PCSing is a unique kind of stress — orders, packing, school transfers, finding housing in a city you've never lived in, all on a deadline. I help military families across 49 states use their VA loan to land softly. Fast closings. No surprises. A broker who understands the timeline.
Most mortgage brokers don't get PCS. They quote you a 45-day close timeline like it's no big deal — and you're staring at orders that say you report in 28 days. By the time the loan officer realizes the urgency, you're already in a hotel paying out of pocket.
I get it. Most of my VA borrowers are PCSing. The clock isn't optional. Here's how I work with it:
Each base has its own housing market, BAH rate, and timeline quirks. Here are detailed guides for the bases I close the most loans at:
Big region, four major bases, growing housing market. BAH, neighborhoods, commute tips. See the guide →
Largest Army post in the country. 82nd Airborne, USASOC. Hope Mills, Spring Lake, neighborhood breakdowns. See the guide →
I Corps + McChord. DuPont, Lakewood, Olympia/Lacey. I-5 commute reality, Pacific NW housing. See the guide →
Marine Corps. Oceanside, Vista, Fallbrook, Temecula. SoCal pricing, VA jumbo strategy, the inland commute trade-off. See the guide →
Norfolk, Oceana, Little Creek, Yorktown. Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk. Tunnels, flood zones, hurricanes. See the guide →
Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Crestview. Hurricane insurance, no state income tax, vacation rental angle. See the guide →
III Armored Corps, 1st Cav. Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Belton. Affordable, BAH-stretching, strong rental market. See the guide →
I'm licensed in 49 states. Schofield Barracks, Wright-Patterson, Fort Stewart, Fort Bliss — wherever you're headed. Book a call →
Selling at a loss isn't always the answer. We look at: renting it out (and qualifying off projected rental income), short sale, or hanging on as a long-distance landlord. Each path has tax and entitlement implications I'll walk you through.
Listing the current home AND buying at the new station simultaneously is doable. We structure the offer with contingencies that protect you, and time the loan so closing on the buy doesn't depend on the sell going through.
Both BAHs can count toward qualifying — but the documentation is specific. I've done enough of these to know the gotchas. We'll pre-approve you using whichever spouse's income makes the loan strongest.
VA loan + first-time buyer + PCS pressure is a lot at once. We'll do a quick reality-check call to see if buying or renting at the new station makes more sense. I'll tell you straight — sometimes renting for a year IS the right move.
Realistically? 21-30 days from a clean offer to closing, assuming the appraisal comes back on time and you provide your documents quickly. I'll commit to a real timeline up front and tell you if we can or can't hit your report date.
Yes. Active duty BAH is counted as income for VA loan qualifying. The exact amount depends on your rank, dependents, and the ZIP code of your new station. I'll pull the right BAH numbers when we talk.
Often, yes — with the right setup. The lender needs documented rental income (a signed lease helps) and you need enough cash reserves. We'll also check your VA entitlement to make sure you have enough remaining for the new purchase.
Perfect time to start. We can pre-approve you using your current pay + projected new BAH for the new station. Then when you arrive, we close fast.
Usually not. VA entitlement is restored when you pay off the loan OR if you have enough remaining entitlement. Many PCS borrowers have TWO active VA loans (current home rented, new home owned). I'll calculate your remaining entitlement on our first call.
2.15% on your first VA use, 3.3% on subsequent uses. If you have a 10%+ VA disability rating, the funding fee is waived entirely. The fee can also be rolled into the loan instead of paid out of pocket.
30 minutes on the phone gets you a real timeline, a real BAH-based pre-approval, and a real plan for your PCS.