Going on deployment is hard for military families. Deployment and real estate problems make it even harder. What do you do with your house when you have to leave for months or years?

If you live near Fort Campbell, you’re not alone. Many families face this same problem. The good news is that you have choices. You can learn how to take care of your home even when you’re far away.

Deployment and real estate doesn’t have to be scary. This guide will help you make smart choices. We’ll use simple words and easy ideas. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to do with your house.

What Can You Do With Your House?

When you get deployment orders, you have three main choices. You can sell your house before you leave. You can let someone else live in it and pay you rent. Or you can leave it empty until you come back.

Each choice is different. Let’s look at what each one means for you and your family.

Should You Sell Your House?

Selling your house means you get money right away. You don’t have to worry about it while you’re gone. No one can break things or forget to pay rent.

But selling also means you don’t own a house anymore. When you come back, you’ll need to find a new place to live. Houses in Clarksville might cost more by then.

Some families sell because they don’t know if they’ll come back to Fort Campbell. Others sell because they don’t want to deal with house problems from far away.

Deployment and Real Estate Rental: Letting Someone Live in Your House

Many military families let other people rent their houses. Deployment and real estate rental can give you money every month. The rent money can pay for your house payment.

Lots of military families want to rent houses in Clarksville. They understand military life. They usually take good care of houses because they know how hard it is to own one.

The rent money helps your family while you’re deployed. It can even give you extra money to save. This makes deployment a little easier on your wallet.

But renting means you have to find good renters. You also need someone to help take care of problems when they happen.

Deployment and Real Estate Help: Finding Good People

You can’t take care of your house from far away by yourself. You need good people to help you. Finding these people before you leave is very important.

Getting a Property Manager

A property manager is like a babysitter for your house. They find renters for you. They collect the rent money. When something breaks, they get it fixed.

Look for property managers who work with military families a lot. They understand deployment and real estate problems better. Ask other Fort Campbell families who they use.

Good property managers cost money. They usually take about 10% of your rent money. But they save you lots of worry and work.

Finding Local Friends to Help

Even with a property manager, you need local friends. You need people who can check on your house. You need phone numbers for people who fix things.

Ask your neighbors to watch your house. Give them your phone number. Most Clarksville neighbors are happy to help military families.

Your real estate agent can help too. They know good people who fix houses. They can give you phone numbers for plumbers and people who fix air conditioners.

Deployment and Real Estate Money Planning

Deployment and real estate costs money even when someone else lives in your house. You need to plan for these costs before you leave.

Making a Money Plan

Start with your house payment each month. Add your house taxes and insurance. If you hire a property manager, add their cost too.

Houses need fixing sometimes. Old houses need more fixing. Save some money each month for when things break.

Your house might be empty sometimes between renters. Plan to pay for at least one month with no rent money coming in.

Emergency Money for Big Problems

Big problems can happen anytime. Your roof might leak. Your heater might break in winter. Having extra money saved up helps a lot.

Keep enough money saved to pay for three to six months of house costs. Put this money in a bank account that’s easy to get to quickly.

Using Technology for Deployment and Real Estate

New technology makes taking care of your house easier. You can watch your house and talk to renters from anywhere in the world.

Smart House Gadgets

Smart thermostats let you control the temperature from your phone. This saves money on electric bills. You can also make sure pipes don’t freeze in winter.

Security cameras let you see your house anytime. You can check if everything looks okay. Many cameras send messages to your phone when they see movement.

Smart locks work without keys. You can give special codes to people who need to get in. Property managers can get into your house when they need to.

Phone Apps That Help

Video calling lets you see problems with your own eyes. Your property manager can show you what needs fixing. This helps you decide what to do.

Banking apps let you see when rent money comes in. You can also pay bills from your phone. Most banks give free accounts to military families.

Some apps help you keep track of house money. They help you save important papers. Some even help you do your taxes.

Deployment and Real Estate Laws That Help Military Families

Military families have special protection under the law. These laws help protect your house and money during deployment and real estate situations.

Special Military Laws

There’s a law called SCRA that helps deployed soldiers. It can make your house payment cost less money. It also protects your house from being taken away.

If military people rent your house, they can break their lease if they get orders to move. Plan for this when you pick renters.

Power of Attorney

Power of attorney lets someone else make decisions for you. This person can sign papers and handle legal stuff. Pick someone you trust completely.

Your spouse is usually the best choice. They know your money situation. They can make fast decisions when needed.

Make sure the power of attorney papers are done right. Keep copies in safe places. Give copies to your property manager and real estate agent.

Getting Your House Ready Before You Leave

Getting your house ready before deployment stops problems later. A nice house gets better renters and has fewer problems.

Fixing Things Before You Go

Change all the air filters in your house. Clean out the gutters. Check windows and doors for air leaks and fix them.

Get your heater and air conditioner checked by a professional. Replace old appliances that might break soon. Fix any leaky pipes or electrical problems.

Clean your whole house really well before showing it to renters. Clean houses look better and attract good renters.

Deployment and Real Estate Safety: Keeping Your House Safe

If you’re leaving your house empty, safety is very important. Deployment and real estate safety planning protects your house while you’re gone.

Get a security system that calls the police if something happens. Make sure neighbors have your phone number. Ask them to call if they see anything weird.

Keep your grass cut and snow shoveled. A messy yard tells everyone that nobody lives there. This attracts bad people to your house.

Coming Home: Deployment and Real Estate Decisions

Coming home from deployment brings new deployment and real estate choices. You might want to move back into your house. Or you might want to sell it or keep renting it out.

Moving Back Into Your House

If someone rented your house while you were gone, you need to tell them when to move out. Most rental agreements need 30 to 60 days notice.

Plan to spend money fixing things when you move back in. Renters might have caused some damage. You might need to clean, paint, or fix small things.

You might need to buy new furniture or appliances. Many military families sell their stuff before deployment. Make a list of what you need to buy.

Deciding to Keep or Sell Your House

Your deployment and real estate experience might change what you want to do long-term. Some families like being landlords. Others decide it’s too much work.

Think about where you’re going next. If you’re staying at Fort Campbell, keeping your house makes sense. If you’re moving far away, selling might be better.

Look at house prices in Clarksville now. If prices are high, it might be a good time to sell. If prices are low, you might want to keep renting it out.

Deployment and Real Estate Mistakes to Avoid

Learning from other people’s mistakes saves you time and money. Here are the biggest mistakes military families make with deployment and real estate.

Picking Bad Renters

Rushing to find renters before you leave causes problems. Bad renters can break your stuff and not pay rent. Take time to check out renters carefully.

Look at their credit scores and rental history. Call their old landlords. Make sure they have jobs and make enough money.

Just because someone is in the military doesn’t mean they’re a good renter. Check everyone the same way. Good renters pay on time and take care of your house.

Not Watching Your Property Manager

Even good property managers need you to check on them. Don’t think everything is fine just because no one calls with problems. Talk to your manager often.

Look at the monthly reports carefully. Ask questions about weird charges. Ask to see pictures of repairs they say they did.

Visit your house when you come home on leave. Look for problems your property manager might have missed. Fix problems fast before they get worse.

The Bottom Line

Deployment and real estate management doesn’t have to be scary. With good planning and the right helpers, you can take care of your Clarksville home from anywhere.

Start planning early before you leave. Find good people you can trust to help. Use phone apps and technology to stay connected.

Remember that every military family is different. What works for your friends might not work for you. Think about your own goals and money situation.

The most important things are planning ahead and talking to people. Stay in touch with your property manager and helpers. Fix problems fast before they get big.

Your Clarksville home can help you make money during and after your military time. With good care during deployment, you’ll come home to a house that’s worth the same or more money than when you left.

Looking for more home buying tips? Check out our “PCS to Fort Campbell: Moving to Clarksville” or read about “Clarksville’s Hidden Gem Neighborhoods” on our blog.

Browse our listings now: www.buyclarksvillehomes.com

Contact our Military Relocation Specialists today:

(931) 320-6987
joey@williamsonhg.org
buyclarksvillehomes.com

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