If you think this may be your last deployment in the military, you may be thinking about buying a home. To choose the right home as well as the right home loan, however, you need to make sure you have thought through all the factors that could affect your future. Below are a few things to think about before you move forward with a home purchase.
- Are you sure you are ready to retire? The first question you need to ask yourself is whether you are positive that this is the time for you to retire from the military. If you are on the fence about it, you can still buy a home, but that may affect what property and mortgage are best suited to your situation.
- Are you likely to stay in San Diego? Similarly, you need to think about whether it is likely you will remain in San Diego for the long term after you leave the military. Weigh your feelings about the area, and remember to consider your job prospects as well. What field of work do you think you will enter after you retire from the military? Are there jobs in that industry or niche concentrated in San Diego? Do you have a large network of connections here?
- What will your next job and future income be? Speaking of job prospects, you will need to assess your likely earnings potential after your time in the military has ended. How much do you realistically believe you will be earning? Try to account for your potential earnings, as well as those of anyone else in your household who might contribute toward your budget. This will affect how much home you can afford, and may also affect what loan term you decide is ideal.
- What are your long-term goals and plans? While you are thinking about your career plans, you should also consider your other goals for the future. Do you think you will want to stay in San Diego for a few years, or for a few decades? Do you plan to have children (or more children)? Will your aging parents eventually move in with you?
Keep in mind that whatever your plans are now, there is a chance they will change. That is always the case in life, but leaving the military is a huge life transition. It can be hard to predict how you will react to losing that familiar structure and sense of duty and purpose.
Buy a Home in San Diego
I have helped many active-duty and retired military members to buy homes in San Diego with VA mortgages as well as other types of home loans. Please call (619) 857-7191 to schedule your consultation. During your consultation, we can discuss your individual scenario and goals. I can answer your questions, offer you advice, and help you identify mortgage products that will suit your needs.
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