Buying a Home While in Basic Training, Deployment, or Active Duty Military

Active duty service members often wonder whether they can buy a home while deployed, on TDY, or stationed overseas. While it is possible in many cases, the process comes with added risks and rules that buyers need to understand.

Many service members use a VA loan, a mortgage guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to purchase a home while deployed or on overseas orders. But doing so requires careful planning.

Before starting the homebuying process, research your lending options and consult an experienced real estate agent to ensure a smooth transaction. AHRN’s extensive database can help you find the perfect home to rent or buy at your next military installation.

Service members can buy a home at different points in their careers, but timing matters. Financial readiness and eligibility rules should guide the decision.

While there are no rules against buying a house during basic training, deployment, or extended TDYs, there are financial risks and logistical complications to consider.

New recruits are not eligible for VA loans until they graduate from basic training and complete at least 90 days of active duty during wartime or 181 days during peacetime. As a result, buying a home with a VA loan while in basic training isn’t feasible.

While recruits may pursue a conventional loan, limited credit history and short employment records can make approval difficult. Many new service members are young and have not yet established the financial profile most lenders require, which can make qualifying for a conventional mortgage challenging early in their careers.

Once eligible for a VA loan, the homebuying process becomes more straightforward. Eligible service members must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to use a VA loan.

Military homebuyers can also use conventional home loans to purchase a property. Both VA and conventional loans offer advantages and limitations. Speaking with a lender experienced in military homebuying can help clarify options.

Service members can buy a home during deployment or on TDY, though purchasing remotely can cause delays and complications.

When buying a home as an active duty service member, whether you’re PCSing across the country, purchasing from overseas, or buying a home while deployed, you need to consider the following:

• Documentation for the lender and title company, including proof of income, identification, and other financial documents. Buying remotely requires planning for document access, lender requests, and closing timelines.
• Power of attorney (POA) designates someone else to sign all documents on your behalf if you are unable to sign yourself. A specific power of attorney must authorize real estate and financial transactions so a proxy can sign closing documents.
• Access to electronic signature capabilities and notary services, as some documents allow electronic signatures, while others require notarization or in-person signing, based on lender policy.

Active duty service members and Veterans work hard for their benefits. One such benefit is access to a VA home loan. Unlike conventional mortgages, VA loans often offer no down payment, competitive interest rates, and no private mortgage insurance, depending on lender terms.

To qualify, homebuyers must meet at least one of the following VA eligibility requirements:

• 90 consecutive days of service during wartime
• 181 consecutive days during peacetime
• 6 years of service in the National Guard or Reserves (Guard or Reserve members who have active duty service time may qualify under the active duty time requirements)
• Is the spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty or as a result of a service-related disability

You must also meet certain income and credit thresholds, though VA loans typically have lower credit score requirements than conventional loans.

Finally, VA loans require the borrower or eligible dependents to intend to occupy the home as a primary residence.

Buying a house in the military is complicated enough. However, when you’re deployed, TDY, or PCSing overseas, the process can be even more challenging.

• Searching for a home is difficult while deployed, on TDY, or otherwise unable to tour houses in person. Photos and videos can provide a basic overview of the home, but they’re not the same as seeing it in person. It’s helpful to work with a military-friendly real estate agent who understands your needs, and if possible, ask trusted family or friends in the area to tour homes and share their impressions with you.
• VA loan occupancy requirements generally require occupancy within 60 days of closing. Service-related delays may qualify for an exception if documented and approved in advance.

There are hurdles to buying a home while deployed, TDY, or living overseas, but it’s not impossible.

When moving to a new military installation, you have three main military housing choices:

• Rent housing on the military installation
• Rent housing outside the military installation
• Buy a home near the military installation

On-base housing and other military housing cannot be purchased by service members. Government-owned housing on an installation and privatized military housing communities, whether located on or near a base, are rental-only. In both cases, residents do not pay rent directly but forfeit their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and may pay certain utility costs.

Many military housing communities also rent to contractors, civilians, and retirees.

Living on base isn’t always an option. Some military housing communities have long waitlists, while other installations do not offer military housing at all. In other cases, families choose to live off base for personal reasons, school district requirements, or community needs.

Military families who choose to live off base due to preference or housing availability receive their Basic Allowance for Housing and pay rent directly to civilian landlords. The allowance helps offset housing costs, but it does not always cover the full amount of rent. If the monthly rent exceeds BAH, the service member pays the difference out of pocket. If rent is lower than the allowance, the service member retains the remaining BAH.

When deciding whether to buy or rent, weigh the benefits of each option. Purchasing a home comes with ongoing maintenance and repair costs, but homeowners can build equity and potentially earn a profit when selling. Renting offers fewer responsibilities for upkeep, but renters do not gain equity or long-term financial return.

The final option is to purchase a home off base, within the local community. You will receive your full BAH if you choose to purchase a home off base. However, you should determine what monthly mortgage payment you can afford. As with renting, if your mortgage payment is less than your BAH, you can keep the remaining balance.

Next, you’ll need to decide where to live. Buying a home near a military installation has its perks: shorter drive times, easy access to base amenities such as medical care and the commissary, and a sense of community with other military families. However, homes near installations may fall within noise or accident potential zones, which can affect resale value and quality of life.

While the convenience of living close to base is tempting, buyers should weigh the potential downsides before purchasing a home near a military base.

Now that you know your options, should you rent or buy? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and you need to consider many factors before making that decision.

Before buying a house while on active duty, military service members should take into account the following:

• Orders: Avoid buying a home without finalized PCS orders whenever possible. Once you finalize the purchase, you are legally responsible for the property, even if your order changes, is delayed, or is canceled. Because military assignments can shift with little notice, buying before your PCS is confirmed can create financial and logistical challenges. Waiting until your orders are finalized helps reduce the risk of owning a home you may need to sell or manage unexpectedly.
• Frequent TDYs or Deployments: The last thing you want is to come home to a flooded bathroom after being away for months. If your job requires frequent TDYs or deployments, decide who will handle household maintenance while you are away. Some active-duty homeowners rent out their homes while deployed, and VA loan occupancy requirements permit them to do so as long as they originally met the primary-residence requirement. If that is an option, consider researching property management companies that specialize in handling short-term rentals.
• Frequent PCSing: Real estate is a great investment, but only if you own the home long enough to start gaining equity. If you PCS every two or three years, buying a home might not be the right financial move. What will you do when you PCS to a new duty station? Will you sell the home or rent it out? The answer to this question could determine whether homeownership is a sound investment for you.
• Being a Landlord: Long-term homeownership is the most effective way to build equity. Often, for military service members, this means renting out a property after they PCS to a new location. However, being a landlord isn’t easy, especially from another state or country. Renting out a home during deployments can offset costs, but managing property remotely adds risk and expense.
• New Construction Timelines: If you are working with a builder to purchase a new construction home, you must carefully consider timelines. It’s possible you will return from TDY or deployment, and your home won’t be finished yet. If so, you will need temporary housing until you can take ownership of the completed home.

With some planning and preparation, buying a home while deployed, TDY, or in training is possible. The following strategies can make the homebuying process easier for military service members:

• Wait to buy until PCS orders are finalized, whenever possible. Buying before orders are confirmed can create financial and logistical challenges if plans change.
• Finish training before buying a home. New recruits cannot apply for a VA loan until they have been on active duty for 90 days, and lenders require an established employment and income history. It’s best to wait until you’ve completed follow-on training (FOT) to purchase a home.
• Work with a real estate agent and lender experienced in military moves, remote closings, and VA loans.
• Plan for time away due to TDYs or deployments by identifying who will handle maintenance or considering a property management company.
• Keep organized records, including orders, loan documents, receipts, and warranties, to simplify the buying and PCS process.

Let’s examine some potential military homebuying scenarios.

1. Example: A new recruit enters basic training but wants to buy a house at the follow-on duty station.

Because recruits are not considered active duty until graduating from basic training, they are not eligible for VA loans at this stage. VA eligibility requires at least 90 days of active duty service during wartime or 181 days of active duty service during peacetime. While a conventional loan is technically possible, limited credit history and income stability can make approval difficult. In most cases, waiting until VA eligibility is established is the more practical option.

2. Example: A service member is deployed overseas but is buying a house in the United States. He established his spouse as POA before deploying. Several loan documents require in-person signatures and notarization.

If the spouse holds a properly executed power of attorney that authorizes real estate and financial transactions, they can sign the required loan documents, including those that require an in-person signature, on the service member’s behalf. Securing the proper power of attorney before deployment helps prevent delays and allows the purchase to proceed while the service member remains overseas.

In rare cases, a lender may require the service member’s original signature on a specific document, which could require signing overseas and returning paperwork by international mail.

3. Example: A service member is purchasing a newly constructed home using a VA loan. Just before the home is completed, the service member is sent on an unexpected three-month TDY and will not meet the VA’s 60-day move-in requirement. She does not have any dependents but has designated her mother as POA.

VA loans require borrowers to occupy the home within 60 days of closing. In this situation, the service member has several options:

• • Work with the builder to delay closing if possible or transfer the deposit to a home with a later completion date.
  • If the completion date cannot be moved, contact the lender and the VA before closing to explain the delay and request an occupancy extension. Because the service member does not have dependents who can occupy the home immediately, VA approval is required.
  • Use a properly executed power of attorney to allow a designated proxy to sign closing documents if the service member cannot be present.

Recruits are not eligible for VA loans until they have completed basic training and served at least 90 days on active duty during wartime or 181 days during peacetime. Because recruits are not considered active duty until graduation, they cannot use a VA loan while in basic training.

While a recruit could technically pursue a conventional loan, limited credit history and income stability often make approval difficult. In most cases, new service members live in on-base housing after graduation or rent a home or apartment off base until they establish eligibility and a financial footing.

Yes, you can buy a home during deployment. To do so, you should appoint a trusted friend or family member as your power of attorney before deploying. The power of attorney must include authority for real estate and financial transactions.

Many loan documents can be signed electronically from a deployed location. Documents that require an in-person signature or notarization can typically be signed by the designated power of attorney on the service member’s behalf.

Service members may rent out their homes during a TDY or deployment. Homeowners who use a VA loan must first meet the occupancy requirement by using the property as their primary residence. Exceptions apply for deployments and extended TDYs.

Many service members choose to rent out their homes during deployment to offset costs and ensure the property is occupied. Managing tenants from a distance can be challenging, so working with a property management company may help reduce stress and handle day-to-day issues.

Service members can buy a home while in training, on deployment, or on TDY, but doing so requires careful planning. Understanding loan eligibility, occupancy rules, and logistical risks helps prevent costly mistakes.

Working with a military-friendly real estate agent and a VA-experienced lender can make the process smoother and more predictable.

Ready to get started? Explore VA-ready homes and look through our PCS toolkit to prepare for your next home.