I was a military spouse for close to twenty years. I know what it's like to plan a household move around a date that keeps moving.
Start before you have orders in hand
You can do almost everything except close: talk to a VA-approved lender, get fully underwritten, learn the areas, and decide what you'd say yes to. When orders land, you're executing a plan instead of building one.
Decide the commute before you shop
The difference between a 15-minute and a 45-minute drive to the gate changes your life more than an extra bedroom will. Drive it at the hour you'd actually be driving it.
Plan for the exit at the entrance
Ask the hard question on day one: if you got orders in two years, would this house sell, or would you be renting it out? Both answers are fine. Not asking is what causes trouble.
Use house hunting leave well
- Send me your must-haves and hard nos before you arrive
- Block two full days, not two evenings
- Expect to see homes you'll dislike — that's how we calibrate quickly
General information only. Confirm loan details with a VA-approved lender and your finance office.