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Month Of The Military Family

November was first declared as Military Family Month in 1996. Since then, November has been a time to acknowledge the tremendous sacrifices our military families make. They contend with separation from their families, adjusting to new living situations and communities regularly, changing schools, jobs and healthcare providers. Even though they move often, and the military does their best to supply relocation support, having the right REALTOR® can make all the difference. 

Military families moving to a new area will often rent before they buy, and your first contact with them could be through property management. Military families make great tenants and that can be a wonderful way to introduce yourself, however, though there are many benefits to homebuying in the military, and many service members may not be aware of all their options. Many will think that they cannot afford a down payment or assume the interest rates are too high because they are unaware of the advantages of VA lending. An experienced REALTOR® can guide them through this process and help them understand the advantages and disadvantages of VA loans, as well as whether buying makes sense based on their future plans in the service.  

As a REALTOR® working with military families, some things to consider are to familiarize yourself with the military jargon and timelines. A military move is called a PCS or permanent change of station. Families wait for “orders” which create the timeline for the move, and when the active-duty family member must report at their new duty station. The military offers moving services, or they offer a budget for servicemember's to move themselves but often there will be a lag between when they arrive or “report” and when their household goods arrive. Sometimes, families must move during the school year, so knowing the local schools and schedules can be really helpful. 

 

The National Association of REALTORS® offers a Military Relocation Professional Certification that covers many of the details involved in helping service members during a move. This month, consider supporting them as they support us by serving.