Welcome to MBO Resources! Below you will find a wealth of information that will help you along your journey. There is something for everyone from first time buyers/sellers to those who are experienced PCS movers and think they are professional do it yourselfers! If you have any topics that we have not provided please Contact Us Here...

Home Buying_________________________________________

You have managed to make it through house hunting, bidding and negotiating on your new home, and it's time to complete the process. However, in order to do so, you will need to sit down with various people (seller, real estate agent, title and mortgage company officials, etc.) and in this section of our website you will find helpful articles, and a glossary of terms.

RESEARCHING YOUR NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
While the Golden Rule of real estate; "location, location, location" may seem a bit shopworn, it is an element that bears special consideration when looking for homes for sale or rent.  However, the information age has broadened the parameters of what to look for in a home with good "location".  Military families are often limited in their search to areas that are close to their duty station, what can make finding the perfect area a bit more challenging.    View Full Article

HOME BUYER WALK-THROUGH CHECKLIST
Although the objectives may be slightly different, the walk through for the buyer or renter is a must and should cover many of the same items.  For a buyer, this is your last opportunity to confirm that repair work requested in the sales agreement have been done and that nothing in the property has been altered or deteriorated since last seen. View Full Article

HOME OWNERSHIP FOR MILITARY FAMILIES
Purchasing a home is a weighty decision for everyone, but for Military families, there are many factors to consider before jumping into the home owner’s pool. Military families live a lifestyle unique from many in the economy. Moving from Fort Bragg, to Washington DC and then on to Fort Leavenworth could make even the most even keeled real estate professional’s head spin. View Full Article

A BLIND DATE WITH MY NEW HOUSE (SITE UNSEEN)
At the height of the 2004 housing market frenzy, I went on a blind date with a house we had purchased site unseen.  PCS–ing in to Washington DC from Fort Leavenworth Kansas that summer, our housing search, in that wild market, was like speed dating, where everyone already came in with an engagement ring.  Every time our realtor or our internet searches presented us with a good option, the owner’s would glibly relay that they "already had 2-3 contract offers just that day!" View Full Article

 View ALL Home Buying Articles>>                        View Home Buying Glossary of Terms >>

Home Selling_________________________________________

Either you have come to the decision that moving is the right thing for you or some other circumstance (financial, transfer, schools, etc) has come up you are looking for some help to get started and throughout the process. This section of our website you will find helpful articles, and a glossary of terms.

SELLING YOUR HOME IN THE WINTER
As winter approaches most thoughts turn to the holidays, festive meals and sitting by the fireplace, so if you have a home for sale, how do you get potential buyers to come out in the cold? View Full Article

GET READY TO SELL YOUR HOUSE
PCS orders in hand, it’s time to sell your house! Even if it is not a job instigating your move, once the decision has been made to sell, it’s best to be efficent and objective to move the house as fast as possible. A house that sits on the market for awhile can bring lowball offers. Take some time to set yourself up for success with some of these suggestions before posting the sign in the yard.  View Full Article

WHY ISN'T MY HOME SELLING?
Tough question many homeowners ask.  One may find the answer if you have a crystal ball.  But in the absence of a crystal ball, a mirror might come in handy.  You have a personal relationship with your home; you may not see things as clearly as a potential buyer. Almost like a good long look in the mirror at ourselves, sometimes that unflinching stare can reveal flaws or weaknesses that we don’t really want to see.  Hold up the mirror to these 5 areas to consider, and don’t blink.  View Full Article

USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO MARKET YOUR HOME
There is a new strain of urban legends afloat about owners using social media to sell their homes above asking price, even in this comatose market. Using social media to build up anticipation for six weeks prior to his house auction, Kurt Oprey was able to sell his home for $135,000 over the initial asking price.  Targeted objectives to utilize multiple social media outlets can make a huge impact on your home sale.  View Full Article

View ALL Home Selling Articles>>                             View Home Selling Glossary of Terms >>

Military Family________________________________________

Military Families are very important to us here at MilitarybyOwner.com as we know how stressful it is when it is time to move as well as having to deal with loved ones being gone during the process. This section of our website you will find helpful articles, and a glossary of terms.





MILITARY SPOUSE READING LIST
Despite countless blogs, cyber boards, tweets, posts and pages, military spouses are often drawn to books that genuinely empathize and assist them with their unique lives.  A good book, like a companion, can instruct, mentor, soothe and commiserate. View Full Article

YEAR ROUND MAINTENANCE
We are all familiar with the proverbial "honey-do" list, and while these lists are often never ending, there is some real value in keeping up on necessary home maintenance items. View Full Article

FRIENDS- WHAT TO GET WHEN YOU PCS
When the movers drive away, a box is always left sitting in the house comprised of things they couldn’t, or wouldn’t take away. Cleaning products, candles, salad dressings, ketchup…. just a few of the things that need to be replaced on the other end of the move. Most seasoned military spouses walk the box down their street and pass off what they can to friends. View Full Article

DECISIONS... DECISIONS...
Healthcare options are a hot topic in almost any public arena these days. Regardless of shifts in healthcare for the civilian world, military members have three basics choices in choosing healthcare plans for their families. Active Duty servicemen and women must be enrolled in TRICARE Prime, but should carefully consider the choice between Prime, Standard and Extra for their dependants.  View Full Article



View ALL Military Family Articles>>                             View Military Family Glossary of Terms >> 

Renting__________________________________________

Often times purchasing a home is just not an option at this time, a temporary stay is what is needed to make a final decision or finances come into play. This section of our website you will find helpful articles and a glossary of terms.





BE PREPARED: TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR HOME RENTED
Military relocation comes with an array of emotions, ranging from excitement to utter dread. From the moment you anticipate that orders are coming your way, your head starts to spin. Anyone who has embarked on a military PCS move will tell you that the key to success is proper planning.  View Full Article

RENTERS AND LANDLORD INSURANCE: DON'T GET BURNED
Let’s debunk some myths about insurance for both the renter and landlord.  View Full Article

10 TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECT RENTAL
The moment you have an inkling of an upcoming move, you should start researching your proposed duty station. Talk to friends and search the Internet for information on desired areas to live surrounding the military installation. As we all know, it is dangerous to make any firm plans prior to having orders in hand, but the legwork can begin long before you have confirmation that you are moving.  View Full Article

MARKETING YOUR HOME FOR RENT TO MILITARY FAMILIES
A fact of life for military families is that they are almost always on the move. New bases, new assignments almost always have a family move involved. Whether you are on the side of the renter or buyer, or you are renting or selling a home and looking for a military family as a tenant or purchaser, there is a market out here that is unique to the military family. View Full Articl

View ALL Renting Articles >>                             View Renting Glossary of Terms >>

Property Management___________________________________

Owning a property of your own or with the intent to rent comes with a lot of added responsibilities and requirements. This section of our website you will find helpful articles, and a glossary of terms.






HOW TO PREPARE FOR NEW TENANTS
Military families prepare for a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) by making lists, many of them. At the top of every list is at least one item that embodies some aspect of military housing, whether it is notifying your landlord of your departure, renting or selling your current home or securing housing at your next military base. View Full Article

LANDLORD BLUES
There is a reason why people tread lightly when deciding whether or not to become a landlord. With the current market trends, it is a leap of faith that more and more people are taking. The fear that lies beneath is that your tenants will destroy the home you have come to love. View Full Article

BECOMING A PROPERTY MANAGER
As any military family can attest, a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move is laden with tough decisions. If you happen to be a military family that has a mortgage with your name on it, this type of transition can come with a lot of anxiety. To sell or not to sell, that is the question. Holding onto your property during this depressed real estate market may be a desired choice, until you realize that this will entail you having to become a landlord. View Full Article


View Property Management Glossary of Terms >>

Financing___________________________________________

Often times financing should be the very first thing to think about before buying, selling or renting. Making sure you know what your budget is before you begin will make the process easier. We also want to provide those of you styaing put with ways to save monthly by refinancing, etc. This section of our website you will find helpful articles, and a glossary of terms.

CHANGE IN LENDING PRACTICES COULD STIMULATE THE HOUSING MARKET
Since 2005, the news has inundated Americans with reports of the bursting housing bubble or the sub-prime mortgage crisis and many people are wondering what will it take to restore the housing market?  View Full Article

IS A VA LOAN A GOOD OPTION IN THE CURRENT MORTGAGE CLIMATE?
With the implosion of the housing bubble and subsequent mortgage crisis, tightened credit standards and escalated loan review limited and often times debilitated borrower’s ability to obtain a traditional loan package. As traditional loan originations plummeted over the last few years, VA guaranteed loan funding actually increased by 168% since 2007, with 14% increase in the last year alone.  View Full Article

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR FINANCING YOUR HOME
Your offer has been accepted! The hard decisions over, but the hard work is just beginning.  Gathering and preparing the documents that are needed for financing is essential to getting to settlement on time.  Preparation is particularly important for military families that will need extra documentation if seeking a VA loan.  View Full Article

19 ACTIONS TO APPLY FOR THE CONVENTIONAL AND EXTENDED HAP
This article lists the 19 actions in order to apply for the conventional and extended HAP program and provide links to help you understand if there is anything that is help View Full Article

View ALL Financing Articles >>                            View Financing Glossary of Terms >>

Relocating/Moving_____________________________________

There are not many things in life that are as stressful as relocating! From deciding what to take or let go all the way to relationships with friends & neighbors, there are so many things that some extra advice is always a happy thing to come by. This section of our website you will find helpful articles, and a glossary of terms.



GET MOVING
After sixteen military moves as a military spouse and countless number of "move assists" (helping friends move), I have learned a few lessons about making those stressful days go smoothly. I have learned a lot since that first PCS when I drove frantically across the country through the night, because I mistakenly thought we could reap the monies that we would have spent on hotels! OH how foolish, but true!. View Full Article

TO DITY OR NOT TO DITY
Frequent relocation is a "normal" part of military life, but it is hardly something that any military family would say is "easy". Adapt and overcome is our motto though and when it comes to moving, most military families have figured out a system that works well for them. But maybe it is time to explore all of your options. View Full Article
 

View Relocating/Moving Glossary of Terms >>

 

Decorating___________________________________________

Whether you are staging your home to help sell quicker, get top doller for your home/rental or looking for help on what to do now that you have a new set of keys in your hand. This section of our website you will find helpful articles, and a glossary of terms.






5 WAYS TO INCREASE STORAGE
Finding a home with enough storage space can be a challenge, especially when you move often. If your current home has insufficient closet or storage space, there are ways to create a bit more if you do a little planning, and get products to create storage where you need it.  View Full Article

HOME STAGING 101
Once just used to market high-end vacant homes, the practice of home staging has proven to be a successful selling tool for all types of properties. Yet, the majority of homes are listed unstaged, and sit on the market for months without attracting offers from prospective buyers. When combined with competitive pricing, staged homes tend to sell quickly, so why do many homeowners forego staging their homes for sale? Because despite its coverage in the media, most sellers do not really understand what it involves or how it can benefit them. Here’s a rundown of staging basics, and its effect on how buyers respond to a home. View Full Article

DO IT YOURSELF DREAM OR DISASTER?
We recently discussed home improvement projects in our post, "Keeping Up with the Kitchen Trends" with quick and easy DIY projects that would update your kitchen space.  But what one person deems "quick and easy", may end up being a lengthy, complicated nightmare for someone else. View Full Article

CREATING A COLORFUL HOME WITH WHITE WALLS
When you rent an apartment or house, you’re often stuck with white walls. Leases often stipulate that the walls can’t be painted, or if they are, they must be repainted white before you vacate.  When you move around a lot (or in a hurry) due to new orders or a deployment, you barely have time to get packed and to your next destination, much less re-paint the walls of the place you’re leaving. View Full Article

 

View ALL Decorating Articles >>                             View Decorating Glossary of Terms >>                         Video>>

Website Help_________________________________________

We have put together the following video tutorials to help you utilize and make the most of MilitarybyOwner.com.

HOME SEARCH TUTORIAL
Loking for a home near a US Military Base, Guam or Puerto Rico? This tutorial will guide you through the steps.

AD SUBMISSION TUTORIAL
Have a home or land to rent or sell? It is easy on MilitarybyOwner.com! We have three ad packages available and this tutorial will guide you through the steps.

CHANGING YOUR AD STATUS TUTORIAL
Already have a home advertised with MilitarybyOwner.com? Changing the ad status to rented, sold paused is a snap!

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Complete MBO Newsletter Archive__________________________