As a military wife, Cindy Jones knows what it means to get Permanent Change of Station orders. As a Realtor, she believes just understanding military-speak helps her when dealing with clients affected by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. “I speak the jargon, I understand the lingo. I know what it’s like to get those PCS orders,” Jones said.
Thousands of BRAC families are moving to the Washington area, with communities near Fort Belvoir, Fort Meade and the Mark Center area of Alexandria expecting the biggest impact.
| Resources |
| Realtor Cindy Jones: http://www.cindyjoneshomes.com/ |
| Pentagon Foundation: Pentagonfoundation.org |
| Pentagon Federal: PenFedREalty.com, PenFed.org |
| Navy Federal Credit Union: https://www.navyfederal.org/ |
| Defense Department BRAC Family Resources: http://www.defense.gov/brac/pdf/Family-Resources.pdf |
| Welcome BRAC MD: http://www.welcomebrac.com |
| Anne Arundel County relocation guide: http://www.welcomebrac.comDISA BRAC Information Portal: http://www.disa.mil/brac/moving/relocation101.html |
| General moving tips for military: http://www.move.mil/home.htm |
Military families have the same moving concerns as nonmilitary families, Jones said.
“The main difference is the lack of time to plan,” she said, which increases anxiety about where to find the best communities, the right schools and commuting options.
Consolidation of facilities under BRAC began in 2005 and must be completed this year. Because the Washington area is in the final stages of BRAC, most military families that need to relocate have received their orders by now, Jones said.
Luckily for those moving to the area, “there’s good inventory out there,” she said. Still, finding the right house can be tough on a three-month timeline.
In some cases, Jones said, couples rent houses sight unseen. Short sales are an option for military buyers, but Jones warns clients not to “get into a waiting game.”
Jones said some military buyers suffer from sticker shock because of higher rents and home prices in the Washington area. “They get a housing allowance and what that allowance got them in San Antonio won’t get them the same thing here,” Jones said.
There are financing options available to military families to help ease the sting of relocating. Beyond the VA loan, competitive mortgage rates can be found at military-affiliated credit unions such as Navy Federal and Pentagon Federal.
“We are a nonprofit. As a credit union we are owned by our members so all the value we derive goes back to our members,” said James Schenck, executive vice president of real estate for Pentagon Federal.
PenFed has nine real estate branch offices in the area. “Our model is different than most of the national players because we offer folks moving into the area a 1 percent rebate on their sales price,” Schenck said.
PenFed’s most popular product is a 5/5 adjustable-rate mortgage that covers all closing costs, including appraisal fee, tax service fee, title fees, credit report fee and recording fees. It’s popular with military families who move an average of every three years.
The Dream Maker program that offers a $5,000 grant to first-time military buyers through the PenFed Foundation also is popular with military families.
Jones said it is important that families begin planning their move as soon as they get an assignment. They can go online to look at resources listed by county and city governments that are affected by BRAC.
