If Andrews Air Force Base is your next duty station, let me be one of the first to welcome you to Maryland.
Whether you are enlisted, a newly commissioned officer, a General, or anyone in between - you probably already checked out the website for Andrews, so I won't attempt to tell you about the base or its services. Instead, let me tell you a little about the surrounding area and five critical steps for you to take BEFORE arriving to buy a home.
Andrews AFB is located outside Washington, D.C. in Prince George's County, and within a half hour of Anne Arundel and Charles Counties. Howard and Montgomery Counties are also within commuting distance, as is Alexandria, Virginia. You will find many options for a place to live, your spouse to get a job, and a good public school system ifor your children. As a D.C. native, I am very familiar with all of these areas, and can answer your questions about schools, homes, shopping and commuting for any of them.
These counties are probably the most popular ones with Andrews AFB civilian and military personnel:
Andrews AFB is located in Prince George's County, where Bowie and Mitchellville are popular with Andrews personnel because of their convenient location and many housing options, ranging from condos to "McMansions" and everything in between. You'll enjoy Bowie New Town's extensive shopping and restaurant park, the minor league Bowie Baysox, and Allen's Pond - including an ice arena. Prince George's County is home to the University of Maryland flagship campus and to University of Maryland University College, if anyone in your family is interested in higher education. If so, you may want to consider living in the City of College Park, where a grant program is available for some housing - be sure to ask me about it.
Andrews AFB personnel often choose to live in Anne Arundel County, home to Fort Meade and the United States Naval Academy and perhaps the most military-friendly place to live in the nearby area. You will benefit from the convenience of easy access to services for dependents at these locations, as well as Andrews.
The state capitol of Annapolis is located in Anne Arundel County, and you will enjoy visiting this historic city with its maritime ambiance. (Not to mention that the newly expanded Annapolis Mall is arguably the best shopping center anywhere in Maryland!) Crofton and Odenton are two areas that are very popular with Andrews personnel, as well as the Annapolis.
Andrews AFB is only about a half hour from Waldorf, in Charles County, adjacent to Prince George's County o the south. It may be ideal if you work shifts, but you could find the traffic in and out of Waldorf during rush hour to be a major drawback.
ANDREWS AFB HOME BUYERS' CHECKLIST:
1. Request a FREE Maryland Travel Kit from the Maryland Office of Tourism. This is first on the list because it will take a while to receive this information by mail, after you make the request, and you may find the Maryland map and other material helpful in getting to know the area.
2. Verify your BAH, basic pay, and any allowances for which you may be eligible, based on your own rate or rank. You will be required to enter the Andrews AFB zipcode (20762), so I am providing it here for your reference. If you need additional information about your pay, consult the website for the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
3. Obtain your VA Certificate of Eligibility if you plan to use a VA Mortgage to buy a home. Even if you used VA in the past, you may be eligible again. Most lenders can help you obtain your certificate, but the procedure is relatively easy if you want to do it yourself. Just remember not to pack it with your household effects because you will need it in hand to get your VA loan.
4. Obtain pre-approval from a local mortgage lender. While there is no shortage of lenders online, I highly recommend a local lender for many reasons. Here are a few lenders that my clients have worked with recently:
It is important to do this up-front, so you are realistic about price range in your home search. There's no point in spending your limited time looking at homes you can't buy, and then suffering the disappointment of learning that after you fall in love with a home.
5. Search online for a home or condo to familiarize yourself with communities in the area. This will expose you to photos, descriptions and prices of homes in different zipcodes near Andrews AFB. Once you narrow down your search, contact me for more information about the communities. As I mentioned before, I was born in D.C. and raised in Maryland, so I have an intimate knowledge of the entire area, including Ann Arundel, Charles, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties.
Of course, it goes without saying that you need to choose a local real estate agent who really knows the area... and knows military life!
I've walked in your shoes, as a military spouse, and gone to new duty stations with only a day or two to make a housing decision. I had a baby while my husband was deployed, and I've struggled with all the decisions a military spouse makes without any family around to help out. Add that experience to my years as a Realtor, helping military families... Who could be better qualified to help you relocate to the Andrews AFB area?
If you are interested in Crofton real estate, be sure to check out Focus On Crofton, my blog for and about and the surrounding area..
RELATED LINKS:
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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX. These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace.
When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900
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