What an MRP Certified Realtor Means for Your Mission

Military & Veteran Homebuying

PCS Orders to NAS Jax? What an MRP Certified Realtor Means for Your Mission

Your planning-to-closing guide for buying near Naval Air Station Jacksonville — and the benefit fine print that affects your buying power.

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What is an MRP Certified Realtor? A Military Relocation Professional (MRP) is a REALTOR® certified by the National Association of REALTORS® with specialized training in PCS timelines, VA financing, and the needs of service members, veterans, and military spouses. In short: an agent who speaks your language and knows your benefits.

I'm Rosalyna Avila, Broker/Owner of Living Truth Homes Realty and an MRP Certified Realtor here in Jacksonville. Military families and disabled veterans are the heart of my business — and a military move is not a civilian move. This guide is the resource I wish every family had before orders dropped.

Jacksonville Is a Military Town First

3rdLargest military presence in the U.S.

~20,000Personnel at NAS Jax — Navy's largest base in the Southeast

1 in 4Residents with a military tie

$2,1812026 BAH, E-5 with dependents

That BAH number matters: in many neighborhoods near the base, a mortgage payment can land inside your housing allowance — building your equity instead of a landlord's.

Orders in Hand → Keys in Hand

• 1Recon — 90+ days outPull your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and scout neighborhoods by gate, schools, and BAH fit.
• 2Secure funding — 60–90 daysGet fully underwritten pre-approval from a VA-experienced lender. Know your funding fee status first.
• 3Boots on ground — 30–60 daysHouse-hunting trip, or video tours if you're buying from your current duty station.
• 4Offer & contractZero down with full entitlement. Strong offers win on terms and timeline, not just price.
• 5VA appraisal & inspectionThe VA checks value and safety minimums — still order your own home inspection.
• 6Final approachNo new credit, no big purchases until you're clear to close.
• 7Mission completeSign, fund, keys. Plan to occupy within 60 days.

The VA Loan, In Plain Terms

Benefit	What It Means
$0 down	No down payment with full entitlement — at any approved price.
No PMI	Often saves $150–$300+/month vs. low-down conventional loans.
No loan limit	With full entitlement, your lender sets the ceiling — not the VA.
Reusable	Use it again and again — even two VA loans at once after a PCS.
Lower rates	VA backing means rates often price below conventional.

Fine Print That Affects Your Buying Power

1 · The funding fee grows on reuse

Down Payment	First Use	Subsequent Use
Less than 5%	2.15%	3.30%
5% – 9.99%	1.50%	1.50%
10% or more	1.25%	1.25%

$8,278Fee on a $385K home, zero down — first use

$12,705Same home, subsequent use

Most buyers roll the fee into the loan — quietly raising the payment. On a second VA purchase, a modest down payment can save thousands. Run the math before you write the offer.

Disabled Veterans: $0 Funding Fee Any compensable VA disability rating makes you fully exempt. Rating approved after closing with an earlier effective date? You may be owed a refund. If you're mid-claim, tell your lender — this is the most commonly missed savings I see.

2 · Full vs. partial entitlement

	Full Entitlement	Partial Entitlement
When	First use, or prior VA loan paid off & home sold	You kept the old home and its VA loan (common after PCS)
Loan limit	None	County limit applies — $832,750 baseline in 2026
Down payment	$0	Possibly required if you exceed remaining entitlement

Translation: maxing your benefit on house one can shrink your zero-down power on house two. Plan the whole campaign, not just the first move.

3 · Florida's second wave of savings

$0Property tax on your homestead at 100% permanent & total — no value cap

$5,000+Added exemption at 10%+ service-connected disability

Mar 1Annual filing deadline with your county property appraiser

PCS Homebuying Checklist — NAS Jax Edition

• Pull your COE (VA.gov or through your lender)
• Pause new debt 6+ months out
• Get fully underwritten pre-approval
• Confirm funding fee status: exempt, first use, or subsequent
• Map neighborhoods to your gate — Westside, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg, Yulee
• Compare projected payment to your BAH
• Book the house-hunting trip or virtual tour days
• Ask about Florida wind mitigation insurance credits
• After closing: file homestead + disability exemptions by March 1

PCSing Out? Your Exit Matters Too

Sell, or keep the house as a rental? The answer lives in your remaining entitlement, the rental math, and how a kept property affects your next purchase. Sometimes keeping it builds wealth — sometimes it anchors your benefit to the wrong duty station. An honest spreadsheet beats a hunch.

Questions Military Buyers Ask Most

Can I use a VA loan more than once?

Yes — it's a lifetime, reusable benefit. You can even carry two VA loans at once in some PCS situations. The fee rises to 3.30% on subsequent zero-down use.

Do disabled veterans pay the VA funding fee?

No. Any compensable disability rating means full exemption — and possibly a refund if your rating comes through after closing.

Is there a maximum VA loan amount in 2026?

Not with full entitlement. With partial entitlement, the county limit applies — $832,750 baseline for Duval, Clay, Nassau, and St. Johns.

Can I buy before I arrive at NAS Jacksonville?

Yes — many PCS clients go under contract via video tours and a trusted local agent, then occupy within 60 days of closing.

Is BAH enough to buy near NAS Jax?

Often, yes. At $2,181/month for an E-5 with dependents, several neighborhoods near the base offer payments at or under BAH.

Do 100% disabled veterans pay property tax in Florida?

No ad valorem tax on the homestead — no value cap. File by March 1 with your VA letter. The benefit can carry to a surviving spouse.

A final word, from one Jacksonville neighbor to another. You've carried the watch. When it's time to plant roots, you deserve a process that honors your time and your benefits down to the last dollar. That's why I earned the MRP — and how we serve every military family who walks through our door.

Let's get you home.

Rosalyna Avila, MRPBroker/Owner · Living Truth Homes Realty · Jacksonville, FL
www.livingtruthhomes.com

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Built on faith. Guided with truth. Serving Northeast Florida.

Figures current as of 2026 and subject to change; VA terms depend on eligibility and lender approval. Educational only — not lender, legal, or tax advice. Sources: VA.gov, NAR, Florida Dept. of Veterans' Affairs.