Guides from McKee Properties
Owning, renting out and renting a home on military orders
Plain-English guides for service members who own a home they may rent out, service members who rent off base, and owners who rent to them: PCS timing, VA loan rules, SCRA protections, powers of attorney, BAH and taxes. Every rule was checked against official sources on October 19, 2026.
For the tenant-side SCRA and California rules, see military tenants and the SCRA. For taxes on a rental, see the Rental Property Tax Guide; for dates, the home sale exclusion timeline.
Owning a home on orders
A PCS Timeline for Military Homeowners: From Orders to Report Date
A PCS timeline for California military homeowners: keep, rent or sell, VA loan checks, insurance, listing, the lease, the homeowners' exemption and taxes.
VA Loan Occupancy Rules: When You Can Rent Out Your Home
How VA loan occupancy works: intent to occupy, the 60-day move-in standard, spouse and dependent child rules on active duty, and renting the home later.
Buying Again With a VA Loan While You Rent Out Your First Home
A second VA loan while you rent out your first home: full, remaining and bonus entitlement, county loan limits, and when used entitlement can be restored.
SCRA Protections for Military Homeowners and Landlords
What the SCRA does for military homeowners: the 6% rate cap and foreclosure protection on pre-service mortgages, court stays, and what it does not cover.
Power of Attorney for Military Homeowners Who Rent Out a Home
Power of attorney for military homeowners with a rental: the federal military POA, California signing rules, notarizing to record, special vs. general.
Deployment Checklist for Military Rental Owners
A deployment checklist for military owners who rent out a California home: power of attorney, manager contacts, repairs, insurance, rent, records and taxes.
Taxes and selling
California Taxes for Military Homeowners Who Rent Out a Home
How California taxes military owners who rent out a home: domicile, military pay, California-source rent, 7% rent withholding, Forms 588 and 593.
Selling a Home After Military Moves: The 10-Year Home Sale Exclusion Suspension
How the military suspension of the home sale 5-year test works under IRC § 121(d)(9): who qualifies, rental period rules and depreciation you still owe.
Renting and renting to service members
Renting Off Base in California: A Guide for Military Tenants
For service members renting off base in California: the housing office, HOMES.mil, deposit limits, SCRA lease exits, military clauses and renters insurance.
When a Military Tenant Gets PCS or Deployment Orders: Step by Step
Steps for tenants and owners when a service member gets PCS or deployment orders: the notice, the end date, rent owed, move-out inspection and the deposit.
HOMES.mil for Renters and Landlords: How Military Housing Listings Work
How HOMES.mil works: the official DoD rental listing site, how service members search it, how property managers list for free, and how AHRN.com differs.
How BAH Works for Military Renters and Landlords
How Basic Allowance for Housing works under 37 U.S.C. § 403: what sets the rate, what 2026 rates are built on, and how renters and landlords treat it.
These guides are general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your situation with your installation legal assistance office, a California attorney or a tax professional.
