How to protect military buyers when the home tour is a video call

Active Duty Servicemembers oftentimes don’t have the luxury of walking through a home in person before making an offer. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, deployment schedules and tight reporting deadlines mean they’re making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives from halfway across the globe. That changes the job for a real estate agent. Representing an Active Duty Servicemember who can’t be there isn’t just about opening doors and sending listings. It requires becoming their eyes, ears and advocate on the ground while helping them navigate a complex home purchase from halfway across the globe. The responsibility is significant. A Servicemember is relying on their agent to understand the VA home loan process, negotiate favorable terms, coordinate inspections, manage remote closing logistics and identify potential issues before they become costly problems. Many Active Duty Servicemembers are navigating a PCS move, a new assignment and a home purchase simultaneously, often while using VA loan benefits they may have never used before. That’s not a lack of knowledge, it’s simply the reality that buying a home is not something most people do every day. When an ag...