Often, yes. VA requires you to certify that you’ll personally occupy the home within a reasonable time, which VA’s lender handbook defines as generally within 60 days of closing. A later move-in date can work if it’s tied to a specific event, like your report date, but more than 12 months is generally not considered reasonable. If you’re on active duty and can’t move in yet, your spouse moving in can meet the requirement. Here’s how to line up a new build’s timeline with your orders.
Brock Bremmer | U.S. Air Force Reserves Veteran | Real Estate Agent | eXp Realty | San Antonio Metro Area
VA Loan & New Construction Specialist
Also see: PCS to San Antonio Guide | VA Loans on New Construction | How to Use a VA Loan
What Does VA Mean by “Occupy Within a Reasonable Time”?
Federal law (38 U.S.C. 3704(c)) requires you to certify that you intend to personally occupy the home. You sign that certification at closing on VA Form 26-1820. Chapter 3 of VA’s Lender’s Handbook (M26-7) sets the timing:
- Standard: Generally within 60 days of closing
- Later date: Allowed when you certify a specific future date tied to a particular event, such as arriving on station after a PCS
- Outer limit: More than 12 months after closing is generally not considered reasonable
- Retirement: If you’re retiring within 12 months, a specific date with documentation can work
Your lender makes the call based on your situation, so share your orders and report date early.
Can Your Spouse Move In Before You Arrive?
Yes. M26-7 says that when an active duty member can’t personally occupy the home in time, the occupancy requirement is met if the spouse occupies it. A dependent child’s occupancy can also qualify, with the attorney-in-fact or guardian signing the certification on VA Form 26-1820. VA also treats deployed members as in temporary duty status, so a deployment doesn’t break the occupancy requirement.
One planning note: if you’ll be keeping a separate place for a while, M26-7 says the cost of separate living arrangements is considered in underwriting. Tell your lender up front so it’s in the numbers.
How Do You Line Up a Build Timeline With Your Report Date?
The type of new build you pick changes how much control you have over the closing date.
- Quick move-in or completed homes: The house is finished or nearly done, so the closing date is easier to match to your arrival or your spouse’s
- Homes under construction: Ask for the estimated completion date in writing, and ask what happens if it slips past your report date
- Build-to-order: The longest runway and the most scheduling risk. Make sure the 12-month occupancy limit won’t become an issue
The VA appraisal has a clock too. Under M26-7 Chapter 13, a Notice of Value is generally valid for six months, including for proposed construction since VA Circular 26-14-28 shortened that period in 2014. If you’re under contract before it expires, processing can continue until closing or until the contract ends, and VA can grant extensions case by case. Ask your lender how its timeline lines up with the builder’s.
Before you sign, read the builder contract’s sections on delays, deposits, and what happens if your orders change. Those terms vary by builder.
What Do You Need for Your Certificate of Eligibility?
Your lender needs your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) before closing, and it can usually request it for you. VA lists these documents:
- Active duty: A statement of service signed by your commander, adjutant, or personnel officer. It must show your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, date you entered duty, any lost time, and the name of your command
- Veterans: Your DD214
- Guard or Reserve, never activated: A statement of service that includes your creditable years of service
Get the statement of service started before you out-process. It’s much harder to chase once you’re on the road.
Where Should You Look Around JBSA?
Joint Base San Antonio spreads across several locations, and the right search area depends on where you’ll report. Each base has its own guide on my site:
- JBSA-Lackland: On the southwest side near Loop 410 and US 90. See buying near Lackland
- JBSA-Randolph: Northeast near Universal City and Schertz. See buying near Randolph
- JBSA-Fort Sam Houston: Northeast of downtown near I-35. See buying near Fort Sam Houston
- Camp Bullis: On the far north side off I-10. See buying near Camp Bullis
New construction is spread across the metro, from the west side near Loop 1604 to Schertz and Cibolo near Randolph. Drive the commute at rush hour before you commit if you can, or have someone do it for you.
What Costs Should You Plan For?
- Funding fee: On a first-use purchase, VA lists 2.15% with less than 5% down, 1.5% with 5% or more, and 1.25% with 10% or more. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are generally exempt
- Lender fees: VA notes many lenders charge a flat 1% origination fee. Compare at least two Loan Estimates, including the builder’s preferred lender
- Seller concessions: VA caps seller concessions at 4% of the home’s reasonable value, and the funding fee counts toward that cap if the seller pays it
- Property taxes and escrow: Taxes vary a lot by lot and taxing district. Ask for the full rate, not just the builder’s estimate
Once you’re living in the home, file for your homestead exemption. Texas Form 50-114 says the chief appraiser may waive the driver’s license address match for certain active duty members and spouses, which helps if you haven’t updated your license yet.
I walk through closing in What Actually Happens on Closing Day When You Buy New Construction in San Antonio on my YouTube channel.
Frequently Asked Questions: Buying a New Build Before a PCS
How soon do you have to move into a home bought with a VA loan?
VA’s Lender’s Handbook says generally within 60 days of closing. A later date can work if you certify a specific date tied to a particular event, like a PCS report date, but more than 12 months is generally not considered reasonable. For active duty members, a spouse’s occupancy can meet the requirement.
Can I close on a VA loan before I arrive in San Antonio?
Often, yes, as long as you can certify occupancy within a reasonable time or your spouse will move in. Ask your lender and title company early how signing will work if you’re not in Texas yet, and confirm the builder’s completion date fits your orders.
Ready to Line Up a New Build With Your Orders?
Brock Bremmer with eXp Realty is a U.S. Air Force Reserves veteran who has helped buyers and sellers close 120+ homes across the San Antonio metro. He helps military buyers compare new construction near each JBSA location, match builder timelines to report dates, and coordinate with VA lenders and title companies from a distance.
- 📞 Call or text: 210-501-5088
- 📧 Email: [email protected]
- 📅 Schedule a free consultation
Also see: VA Loan Guide for Military Buyers | Buying as a VA and Military Buyer | New Construction Financing | Using Your VA Loan Again
Sources: VA M26-7, Lender’s Handbook, Chapter 3, Topic 5, Occupancy; VA M26-7, Chapter 13, Notice of Value validity; VA Circular 26-14-28; 38 U.S.C. 3704; VA, how to request a COE; VA, funding fee and closing costs; VA, home buying process; Texas Comptroller, Form 50-114.