You may be a military family or know someone in the military. Military house hunting is like no other experience. Stress level run high when buying a house in a short amount of time, AND waiting for THAT posting message can seem like forever.

Let’s cover the basics… 5 days to find a house… yes, I know it’s 7 for an HHT (House Hunting Trip), but those last two days are buffer days in case all else fails. Finding a house in that length of time looks like the end scene from a Benny Hill movie. It’s fast, intense and can be filled with emotion.

Here are some tips that will help during your next military move.

Be Prepared
Pre-Approval
Get pre-approved for financing BEFORE your house hunting trip. Knowing what you can afford will make houses shopping a lot easier. The new stress test is in, so now more than ever, your pre-approval is important. Pre-approval will also give you a little more flexibility for your housing conditions and this can make or break a sale in a competitive market.

Make a list
Make a list of first day, second day and all else fail houses. Your agent can help you get this list down to the must-see houses. Take the time to talk to them about the type of house and area you want to live in. They can suggest areas to look at.

Read the Brookfield policy
I know reading policy can be really dry, buy rules change and what was covered last time, may not be covered this time.

Technology Rocks!
Did you find a great house, but you are too far away? Ask your agent to take you on a FaceTime tour. It may not be the one and you can then keep or on the list or take it off the must-see list.

Book a babysitter
Find a drop-in centre for the kids, book the MFRC childcare, hire a happy or ask your agent what options are available in your area. House hunting will be a lot easier when you can focus on finding the perfect house.

Pre-book your building inspector
I know it’s crazy to book an inspector for a house that you haven’t bought, but if you want to get everything done in time, it’s essential. Your agent can suggest building inspectors and lawyers that are Brookfield approved that you help you along the way.

Take pictures
“What did that kitchen look like?” Take some pictures of some of the houses you like. You can then go back and look at them when you are making a decision on “the one”.

Don’t see TOO many houses
Make your must-have list and get your list down to a reasonable level. Seeing too many houses will become confusing and overwhelming. Researching the neighbourhoods where you are moving will help you find the right area for you.

Resale
This is a big one… When you get posted in a few years can you resell that house? Ask your agent about how easy it will be to resell the house when it becomes time to move again.

Happy HHT season military friends!