As a military spouse, you have likely experienced at least one cross-country move, if not several. Buying a house from 3,000 miles away can be extremely nerve-wracking and terrifying. My husband and I recently bought a house in Kings Bay while we were stationed in Washington state, so here are my best tips:
Know Your BAH
Find out exactly what your BAH will be at your new duty station. Remember everywhere is different! I feel like I shouldn’t even have to say it but double check what BAH will be at your new duty station. I have heard of instances where people buy a house assuming the BAH is the same or close to the same as their previous duty station. The reality is that they usually are not. For example, married (E3) BAH at Bangor is $2,100 but in Kings Bay it is $1,900. Or, married (O-3) at Bangor is $2,800 but only $2,200 in Kings Bay. Make an effort to stay within your new BAH budget!
If you need help finding exactly what you can afford, use this online calculator. As always, make sure you get professional financial advice to determine what you can afford.
Find an Experienced Realtor
This is arguably the most important piece of advice I can give you. Finding the right realtor is very important to the success of buying a house from 1,000 miles away. Search for one that has experience working with military families and is going to be beneficial to your experience. Or better yet – is a military spouse or veteran! Don’t overlook crowdsourcing on Facebook, as well. You want your realtor to be as thorough as possible, as they are your eyes and ears. Our realtor made the most extensive videos and pointed out even the little things! She made purchasing a house from across the country much easier than the task it appears to be.
Take Advantage Of “Military On The Move”
This also stems from the last point I made. When you are searching for a realtor, ask them if they participate in the Military on the Move (MOM) program. If your realtor does, there are opportunities for you to receive rebates on your closing costs or home price.
Request House Hunting Leave
Did you know your sailor may qualify for house hunting leave? House hunting permissive temporary duty (PTDY) authorization permits service members time away to establish housing at a new duty station. Commanding officers (COs) are authorized to issue PTDY orders upon receipt of PCS orders. PTDY may be authorized for up to five normal work days prior to execution of a PCS move. If possible, see if your sailor is able to take advantage of this!
If your sailor can’t get the leave, try your best to. If you can travel to see your new prospective home, do it! There are things that you will see or notice that even the best of realtors might miss. Traveling to see the house can be make or break. I flew in and out in 48 hours when I went to see our prospective home. An alternative to flying to see it yourself, send a family member or friend, as they will also know you better than your realtor and possibly could spot something that was missed.
For more tips on home buying, check out “How to Buy a House With a POA” and “How to Find Your Next House.” For more PCS resources, click here.