No matter your branch of the military, you are bravely serving our country, and we salute you. Like many things in military life, change is inevitable. You will likely find yourself facing a relocation throughout your years of service
Very soon, a house-hunting trip could be added to your very full agenda. Searching for a house takes time under normal circumstances, where a buyer carefully inspects each attribute of the property to ensure that it is suitable.
Military relocations are often a different story, where you’re working under a short timeline and may not even be able to visit potential homes in person. What can you do to make your search successful even with the constraints you are facing? In this post, we’ll provide you with some real world solutions.
Create and Finetune Your Vision
Pensacola is home to the Naval Air Station, located on the Florida Gulf Coast. We also have other bases in surrounding areas, which include the Eglin Air Force Base, Naval Support Activity of Panama City, Naval Air Station in Whiting Field, and more. The number of military bases in and near the area have helped Pensacola to earn the nickname “The Cradle of Naval Aviation.”
This means there is a steady movement in and out of the area. Many service personnel will look to put down permanent roots when relocating for the long term while others will make a goal of purchasing an investment property at every duty station.
Deciding What You Want and Need
The first step to all of this is knowing which attributes you want in your new house – and what you don’t. Your vision may start off with general ideas, such as whether you should search for a new build or an established property and the approximate size you need. However, there’s more to “home” than size and structure. For example:
- What amenities do you want nearby? If you have young children, access to top schools is likely a priority. A few parks and playgrounds will also help everyone feel at home!
- Do you prefer being in a busy neighborhood close to where the action is, or do you have something more peaceful in mind?
- Are you searching for something move-in ready, or are you willing to renovate to make a house fit your needs?
- How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you require?
- Is a driveway and backyard essential? Or do you prefer a condo with no maintenance to worry about?
In the midst of all of these decisions, you’ll always want to keep the resale value and rental potential in mind. Unless you are retiring, your relocation may not be permanent.
As a result, you may find yourself in a position to sell or rent your home a few years down the road. If that happens, you’ll want to be sure you can recoup your investment and hopefully come out ahead.
Learn more about how The Zimmern Team helps buyers, or book a meeting with us below.
Take Stock of Your Resources
The first step to buying a new house is to understand what’s required from a financial perspective. This means having a realistic budget range in addition to knowing what features and amenities you want. This process can seem overwhelming, but rest assured that you have numerous assistance programs to ease your transition. Some of these include:
- The Special Adaptive Housing program, which may provide some financial assistance toward your relocation or resettlement.
- The VA’s Home Loan program along with other speciality loan products, which helps you find financing at the most favorable terms and interest rates.
- A Military Dislocation Allowance to provide potential financing assistance when you are undergoing a permanent change of station.
By taking advantage of any programs available, combined with expertise from an experienced real estate team, your transition can be more seamless than you realize.
Be Prepared
Real estate can be a fast-paced industry, where getting the best outcomes requires quick thinking and decisive action. When it comes to military relocations, all of this tends to happen at warp speed. The best thing you can do is to have all of your financing in order. One tip is to get a pre-approval ahead of time so you are in a position to act quickly.
By doing all of your research and background work in advance, you also have more power to negotiate with sellers. This is a potent advantage you do not want to be without when facing a short deadline and you must get it right the first time.
Does your military relocation require that you first sell your existing home? Here is how the Zimmern Team can help.
Work With an Accomplished Real Estate Team
If you decide to make a purchase rather than staying on site or renting nearby, a local real estate service like the Zimmern Team is uniquely positioned to help. Our dedicated group of agents consists of specialists with expertise in everything under the sun – including helping military personnel find precisely the right home and/or investment property.
If you plan to visit potential properties in person, your agent will compile your list of wants and needs and narrow it down to a few premium choices. This vetting in advance makes your job easy because we weed out any unsuitable homes.
If you need to make a decision quickly and are unable to visit first, we will be your eyes and ears on the ground. With the ability to describe each attribute in minute detail, it will never feel like you are buying sight unseen. We can even take you on a video tour room by room, which is the next best thing to being there yourself.
“Full-service” means you can truly enjoy a stress-free experience as far as your transaction is concerned. Even when you need to be involved, such as during the closing process, our team members will act as a liaison with your home inspectors, title company, insurance agent, seller and lender. If the house needs a little attention before your arrival, our network of tradespeople and contractors can take care of it all. By the time you’re ready to move in, you’ll already feel right at home.
Do you want more guidance to make your military relocation seamless and stress-free? Our experienced team of Florida Panhandle Real Estate Agents is happy to help. Reach out to info@thezimmernteam.com or call (850) 266-7245 for more information.
Meet The Team
Learn about The Zimmern Team’s full-service and community-focused approach to real estate.