Should Military Buy or Rent in San Diego?

San Diego County has one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the country. The San Diego area Marine Corps and Navy bases and facilities. A big decision to make if you’re in the military and moving to San Diego, is whether to live on base, buy a property or rent a home or apartment.

The decision to buy or rent a house or apartment is more complicated for military personnel because they may be assigned to San Diego for just a short amount of time. The current condition of the San Diego real estate market at the time could make it easy or difficult for you if you decide to purchase while in San Diego and then sell when you transfer.

When demand exceeds supply (a seller’s market), properties tend to sell quickly at or above the asking price. When supply exceeds demand (a buyer’s market), properties usually take much longer to sell and may sell below the asking price. Military personnel should consider this issue when choosing whether to buy or rent real estate in the San Diego area.

Another major factor to consider when deciding to buy or rent is the likely appreciation rate of your property during your stay in San Diego. If you plan to sell your property before you depart to your next assignment, you should remember that there are expenses such as taxes and realtor fees connected with selling your house. Any price appreciation on the house may or may not be offset by these fees.

Some military personnel choose to keep their property even after they transfer to a new assignment outside of San Diego. You could rent out the property, leave it empty, or find another acceptable use of the home if you take this route. If you choose to hire a property manager to oversee the renting and maintenance of your property, keep in mind that the fees for this service will cut into any monthly profit you realize on the property.


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