PCS to Pensacola: Orders-to-Keys Timeline
What to do at each stage before your report date.
90 days out
- Request your VA Certificate of Eligibility and talk to a VA-approved lender about what you qualify for.
- Decide buy versus rent for this assignment. Length of tour, whether you will keep the home after, and how much flexibility you want all feed into it.
- Start narrowing areas by base and by commute rather than by listing photos.
- Tell us your report date and base so we can watch for the right listings early.
60 days out
- Get fully pre-approved in writing, not just pre-qualified.
- Shortlist two or three areas and start video tours of real listings.
- Ask for insurance quotes on any specific address you are serious about. On the Gulf Coast this is part of the monthly payment, not an afterthought.
- If you are renting, line up applications; good rentals move quickly.
30 days out
- Make an offer. We can write and negotiate it while you are still at your current duty station.
- Schedule the home inspection and read the report carefully with us.
- Confirm with your lender what they still need, and keep your finances unchanged until closing.
- Ask about remote closing options if you will not be in town on closing day.
0 days, report week
- Close, remotely if needed, and arrange key handoff.
- Set up utilities and confirm your move-in date against your household goods delivery.
- Do a walkthrough before you sign, or have us do one on video with you.
- Move in, then update your address with the base and your lender.
Areas by base
| Base | Approximate drive times |
|---|---|
| NAS Pensacola | To the main gate: Warrington and Navy Point 5–10 minutes; Bellview 15–20 minutes; East Hill, Cordova Park and Scenic Heights 15–25 minutes; Gulf Breeze and Tiger Point 25–35 minutes, since the route crosses the Three Mile Bridge and comes back around the bay; Pace 35–45 minutes. |
| NAS Whiting Field | Pace and Milton are the closest of these, at roughly 15–25 minutes. |
| Corry Station, Hurlburt Field, Eglin AFB | We serve buyers near all five installations. Ask us for drive times from a specific address, or see the neighborhood breakdown by base on our PCS page. |
Times vary with traffic, gate access, and time of day.
On the VA loan
Eligible borrowers can often purchase with no down payment, and the VA limits certain fees a veteran is allowed to pay. A seller is also permitted to contribute toward closing costs, which is something we negotiate on your behalf. What you qualify for, and the actual numbers, are determined by your lender and the VA rather than by us, so get a written estimate from a VA-approved lender before you plan around any figure.
Questions on any step: call or text 850-417-3247, or see neighborhoods by base.