4 Ways Agents Can Help Military Veterans Become Homeowners

When it comes to housing, our service men and women face several unique challenges, from finding a home from abroad to navigating the confusing world of VA mortgage loans.

This Veterans Day, we want to help you serve those who serve us to achieve the pinnacle of the American Dream — homeownership. Here are a few tips to help you better serve this niche:

1. Use technology to work with relocating service members from afar

Active members of the military often have to find housing before they physically relocate to an area. Tech tools like Zoom, FaceTime, virtual tours, and digital transaction management are key parts of your arsenal here. Thanks to the pandemic, nearly everyone has become familiar with long distance communication tools. To learn more and get tech recommendations, see What You Need to Know About Virtual Meetings.

2. Look for houses with good resale value

One challenge military members face is something called a Permanent Change of Station (PCS). This means that service men and women are often uprooted on short notice and reassigned to a new base. Because of this, it's helpful that any home they own has strong resale value so it can be sold quickly in case of PCS. This is especially important if the current home needs to be sold before a new one can be purchased.

3. Get certified as a Military Relocation Professional

As we mentioned, both veterans and active members of the military have unique housing needs. To help Realtors better understand these needs, NAR offers a Military Relocation Professional certification. Agents will learn how to help agents take full advantage of their military benefits when buying a home, become familiar with military culture and lingo, learn the basics of Veterans Affairs loans, and more.

4. Give back by volunteering or donating

And, finally, even if you don't work in an area with many veterans or active military personnel, you can still make a difference! These organizations assist veterans — including the disabled, wounded, and homeless — in finding a home. Check out the links below for volunteer and donation opportunities:

• Final Salute
• Homes for Heroes
• Got Your 6

One last takeaway

Veterans and active military members are often excellent clients. According to NAR's recent Veterans & Active Military Home Buyers and Sellers Profile, they typically buy houses at a younger age than civilians and buy houses that are larger and higher priced than the general population, too.

And while our current real estate market may discourage civilian buyers from moving, the nature of military work means veterans are frequently relocating and needing a new home—regardless of what the market is doing. That's encouraging news for those who serve this niche.

And last but certainly not least — don't forget to thank a veteran today! Happy selling!