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When people need help, regardless of their situation, they look for professionals with specialized training in their fields. Choosing a real estate agent is no different. If you’re a veteran, service member, or military family, it's always helpful to work with a veteran or military spouse (there’s no comparison for understanding the lifestyle), but even military-connected agents benefit from customized training, such as the Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification.
Choosing a real estate agent isn’t difficult; you just need to know where to start and the right questions to ask. You’ll be surprised by how many qualified and exceptionally helpful agents you’ll find, which will lead you to your best match.
What’s the Difference Between a Realtor and a Real Estate Agent?
You may have some confusion about the difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor. Real estate agents are licensed professionals who assist home buyers, sellers, and renters with their property transactions. Realtors are also real estate agents who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This trade association has its own set of Code of Ethics that agents agree to uphold. For this resource article, we’ll use the terms interchangeably.
The Military Relocation Professional Certification (MRP)
A simple way to know if your agent is knowledgeable about military real estate transactions is to look for the Military Relocation Professional Certification by their name. If an agent has earned a MRP designation, they’ve dedicated time to completing a comprehensive program developed by the National Association of Realtors that captures the intimate details of military relocations and the unique challenges faced by service members and their families.
How to Find MRP Agents
Most agents with an MRP designation will advertise their commitment to serving military clients somewhere in their marketing and biographies. But the National Association of Realtors has a directory of MRP-designated agents in your area if you prefer to start your search with this filter.
The Benefits of Working with MRP Agents
Agents with MRP designations have committed to serving military clients and have specialized knowledge that can streamline your real estate transaction. They understand a vast collection of military terms and acronyms, are familiar with common military lifestyle concerns, and have created a network of military-friendly service providers, from lenders to moving companies.
What MRP Training Covers
MRP-designated agents receive education on VA loans, military benefits such as Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), PCS moves, and the emotional aspects of frequent military moves. The program also covers deployment considerations, working with military spouses, understanding military rank structures, and the unique cultural aspects of military communities.
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How to Choose a Realtor
Choosing the right Realtor is a process that’s part research and investigation and part using your instincts to find the right match. Keep these criteria in mind when sorting through your options.
Research and Referrals
Start with referrals from other military families who’ve recently bought or sold homes in your area. Military spouses' groups can provide valuable recommendations from people who understand your situation. Sometimes, the military housing office (not the privatized on-base housing office) maintains lists of agents experienced in working with military clients.
Interview Multiple Agents
Don't commit to the first agent you meet, especially if you’re a first-time buyer or seller. Interview at least three agents to compare their experience, communication styles, and understanding of military clients’ needs. During these interviews, note their responsiveness, professionalism, and willingness to accommodate military schedules and requirements.
Verify Credentials and Experience
Check the licensing status of potential agents, review their recent transaction history, and look for any disciplinary actions through your state's real estate licensing board. While the MRP designation is valuable, also consider their overall experience, client reviews, and track record of successful military buyer and seller transactions.
Gauge Communication Style and Compatibility
Choose an agent whose communication style matches yours and who you feel confident understands military culture. You should feel confident that they’ll be responsive to your questions, respectful of your time constraints, and keep you informed throughout the process.
Evaluate Their Market Knowledge
Your preferred agent will have in-depth knowledge of local market conditions, pricing strategies, and factors that specifically affect military families. They will also feel comfortable explaining data-driven insights and realistic expectations about timelines, pricing, and market conditions.
4 Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent
Before committing to working with any real estate agent, conduct thorough interviews to ensure your chosen professional understands your unique needs and circumstances.
1. Do you have experience with military clients?
Ask potential agents about their experience working with military families. How many military transactions have they handled in the past year? Do they understand VA loans, and can they recommend VA-approved lenders? Have they worked with clients who were deployed during transactions? Their answers will reveal whether they have practical experience with military-specific situations.
2. What's your availability and preferred communication style?
Military schedules require flexibility, so ask about the agent’s availability for evening and weekend showings. How do they handle communication with clients in different time zones? What systems do they have for remote communication and document signing? If you connect with your agent’s communication style and availability, it helps ensure compatibility.
3. How do you stay up to date with local market trends?
Ask about their knowledge of military-friendly neighborhoods, school districts, and commute times to your base. Do they understand the local rental market if you're considering keeping the property as an investment? Can they provide data on how military moves affect local real estate patterns? Their local expertise will impact your buying or selling success.
4. Who do you include in your professional real estate network?
Discuss their network of military-friendly service providers. Can they recommend lenders experienced with VA loans? Do they work with contractors who understand military timelines? Have they established relationships with property managers for military families who want to rent their homes? A strong professional network can streamline your transaction and provide ongoing support.
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Military Home Buyers: Considerations for Choosing a Real Estate Agent
Military buyers often face unique circumstances that require specialized knowledge from real estate agents. Real estate agents need in-depth experience with a wide range of military-related real estate issues if they intend to serve military families.
VA Loan Expertise
Since the VA loan is a significant benefit of military service, your agent needs comprehensive knowledge of VA loan advantages and its perceived as well as real challenges. They also need to be comfortable explaining zero down payment options, no private mortgage insurance requirements, and competitive interest rates. They should understand how VA funding fees work, know if the properties meet VA appraisal standards, and be familiar with local VA-approved lenders who can expedite the loan process.
Read Understand Your VA Loan Benefit for more information.
Deployment and TDY Considerations
Your Realtor should not be flustered if you share a need for a short timeline for buying a home. Compressed timelines are a distinct possibility for military buyers. The best agents accommodate accelerated house-hunting schedules, including virtual showings and remote closing procedures. They should also understand how to work with military spouses and powers of attorney when service members are deployed or on a long-distance TDY.
Location Strategy
Experienced real estate agents help military buyers evaluate neighborhoods based on several military lifestyle factors. Considerations like commute times to base, school districts that accommodate military children, and resale potential for future PCS moves. A savvy agent understands that military families often prioritize certain factors, such as proximity to base facilities and military-friendly communities.
Timeline Flexibility
PCS orders change frequently, deployments are extended, and military schedules rarely adhere to preferred timelines. Your agent needs to offer flexibility with showing schedules, understand the urgency attached to military moves, and be prepared to work around military commitments.
Military Home Sellers: Find an Agent to Maximize Your Investment
Military home sellers face some of the same challenges as military buyers, like managing the process from afar, but they also have to rely on their agent to maximize their sale profits and investment potential, so your agent also needs expertise in future/unplanned landlord life topics.
Rental Conversion Options
Some military families choose or need to rent their properties instead of selling when they PCS. An experienced agent provides insight into the local rental market and helps you understand the implications of becoming a landlord, including connecting you with property management companies if you prefer.
Keep in mind that some agents provide rental property management services. They should also understand and explain how rental income affects VA loan entitlement for future purchases.
Tax Implications and Benefits
Military sellers may qualify for specific tax benefits related to home sales, particularly regarding the exclusion of capital gains when the sale is due to military orders. Ask your agent if they work with tax professionals who understand military-specific benefits and can help you maximize your financial position.
Market Timing and PCS Move Coordination
Military sellers often have limited control over when they need to sell because PCS orders dictate timelines. Are you confident that your agent understands local market conditions and can develop pricing strategies that account for difficult selling timelines? They need honed skills to balance getting the best price with the reality of military moving schedules.
Remote Management Capabilities
Today, most agents have no problem handling your sale, even if you’ve already moved. However, you’ll need to ensure they have systems in place to manage a remote process, giving you peace of mind. This includes coordinating repairs, handling showings, managing offers and counteroffers, and overseeing closing procedures.
Finding the right real estate agent is crucial for military families navigating the complexities of buying or selling homes while managing military careers. The unique challenges of military life, from PCS moves to deployment schedules, require agents who understand these circumstances and can adapt their services on the spot.
Take time to research the right questions to ask a real estate agent, plan for an interview, and carefully select an agent who will serve as your advocate throughout the process. The right real estate agent will transform what might otherwise be a stressful military move into a seamless transition.
By Dawn M. Smith
Looking to buy a home and start your house hunting journey? Let MilitaryByOwner help!
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