCS. Review these tips if you’re on the fence! 
• When using a VA Loan, you sign an intent to occupy the home within 60 days of closing. Meaning if you purchase on March 15th, you agree to occupy the home by May 15th. 

If you are PCSing soon and want a personal connection to a vetted military affiliated real estate agent, fill out this form. We provide this free service for all our military families to ensure you are in good hands.

Want to learn more about buying, selling and PCSing?

Join our online community at The PCS Homegirls. Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

*Editor’s Note: This the first blog post from our newest Mission:Milspouse Experts, The PCS Homegirls! Annie and Tracey are military spouses stationed at Fort Stewart and Fort Liberty and are here to help us navigate the real estate world. Welcome PCS Homegirls!