By Wendy Herman for Realtor.com
Brian Adams has proudly served five years in the Army, with one deployment to Afghanistan in 2011–12. But while serving his country, Adams managed to find time for a side pursuit: He also invested in real estate.
“I bought five homes in five years,” says Adams, 31, who currently resides in Fort Hood, TX, in one of the homes he owns. Meanwhile, he rents out the four others, all of which he once inhabited during his various deployments.
How did he get started? As an undergrad at West Point, Adams recounts how his economics professor would tell his class how he’d buy a house every time he changed stations, then turn it into a rental once he had to move.
“That inspired me to do something similar,” says Adams.
In 2009, at the age of 22, Adams purchased his first home while stationed in Fort Sill, OK. A year later, once he moved to Fort Hood, he bought his next place, paying his first mortgage with the rental income from his first house. Every time he moved, Adams repeated that pattern, explaining, “I loved it so much that I left the Army to become a real estate agent.”
Now he helps other military personnel follow in his footsteps.
“I highly encourage military to consider buying homes as an investment,” Adams says, adding that he wishes he’d had more guidance starting out. “I wasn’t investor-savvy when I purchased my first homes,” he explains. “I wish I knew what to really look for early on.”
Should active military buy rather than rent a home?
Because military personnel have to move frequently (often every three years), it can seem intimidating—and financially impractical—to buy a home. As a result, although 66% of Americans own their home, only 38% of active-duty service members can make that same claim, according to Military.com (the remaining 40% rent off base and 22% live in military housing).
Yet as Adam’s story proves, owning and even investing in real estate can be done—even while on active duty—and be an appealing option for a growing number who want to take steps to secure their financial future.
“Many active-duty families choose to buy a home at a duty station, with plans to either sell it when they leave or rent it out,” says Amy Bushatz, Military Spouse and Family editor for Military.com.
Plus, since many troops return several times to the same duty station, owning real estate gives them a home to come back to later.
“Some families also find themselves stationed in an area they grow to love and hope to call home after retirement,” Bushatz adds. “By purchasing a home there and then renting it out if they need to temporarily move away, they create something to look forward to once they leave active duty.”
A military homeowner’s secret weapon: The VA loan
In an effort to encourage military personnel to purchase homes, the U.S. government has a number of financing options to help out—starting, first and foremost, with the VA home loan.
The Veterans Affairs home loan program offers loans to both active and retired military at competitive interest rates, with no down payment or private mortgage insurance. That’s a bargain compared with the usual 20% down payment and other expenses faced by nonmilitary homeowners.
Furthermore, active military also receive a Basic Allowance for Housing, a nontaxable monthly stipend that can be put toward renting a home or paying a mortgage.
To determine the BAH amount, the service member’s rank and dependency status are first taken into consideration. Then, because the price of homes varies greatly throughout the country, the BAH varies from state to state as well, generally providing more funds to personnel stationed in more expensive areas. For example, a private (the lowest rank of the military) based in San Francisco would typically receive substantially more per month than a private in Johnstown, PA.
Put the VA loan and BAH together, and buying a home can often be realistically within reach.
How property managers can pitch in during deployments
So what if a deployment forces you to pick up and move to a new state, or continent? It’s entirely possible to hold onto the house and turn it into a rental with the help of a property manager—someone hired to stay on top of maintenance, rent collection, and other landlord-related issues for a portion of the rent amounting to anywhere from 4% to 12%.
Army Capt. Logan Lee learned the importance of a property manager after he bought a duplex in Fort Hood.
“I lived in one side and rented out the other,” says Lee. Only shortly after moving in, “I received orders to deploy to Afghanistan, so I rented out both sides.”
At first, Lee tried to manage his duplex from afar.
“Only with the military lifestyle and work demands, it is very hard to do a good job,” he admits. So he hired a property manager, and is very glad he did.
“For me, having a property management company was huge,” he says. “That way, I could focus on my job, and touch base every now and then with the management company.”
How to get started
While investing in real estate may seem intimidating, resources abound for novice investors. Adams found support and guidance at real estate investment site Bigger Pockets. Lee also says that being in the military gives you a leg up in terms of being seen as someone that contractors, management companies, and other real estate professionals can trust.
“They’ll take you more seriously and trust your word without having a prior relationship,” says Lee. “I was young getting started, and I think being in the military helped when I met with real estate professionals who had been in the business for decades.”
For military personnel trying to decide whether owning a home is in their best interest, the following questions may be helpful to consider:
If you decide to eventually convert your owner-occupied home into a single-family rental, would the rent cover your mortgage and fees so you can move on to using your BAH to rent or buy a home in your new locale?
Once you’re ready to take the plunge, make sure you’re in the right hands with a veteran-friendly real estate agent, and consider all of the costs associated with this important investment. For more advice read this Veteran’s Guide to Home Buying.
Can you cover a mortgage with your BAH?
Are you willing to hire a property manager and rent out the home when you no longer live there?