Tami Price is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Broker Owner of Tami Price Properties, helping military families across San Antonio and Joint Base San Antonio.
More about TamiRelocation Guide
Whether the move is a PCS to Joint Base San Antonio or a new job across the city, relocation works better when the real estate timeline is decided early. This guide walks through the sequence Tami Price uses with relocating clients.
Reach out as soon as orders are possible. Tami maps the calendar backwards from the report date so buying, selling, or renting decisions fit the real deadline.
A rent-versus-buy decision during a PCS depends on likely tour length, household size, and market conditions. Tami lays out the numbers for both paths.
She weighs commute to Lackland, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph, or Camp Bullis against budget and housing stock. The right area is the one that fits the day-to-day reality.
VA loan eligibility, lender preapproval, or a VA loan assumption: Tami helps clients get the financing picture clear before they shop.
Virtual showings, photographed details, inspections, and remote closing. Clients stay informed from wherever they are stationed.
Closing day is a milestone, not the finish line. Tami makes sure the handoff is clean so the first weeks in San Antonio are about the move, not the paperwork.
As early as you can. Buyers with confirmed orders often start 3 to 6 months out; even at 60 days, a well run process can work. The earlier the conversation, the more options you have in front of the deadline.
The PCS timeline
A PCS move follows a sequence that repeats for nearly every service member, but the real estate decisions inside that sequence need their own calendar. As a U.S. Air Force veteran and Broker Owner of her own independent brokerage, Tami has walked relocating families through this sequence for two decades and more than 1,000 transactions. The timings below are typical, not guaranteed; every branch, assignment, and household is different, and the numbers depend on the actual orders and the market at the time.
The report date is the fixed point that every other decision works backwards from. In the first days after orders arrive, confirm the duty station and report window, note the planned travel days, and check the installation housing office pages for on-base options and waitlist information.
Tami recommends an early call, before any home is listed and before any house hunting trip is booked. Buyers with confirmed orders typically start 3 to 6 months out; at 60 days a well run process can still work, but an earlier conversation keeps more options open.
The first call gets the financing homework and the area shortlist started, so the trip itself is spent on the strongest candidates.
The personal property process runs through the Defense Personal Property System (DPS) at move.mil and cannot start without official orders. Service members log in within days of receiving them, complete the required counseling, and enter their requested pickup dates.
A 7 day pickup window is selected in the system, and packing typically happens 1 to 4 days before pickup depending on shipment size. The awarded moving company must contact the service member within 3 days to confirm the pickup date. Peak season, roughly mid-May through the end of September, fills pickup slots fast, so booking early matters. For a personally procured move (PPM, formerly DITY), settlement paperwork is due within 45 days of completing the move.
On-base and privatized housing exists at Lackland, Fort Sam Houston, and Randolph, with applications handled through the installation housing office and assignment and waitlist rules that change over time. Camp Bullis is a training area without family housing of its own, so personnel assigned there live in surrounding communities.
Off base, the Greater San Antonio market spans a wide range of price points, and tour length usually decides the buy, rent, or assume question. Tami lays out the total monthly numbers for each path before the trip.
When the report date and the move in date work out differently, temporary lodging carries the gap. On-base temporary lodging facilities exist at the installations, subject to availability and priority rules, and extended-stay options off base are common. Service members should confirm the rules for their branch and situation, including what lodging expenses are reimbursable.
Enrollment for school age children is tied to the new residence address and handled through the local school district for that address. Bring the PCS orders, proof of residence, immunization records, and birth certificates; each district publishes its own enrollment requirements, so confirm them directly. Doing this while the household goods are in transit keeps the first weeks after arrival about the move.
The VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) confirms service eligibility for a VA loan. The fastest route is having a VA-approved lender pull it electronically, often the same or next business day; it can also be requested online at VA.gov, typically processed within a few business days. Active duty members can use a Statement of Service and their PCS orders in place of a DD-214 while serving.
Tami's guidance is to complete the COE and a lender pre-approval before the house hunting trip, so the budget is real and an offer can move the moment the right home appears. A lender's pre-approval, not the full BAH amount, sets the working budget.
With pre-approval in hand and the area narrowed, the trip confirms a shortlist instead of starting from zero. Tami runs virtual walkthroughs ahead of the visit so the in person days go to the strongest candidates, and she routes the drives at commute-relevant times. A typical trip covers two to four days before the move window.
Once a home is found, the offer carries a closing date that clears the report date with room to spare. A typical closing runs 30 to 45 days from accepted offer and depends on financing, inspection, appraisal, and the seller situation; a VA appraisal is required for VA loans. New construction closes on the builder completion schedule, which is its own timeline and its own conversation.
Closing day brings together utilities, homeowner insurance, and occupancy timing. Tami coordinates the handoff so the household goods arrive at a home that is ready. When the buyer is out of state, remote closings use electronic signing and, where permitted, remote online notarization, with the whole transaction managed so the first weeks in San Antonio are about the move, not the paperwork.
Know the installations
Joint Base San Antonio spans more than 35 miles across the metro, so the commute and housing conversation starts with the report location. This is the public, practical picture Tami works through with each incoming family. Gate hours and access rules change, so confirm current conditions with the installation before the first drive.
The west side home of U.S. Air Force Basic Military Training, technical training, and the joint base support wing, roughly 7 to 11 miles west of downtown San Antonio.
Gates and access
The Luke Main Gate (east) and Valley Hi Gate are the principal around-the-clock entries, reached off West Military Drive and Loop 410. The Medina and McMullen gates also stay open around the clock, and the Growden Commercial Gate handles RV and commercial traffic from Highway 90. Gate hours change, so confirm current conditions before arriving.
Typical commute areas
Valley Hi and Heritage sit close to the base near Loop 410 and Highway 90. Far-west building along Potranco, Culebra, and Highway 151 offers newer construction with a longer drive back to the gates. A cross-town commute from the northeast side can stretch past 45 minutes in peak traffic.
Day one: Arrive through an around-the-clock gate if reporting outside duty hours; Basic Military Training reception traffic commonly uses the Valley Hi Gate. Confirm which gate serves the destination before the first drive.
The medical hub just north of downtown, home to Brooke Army Medical Center and the Medical Education and Training Campus.
Gates and access
The Walters Street Main Gate is the principal entry and visitor control point, open around the clock from I-35. The BAMC/I-35 Gate serves the hospital on the interstate frontage road and stays open around the clock, as does the Harry Wurzbach East Gate off Loop 410. The New Braunfels Gate runs on weekdays.
Typical commute areas
Government Hill is the closest residential area, sitting between downtown and the base. Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, and the north central neighborhoods along the I-35 corridor add established housing with a short commute.
Day one: Patients and staff headed to Brooke Army Medical Center can use the dedicated BAMC gate. Expect interstate congestion around morning and evening commute windows and plan the route accordingly.
The pilot training installation in Universal City, part of Air Education and Training Command, about 15 miles east-northeast of downtown.
Gates and access
The Lindsey Gate at FM 78 and Pat Booker Road is the main entry, with the Visitor Control Center on Harmon Drive, and is the only gate open around the clock. The West, East, and South gates open during limited weekday windows.
Typical commute areas
Universal City surrounds the base with the shortest drive to the main gate. Live Oak and Converse sit between Loop 1604 and FM 78, and the Schertz and Cibolo corridor provides substantial newer construction with a manageable commute.
Day one: Outside weekday daylight hours, plan entry through the Lindsey Gate. FM 78 and I-35 are the main regional routes, so commute time is part of the area calculation from the start.
The joint base's primary maneuver and live-fire training area, about 17 miles northwest of downtown, with no on-base family housing of its own.
Gates and access
Controlled access for authorized personnel through the main gate on Camp Bullis Road, just off the Loop 1604 and I-10 corridor, open around the clock.
Typical commute areas
Northwest San Antonio along Loop 1604 and Bandera Road, Fair Oaks Ranch, and the Boerne corridor on the main northwest routes are the areas most commonly compared for the Camp Bullis commute.
Day one: Because there is no family housing on the installation itself, personnel assigned to Camp Bullis live in surrounding communities. Confirm access credentials before the first report.
BAH and your buying budget
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is the monthly allowance designed to offset housing costs for service members in the local civilian market. Tami is not a lender and nothing here is a financial promise; this is the framework she uses to help clients turn an allowance into a workable budget with the lender setting the actual numbers.
BAH is set by pay grade, dependent status, and the assigned duty location, and it is adjusted periodically based on local market data. It is intended to help cover housing and, in the standard design, typical utility costs where the member is stationed. The exact amount changes every year and varies by assignment, so the current figure comes from the member's orders and the published rate for the duty ZIP code.
The working number is the total monthly housing cost, not the mortgage payment alone. Principal and interest, property taxes, homeowner insurance, and any HOA dues all count. Tami's guidance is to keep a margin between the full allowance and the top of the budget, because maintenance, utilities above the allowance assumptions, and rate changes are real. A lender pre-approval counts BAH as income, and on a VA loan it is often grossed up because BAH is not taxable, so the orders and BAH statement go into the loan file.
Texas has no state income tax, and property taxes are part of the monthly payment for every owner. Rates vary by county and city, including Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, and Kendall counties, so the effective rate is area specific. The Texas homestead exemption can lower the taxable value of a primary residence, and qualifying disabled veterans and surviving spouses may be eligible for additional property tax exemptions administered by the county appraisal district, which is also the source for the specific figures.
The buy-versus-rent comparison looks at the full monthly cost of owning against market rent in the same area, with tour length deciding which comes out ahead. BAH can offset rent, mortgage costs, or a share of either depending on the situation, so the real question is total monthly cost and how long the family expects to stay. Tami walks clients through both paths before any trip is booked.
This is general education, not financial advice and not a promise of any loan terms or allowance amount. BAH rates, tax rules, and VA program details change over time; verify current figures with the published rate tables, the lender working the file, and the relevant agency before making a decision.
Remote buying and PCS
Buying a home without standing in it is an established part of the work Tami does with relocating military families, including service members buying from another state or another country while on assignment. The process is structured so a client understands exactly what they are agreeing to at every step. No process replaces every in person impression, and Tami does not promise that; what she delivers is a documented, communicated process that keeps the move on schedule.
Live video walkthroughs, recorded video of the details that matter, and measurements all go through the agent on site. Rooms get photographed and questions the buyer asks from another state get answered from the property, so the shortlist is built on evidence rather than listing photos alone.
Offers, contracts, and disclosures are signed electronically, and the inspection and appraisal are coordinated by the broker and reported back with photos and video. Texas law and lender rules determine the exact signing options, including remote online notarization where permitted, and closing is set up so the buyer signs from wherever they are stationed.
The same paperwork works from a distance: pre-approval, orders showing the assignment and BAH, and a clear framework for price and area. The inspection report carries more weight in a remote purchase, and the inspection and due diligence window in the Texas purchase agreement is where the serious questions get answered. Tami advises clients on which issues are significant enough to renegotiate before any inspection is waived.
Remote purchases still follow the timeline: the closing date is set to clear the report date, and the buying decisions happen far enough ahead that arrival week is about the move, not the paperwork. When a family arrives before closing, temporary lodging and a short rental bridge the gap, planned the same way as the rest of the move.
Veteran and military advantages
Veterans and service members have financing tools civilian buyers do not. Every item here is a high-level description, because eligibility rules, rates, and limits change: the current requirements come from VA.gov, the Texas General Land Office, and the lender on the file.
A VA loan can finance a home with no down payment in most cases, no monthly mortgage insurance, and terms guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligibility follows from qualifying service and is confirmed with the Certificate of Eligibility. A VA appraisal is required, and a funding fee applies unless the borrower is exempt, including for a service-connected disability.
A qualified buyer can assume an existing VA loan at its original interest rate and remaining term, which matters when current rates run higher than the rate on the loan. The seller's entitlement can stay tied to the loan unless the assumption is handled correctly, so Tami walks both buyers and sellers through the rules before anyone commits.
The Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) runs state programs for qualifying Texas veterans, including fixed-rate home loans with little or no down payment, plus land loans and home improvement loans. Eligibility generally requires Texas residency and qualifying service, and the home must be the borrower's primary Texas residence. Texas also provides property tax exemptions for qualifying disabled veterans and surviving spouses.
Eligibility details, rates, funding fees, and allowance figures change over time. Verify current information with VA.gov, the Texas General Land Office, and the lender working the file before making a decision.
Area guidance
Tami has built guides covering San Antonio, Boerne, Cibolo, New Braunfels, Schertz, and the installations of Joint Base San Antonio.
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Schedule a Consultation Tami Price is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Broker Owner of Tami Price Properties, helping military families across San Antonio and Joint Base San Antonio.
More about Tami