Questions to Ask a Fort Benning Realtor Before You PCS

The best question to ask a Fort Benning realtor isn’t how many homes they sold last year. It’s this: “What happens in three years when I get new orders?” Buying on a PCS is a house decision and a life-strategy decision at the same time. The home has to work for the next three to five years, and it has to still make sense as a rental or a resale when the Army moves you again. Below are the questions that show you whether an agent knows the area and the Army, or just knows listings, and what a good answer sounds like.

Why picking a realtor for a PCS is different

A PCS purchase runs on a report date, not on your schedule. A lot of families buy before they ever arrive, and many only get a short house-hunting window if they get one at all. That leaves very little room for an agent who is learning BAH, VA appraisals or the gates on your dime.

It’s also personal fast. Your agent learns about your kids, your jobs, your finances and what you’re nervous about, often in the first phone call. That kind of one-sided trust is easier when it’s someone you’re comfortable with and who gets what your family is going through. Kelsey and I are an Army family, and that comfort is exactly what we looked for when we needed an agent ourselves.

The questions to ask a Fort Benning realtor before you PCS

1. “What happens in three years when I get new orders?”

This is the question almost nobody asks, and it’s the one that matters most. A good agent talks about the exit before the entrance: will this home rent for enough to cover the mortgage, management and repairs if you keep it, and will it resell quickly if you don’t? If the answer is only about finishes and square footage, keep looking. We walk through that math in sell or rent when you PCS and keeping your VA loan and buying again.

2. “Can you show and close homes on both sides of the river?”

Fort Benning sits on the Georgia–Alabama line. Columbus and Harris County are in Georgia; Phenix City, Smiths Station and Fort Mitchell are in Alabama. An agent needs a license in each state to represent you on both sides, and the two states handle property taxes very differently. Ask whether they are licensed in both and have actually closed deals on both sides. We have. Our Columbus vs Phenix City cost comparison shows why the choice matters.

3. “How will you show me homes if I’m not here yet?”

If you’re buying from your current duty station or overseas, the agent’s remote process is the whole job. Ask what a remote tour actually looks like. Ours are live FaceTime and video-call walkthroughs, and we’ll literally drive the neighborhood on FaceTime so you can see the street, the traffic and what’s around the corner before you commit to a visit. If you do get a trip, our house-hunting trip planner and the PCS house-hunting timeline help you use every hour.

4. “Which gate and commute fit my schedule?”

Fort Benning has several gates with different hours and traffic, and the right neighborhood depends on which one you’ll use every day. Sand Hill’s gate keeps limited hours, so it can’t be your only plan. A local agent should be able to talk drive times from a specific address. You can check them yourself with our homes for sale by Fort Benning gate tool.

5. “How do school zones work for the homes I’m looking at?”

School assignment follows the home’s address, and districts change across county and state lines. A good agent will show you the zoned schools for each address and point you to the official state data (CCRPI in Georgia, the State Report Card in Alabama) so you can judge for yourself. Our homes for sale by school tool starts the search from the school instead of the house.

6. “Can you help with more than the house?”

The house is one piece of a move. Ask whether the agent can help you think through on-post vs off-post schools, on-post housing versus buying, signing in, and lenders who close VA loans on PCS timelines. An agent who knows the Army can save you time on all of it.

7. “How is your fee paid on a VA loan, and what’s in the buyer agreement?”

Since August 2024, agents generally need a written buyer agreement with you before touring homes, so ask to see it and have the fee explained up front. On a VA loan, the seller can still pay your agent, and VA does not count that against the 4% seller-concession limit. Under VA Circular 26-24-14, veterans may also pay a reasonable and customary buyer’s agent fee themselves, but that fee can’t be rolled into the loan, so it counts toward your cash to close. Read our VA loan rules for 2026 and VA’s own summary of the change, and confirm the numbers with your lender.

Red flags when you’re choosing an agent

Don’t just pick the first agent that pops up. Take one short call to get to know them a little. Watch for these:

• You have to explain what BAH, a PCS or a report date is.
• They only talk about listings, never about rent, resale or your next move.
• They’ve never closed on the other side of the river.
• They can’t describe their remote tour process.
• The fee and the buyer agreement are vague until you’re about to make an offer.

A good Fort Benning realtor should be easy to talk to, quick to answer, and clear about the plan.

Arrio’s take

When Kelsey and I needed an agent, we looked for someone we could relate to, someone who got us, because we were about to share an emotional and financial decision with them. Your agent learns a lot about your family fast: the kids, the jobs, the money. That trust comes easier with someone you’re comfortable with.

If a buddy got orders here and asked me how to pick an agent, I’d tell him: pick someone you’re comfortable with and can relate to, who plans a life decision and not just a house decision, one that holds up for the next three to five years whether you rent it or sell it. And pick someone who knows the Army, so they help with more than the house: schools, on post, even how to sign in.

Choosing a Fort Benning realtor: common questions

Do I need a realtor to buy with a VA loan?

VA doesn’t require you to use an agent. Most PCS buyers do, because the agent handles the search, the offer, the VA appraisal and repair negotiations, and keeps the closing on schedule while you’re still at your old duty station.

Can I pay my buyer’s agent with a VA loan?

Yes. Under VA Circular 26-24-14, veterans may pay a reasonable and customary buyer’s agent fee, but it can’t be financed into the loan. The seller can still pay it instead, and that payment doesn’t count against VA’s 4% seller-concession limit.

Can I buy a home near Fort Benning without seeing it in person?

Yes. Many families buy remotely using live video tours and neighborhood drive-throughs on video, with an inspection before closing. Ask your agent to walk you through exactly how they handle it.

Should my agent be licensed in Georgia and Alabama?

If you’re open to both Columbus and the Alabama side, yes. An agent needs a license in each state to represent you there.

Want to talk it through before you pick an agent? Our Fort Benning PCS realtor team will answer every question on this list for you.

Before you rely on any of this: this article is general education, current as of the date published, and not legal, tax, or lending advice. VA rules and fees change, so verify them with VA and your lender before you act. Arrio Granum is a licensed REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Kennon, Parker, Duncan & Davis in Columbus, GA.