Six working tools

The PCS Home-Buying Kit

Six working tools for buying a home in the Treasure Valley on orders — built around the questions military buyers ask too late.

The kit is yours to keep and use with any agent or lender. Nothing in it is held back.

Send me the kit Read the questions military buyers ask →

What's inside

Use the tools in any order, but most buyers start with Tool 1: it turns your report date into a working calendar, and every other tool fits on it.

Correcting the Record: "You Can Only Use a VA Loan Once"

You can use your VA home loan benefit more than once. When a VA loan is paid off and the home is sold, your entitlement can be restored. Even while a VA loan is still open, you may have remaining entitlement that lets you buy again (Tool 2 shows the math). The funding fee is higher after first use unless you're exempt (Tool 3), so it's worth knowing which case you're in before you make an offer.

Where should we send it?

The kit arrives as two PDFs — the six tools and a one-page companion. Both are yours in full, and both are on the next screen the moment you send this.

Keith Kellum

Keith Kellum · My Home Connection by REAL Broker LLC

U.S. Army, 1990–1993, Air Defense Artillery

Send me the kit

Two fields and how you found us. No phone number required.

What happens next

The kit arrives

Both PDFs are on the next screen immediately, and a copy goes to the address you gave.

You use the tools that apply

Print the ones you need, write in them, and keep them. Nothing is held back and nothing is shortened to prompt a meeting.

Ask if a question comes up

Reply to the email the kit arrived in, or call (208) 214-5595.

Two-hour response SLA — you hear back within two hours during business hours.

Questions military buyers ask before they download

How do I get my VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE)?

You can request your COE from VA online, or your lender can request it for you. Request it before you tour homes. It shows whether you have full or remaining entitlement, which decides whether a loan limit applies.

Can I use my VA loan more than once?

Yes. When a VA loan is paid off and the home is sold, your entitlement can be restored. You may also have remaining entitlement while a VA loan is still open. The funding fee is higher after first use unless you're exempt.

Can I buy a home in Idaho before I arrive on orders?

Yes. Many military buyers tour by live video, have a spouse or partner handle in-person steps, and arrange remote signing or an accepted power of attorney through the title company and lender. Start with your report date and work backward so each step has a date.

Does a buyer pay for a buyer's agent on a VA purchase?

Buyer agent compensation is negotiated and outlined in the Buyer Representation Agreement. In many transactions the seller agrees to cover the buyer agent's commission. Ask your MHC agent for details specific to your situation.