For Military Families

Military Relocation & PCS Moves

A PCS move runs on a tight clock, often from hundreds of miles away. Pure Equity helps service members and military families buy or rent in South Florida quickly, using your VA benefit and remote tools so you can settle in before day one.

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VA-loan purchases and BAH-friendly rentals

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PCS to South Florida

Relocating to South Florida on military orders

Permanent Change of Station orders give you weeks, not months, to figure out where to live in a place you may have never visited. Add house hunting to out-processing, travel, and moving a family, and the timeline gets tight fast. South Florida draws military families for its climate, its veteran-friendly tax rules, and its proximity to Homestead Air Reserve Base and several Coast Guard stations, along with a large community of retired service members who put down roots here.

Pure Equity runs relocations remotely all the time. We can tour homes on live video, send neighborhood breakdowns, handle offers and paperwork digitally, and line up a VA-specialist lender so you can lock in a home or a rental before you arrive. Whether you are buying with your VA benefit or renting on your housing allowance, we build the search around your report date.

Buying with your VA benefit on a PCS timeline

The VA loan is built for exactly this: no down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and competitive rates, so you can buy without draining savings during an expensive move. The key on a PCS is speed and sequencing. We get you pre-approved early, target VA-eligible homes and approved condo buildings from the start, and keep the appraisal and inspection on a timeline that closes near your arrival. Our full VA loan guide covers the funding fee, entitlement, and Florida's veteran tax breaks in detail.

Renting first with your BAH

Buying is not always the right call if you might move again in a couple of years. Renting first lets you learn the area before you commit, and your Basic Allowance for Housing is designed to cover a reasonable local rent. We help you target neighborhoods where your BAH goes furthest, handle the application remotely, and understand HOA approval timelines in communities that require it, so you are not scrambling for a place to land.

Choosing the right area from a distance

Commute, schools, and lifestyle carry extra weight when you cannot drive the neighborhoods yourself. We send honest breakdowns of the areas we serve across Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and the Treasure Coast, including school zones, drive times, flood and insurance considerations, and the trade-offs between coastal and inland communities. Our city and school guides give you a real feel for each market before you ever land.

Your SCRA protections

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act gives you real protections during a move. Among them, you can generally terminate a residential lease without penalty when you receive qualifying PCS or deployment orders, which matters if you rent first and buy later. There are also interest-rate protections on debts taken on before service. We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice, but we build these realities into your plan and connect you with the right resources so a change in orders does not cost you.

Occupancy when the orders move again

A VA loan is for a home you intend to occupy, which raises an obvious question for someone who moves every few years. The rule is more workable than it sounds. You generally certify that you will occupy the property within a reasonable period after closing, and for a service member on active duty, occupancy by your spouse can satisfy that requirement in many situations. When new orders arrive, you are not required to sell. Plenty of military families keep the property and rent it out, and the occupancy requirement applies at the time you buy rather than forever. Confirm the specifics with your lender before you plan around it, because the details depend on your circumstances.

The military clause in a Florida lease

If you rent first, the lease should account for the fact that the government decides where you live. Federal servicemember protections allow a lease to be terminated in defined circumstances, including receiving qualifying orders, with written notice and a copy of the orders. Many Florida landlords are familiar with this and will include a military clause without being asked, but do not assume it is there. Read the termination section before signing, ask for the clause explicitly if it is missing, and keep a copy of your orders with your lease file so the notice is straightforward when the time comes.

Keep it or sell it when you leave

This decision comes up faster for military families than for anyone else, and there is a factor here that civilians do not have. A VA loan can generally be assumed by a qualified buyer, and that buyer does not have to be a veteran, so if you hold a rate below what the market is offering, your home may be considerably easier to sell than a comparable one nearby. The catch is entitlement, which usually stays tied to the loan unless the buyer is a veteran substituting their own, and that affects your ability to use the benefit at your next duty station. Ask about entitlement before you agree to anything.

Related Resources

VA Loans Areas We Serve Homes for Rent School Districts Get Pre-Approved Relocation Guide

Primary sources: VA home loan benefits. Program rules and eligibility change, so confirm current requirements directly.

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Plan Your PCS Move

Send us your report date, budget, and whether you want to buy or rent. We will build a remote-friendly plan around your timeline.

Questions

Military relocation: frequently asked questions

Can I buy a home in South Florida before I arrive?

Yes, and we do it regularly. With live video tours, digital disclosures, and electronic signing, you can shop, make offers, and close on a home without being physically present, or with just a short trip. The main things to line up early are VA pre-approval and a clear list of must-haves, so we can move fast when the right home appears and close near your report date.

Should I buy or rent on a PCS move?

It depends on how long you expect to be stationed here and your appetite for owning through a possible future move. Buying with a VA loan builds equity and avoids mortgage insurance, which is attractive if you will be here a while. Renting first is the safer play if your timeline is short or uncertain, and your BAH is meant to cover a reasonable local rent. We will walk through both with your specific orders in mind.

How does my BAH factor into what I can afford?

Your Basic Allowance for Housing is based on your rank, dependents, and duty location, and it is designed to cover a typical local housing cost. For renters, we target neighborhoods where your BAH comfortably covers rent. For buyers, a lender will factor BAH into your qualifying income along with base pay, which can meaningfully increase your buying power on a VA loan.

Are there military bases near South Florida?

The largest installation in the immediate area is Homestead Air Reserve Base in south Miami-Dade, and the Coast Guard maintains stations along the coast. Many families also relocate here for retirement or remote assignments rather than a specific base, drawn by the climate and Florida's veteran-friendly tax rules. Whatever your reason for the move, we help you weigh commute and lifestyle across the region.

What is the SCRA and how does it protect me?

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act provides legal protections tied to active service. One of the most relevant to a move is the ability to end a residential lease without penalty when you receive qualifying PCS or deployment orders. It also offers interest-rate relief on certain pre-service debts. We are not attorneys, so we point you to the right legal resources, but we plan around these protections so a change in orders does not trap you in a lease.

Can I rent out a home I bought with a VA loan after I get new orders?

Generally yes. The occupancy requirement applies at the time you buy rather than for the life of the loan, so military families routinely keep a property and rent it out after a transfer. What you should not do is buy with the intention of renting from the start, since that is an investment purchase and the benefit is not for that. Confirm your situation with your lender.

Can I break a lease if I get PCS orders?

Federal servicemember protections allow lease termination in defined circumstances, including qualifying orders, with proper written notice and a copy of the orders. The specifics matter, so read the termination provisions in your lease and ask for a military clause before signing rather than after. Keep your orders with your lease documents so the notice is easy to give.

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