A Permanent Change of Station move comes with a fixed report date and a lot of moving pieces. Buying a home in the middle of it is very doable when you work backward from the dates that matter.
As soon as you have orders
- Confirm your report date and the area you are moving to.
- Ask your lender for a Certificate of Eligibility so your entitlement is verified early.
- Get preapproved. A preapproval tells you what you can comfortably afford and makes your offer stronger.
Decide whether to buy right away
Some families buy before they arrive. Others rent for a short time to learn the area first. Neither is wrong. Talk it through with your lender and your family, and think about how long you expect to be stationed there.
Line up the closing with your report date
Ask your agent and lender how long a typical closing takes in your new market, then set your offer and closing date to fit your schedule. If you are buying from a distance, ask about remote or mobile signing options.
What about the home you are leaving?
If you own a home now, decide early whether to sell it, rent it, or keep it. A VA loan can be used again, and in some situations more than one VA loan can be active at once. Your lender can explain how your remaining entitlement would apply.
Check the details with your command
Allowances, travel, and household goods move rules change over time and depend on your situation. Confirm the current rules with your finance and transportation offices rather than relying on what a friend heard.
Where we come in
Our PCS Relocation Guide lists the installations in the states we serve, and our team has helped many military families through this exact process.