Navy veteran, local Realtor, and straight shooter. Whether you're buying before your boots hit the ground or selling before your orders drop — I've navigated this. Let me help you do the same.
The PCS guide to Hampton Roads: the three installations (Naval Station Norfolk, NAS Oceana–Dam Neck, JEB Little Creek–Fort Story) and which neighborhoods avoid the tunnels; VA loans and 2026 BAH by pay grade; buying sight-unseen before your report date versus renting first; and selling on outbound orders. Written by a Navy veteran (Machinist Mate) who came here on orders — 189 of John King's 428 MLS closings were VA-financed. Written and kept current by John King — U.S. Navy veteran and REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, Virginia license 0225211050 — 441 closings across Hampton Roads since 2014, 44.2% of the 428 MLS transactions VA-financed, 5.0 stars on 117 Google reviews. Call or text (757) 270-3994.
Last reviewed September 11, 2026 · Market figures: Redfin, three months ending August 31, 2026 · Closing record: REIN MLS, June 2014 – August 2026
John: Hey, it's John King with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, and we're here with Anthony Thomas. He's PCSing from Chicago down here to the Little Creek amphib base, and I'll turn it over to him on what it's like to PCS and buy a home sight unseen. This is the first time he's seen the house, here today. Anthony: John made it pretty easy. He sent pictures. He kept coming to the house, video chatting us, showing us every little issue he saw. When we kept looking at houses, he would point out everything that you could not notice in pictures. That way we knew we were going to pick something good before we set it in stone. And like he said, this is the first time seeing it, and we're almost done with the whole process, and it's exactly what he said it was going to be. John: I appreciate your business — and I guess you'd recommend us to other people then? Anthony: Oh, definitely. Yes. John: Thank you, brother. Anthony: You're welcome.
John isn't reciting a script. He's navigated a military relocation himself, understands what BAH means in practice, and knows which neighborhoods work for which assignments.
U.S. Navy veteran. He knows what it's like to move a family on orders, work within BAH, and need answers fast. No translator needed.
VA loans are standard here, not a specialty. Zero down, no PMI, funding fee exemption guidance for service-connected veterans, and offers that actually compete.
Buyers have closed on Hampton Roads homes from overseas, from deployment, and from their next duty station. Virtual tours, remote contracts, no delays.
Dozens of tight-order moves executed. He knows how to move fast without missing anything — and what it costs you if you do.
He knows which neighborhoods hit your BAH sweet spot for every rank and rate. No wasted tours on homes that don't fit your numbers.
Selling before you go and buying when you arrive. He handles both — and coordinates the timing so you're not carrying two mortgages.
This is the process that's moved military families through Hampton Roads without the chaos that doesn't need to be part of the story.
Share your base, report date, and must-haves. He sends a tailored market brief within 24 hours — neighborhoods, price ranges, and commute realities mapped to your assignment.
Buyers get a neighborhood match built around commute, schools, and BAH. Sellers get a positioning strategy built around the home and move date — not a generic listing plan.
Virtual tours, video walkthroughs, live FaceTime walkthroughs — whatever your schedule allows. Many buyers make their decision without ever setting foot in the market first.
John writes VA offers that compete in this market. Sellers get accurate pricing that moves without leaving money on the table — he knows how sellers in this market think.
Remote closing available. Clean, on-time closings — no delays you didn't see coming. You move when you need to move. That's the standard, not the exception.
Select your pay grade and dependency status, then use the price adjuster to explore what happens when you go above or below your BAH max — in $25,000 steps.
Rates shown are 2026 BAH for the Norfolk/Portsmouth/Virginia Beach MHA (VA298), effective January 1, 2026. PITI estimate assumes 30-year fixed, ~1.0% property tax, ~0.40% homeowner's insurance. PMI (~0.80%/yr) applied automatically for conventional loans with <20% down. Always verify at militarypay.defense.gov.
Work through each phase at your own pace. Progress saves automatically in your browser.
BAH, home prices, taxes and the drive are different depending on where your orders came from. Each guide puts the 2026 DTMO BAH table side by side with Norfolk, maps your old command to the right Hampton Roads installation, and covers what to do with the home you are leaving.
Hampton Roads is home to more military installations than nearly any metro in the country. Here's what you need to know about each base.
NSN is the anchor of the Hampton Roads military economy. Hosts aircraft carrier strike groups, submarine squadrons, and major fleet commands.
Home of East Coast Strike Fighter aviation. Located in central Virginia Beach — most VB neighborhoods are 10–25 minutes away.
Home of Naval Expeditionary Combat Command and SEAL Teams. East Beach, Chic's Beach, and Ocean Park are the go-to neighborhoods.
Langley is on the Peninsula — Hampton and Newport News are the logical housing markets. John covers the Peninsula at every price point.
America's oldest continuously operating naval hospital. Portsmouth and Chesapeake offer strong value for medical personnel.
Multiple commands spread across Hampton Roads. Location flexibility is high. Talk to John about which neighborhood optimizes your specific command location.
If your next orders or retirement keep you in Hampton Roads, run the free H.E.L.M. Check. It compares keeping your current home against moving into a different one, using your real payment, debts and usable equity. Leaving the area with a home to keep? The military landlord guide covers renting it out.
Run the H.E.L.M. Check →You don't have six months to figure this out. Whether you got 90 days' notice or 30, John builds a sell plan around your report date — not the other way around. Headed somewhere else in the fleet? John also matches you with a vetted agent at your next duty station — interviewed by him, no cost to you.
Not every home should be sold. John runs both scenarios with your real numbers — equity, rental income, management costs, tax implications — so you decide on math, not gut feeling.
Your report date is the deadline. John prices to move — not to sit. Accurate CMA, aggressive marketing from day one, and a strategy that accounts for the clock.
Already at your next duty station? Remote closings, power of attorney, and a transaction coordinator who handles everything while you're settling in somewhere new.
Real reviews from real clients — many of them military families who navigated a PCS with John's help.
John was amazing to work with and greatly assisted in the selling of our house. He kept us informed, was straight forward, respected our recommendations and was very knowledgeable about the market. Personable and genuinely enjoyable to work with.
Couldn't ask for a better, more attentive, and knowledgeable Realtor. We learned so much from John King! I've worked with other Realtors, but never felt like I was their only client — which is how we felt working with John.
John is a trustworthy person. He helped us more than any review can describe. All that off a handshake the first time we met. John knows the business and has his clients' best interests in mind.
"I served in the Navy with this man and when I found out he was a realtor it was a no-brainer. 10/10 would recommend to anyone!"
"Before working with John, we had our home listed with another agent, and it sat on the market for four months with very little traffic. […] We relaunched with John, and within just three days on the market, we saw significant traffic and received multiple offers above list price."
The official links that matter most during a PCS — VA loan, healthcare, moving, pay, and more.
va.gov — Official VA loan eligibility, Certificate of Eligibility, and benefit information.
tricare.mil · 1-800-444-5445 — Transfer coverage and find providers at your new duty station.
militaryonesource.mil · 1-800-342-9647 — Official DoD PCS resource hub, 24/7 support.
move.mil · DPS Help: 1-833-645-6683 — Schedule and manage your household goods shipment.
militarypay.defense.gov — Verify current BAH rates for any duty station from the DoD.
dfas.mil — Dislocation allowance, MALT, TLE, and all PCS pay entitlements.
tricare.mil/milConnect · 1-800-538-9552 — Update DEERS, manage dependents, access DoD benefits.
va.gov — Step-by-step VA loan application including how to request your Certificate of Eligibility.
dmv.virginia.gov — Get your VA driver's license within 60 days. Register vehicles within 30 days.
Every public school district in the region — direct links to enrollment for each city. Military families on orders may qualify for enrollment prior to physical arrival.
Written for orders in hand. The playbooks behind 189 VA financed closings.
Most PCS guidance is written for the family arriving. The harder problem is usually on the way out — a house to dispose of, a report date that will not move, and a decision between selling and becoming a long-distance landlord. These are the numbers from my own 441 closings (428 MLS transactions) that bear on it.
At 7 to 9 percent to sell and a median 6.25 percent annual appreciation, roughly eighteen months of holding covers the round trip. Under two years, the arithmetic usually favors renting; past three or four, it usually favors selling. Everything else in this decision is secondary to that.
Renting the home out with the VA loan in place generally leaves part of your entitlement committed to it, limiting what you can buy at the next base without a down payment. Selling restores it in full. If your next station is a more expensive market, this frequently outweighs the rental income.
Preparation, marketing and a 30 to 45 day settlement mean a sale timed to a report date needs months of runway. The seasonal spread compounds it: May listings went under contract in a median of 19 days in my record, October listings in 55.
Figures come from John King’s own REIN MLS closing record — 428 MLS-recorded transactions (441 client sides), 2014–2026 — not a regional average. ZIP-level figures cover every closing recorded in that ZIP code, which is a wider area than this one neighborhood; sample sizes are shown so you can weigh them. Past results do not predict what any individual home will do.
Short answers to the questions that come up between orders in hand and keys in hand.
More military PCS and VA loan videos in the library → · All 100+ videos · Subscribe on YouTube
Straight answers from a Navy veteran Realtor who has helped military families buy and sell across Hampton Roads.
Fill out the form and John will reach out within one business day with a move plan built around your orders, your base, and your budget. No pitch. Just answers.
Call or text directly — John answers.
Market updates, neighborhood walkthroughs, VA loan tips, and honest PCS advice. YouTube is where the deep-dive content lives.
Case studies
Military moves John has actually run, and the market he prices against. Each one links to its source — the full write-up, the client's own review on Zillow or Google, or John on camera.
PCS purchase, sight unseen
Chicago → Norfolk, minutes from Naval Station Norfolk · 2026
Source: Full case study · How the remote process works
Move-up: sell and buy nine days apart
Deerwood Trace → Wolfsnare Plantation, Virginia Beach · 2026
Source: Full case study
East Beach, summer 2026: 10 days to contract
East Beach, Norfolk · market read, July 2026
Source: East Beach market update (video, July 2026) · East Beach neighborhood guide
The wider record: 441 closings across 13 years, analyzed · 117 five-star Google reviews · 81 on Zillow.
Watch
VA loans, picking a city by commute and budget, buying without house-hunting leave, and the first call to make when orders drop. Each video has a written transcript below it.
Who is John King? If you're looking for a REALTOR® in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, or anywhere in Hampton Roads, that's a fair question, because I know you have many options. But most agents operate the same way. I don't. I'm a full-time REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, and I specialize in helping sellers, buyers, and military families just like you across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and really the entire Hampton Roads real estate market. I've been doing this for over 13 years and have personally closed more than 400 homes. But what matters more than that is how those homes were brought to market and sold. Most agents just put a sign in the yard, a lockbox on the front door, list in the MLS and wait. That's not strategy. That's hope. What I do differently is engineer demand for you, using what I call my strategic digital marketing system. This is not just posting homes online. It's a structured, data-driven system built to get your home in front of the right buyers at the right time on the social media and other platforms they're already using. We use targeted paid digital campaigns, advanced audience segmentation, retargeting strategies, and high-level video and media exposure to make sure your home is not just seen but remembered. Because today, buyers don't discover homes by driving around neighborhoods. They discover them online first. They're scrolling, comparing, and deciding before they ever make an appointment to step inside your home. So your home needs to stand out before the showings ever happen, because online is your first showing. Your home isn't just listed. It's positioned: positioned to create attention, positioned to create competition, and to drive stronger offers. I've spent my entire career studying the Hampton Roads housing market, all the way from East Ocean View to East Beach, down Shore Drive, the entire Great Neck corridor, to Chesapeake, Suffolk, and the Peninsula. I understand what drives value in each neighborhood and how to use that to your advantage. I'm also a U.S. Navy veteran, so when I work with clients there's discipline, accountability, follow-through, and execution. If you're PCSing to or from Hampton Roads, I understand Naval Station Norfolk, NAS Oceana, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, the amphibious base at Little Creek, and all the others in between, and the timelines that come with military moves. I've helped hundreds of military families buy and sell homes here on time, without chaos. If you're buying a home in Virginia Beach or anywhere in Hampton Roads, you need more than access to listings. You need a strategy, because the best homes here don't sit around for long. I help buyers understand what homes are actually worth, how to compete in multiple-offer situations, and how to structure offers that get accepted without overpaying or giving away the farm. From first-time home buyers to move-up buyers to luxury and waterfront homes, I guide you step by step so you can make confident decisions without second-guessing everything and wasting time. When you work with me, here's what you can expect: a pricing strategy based on real data and facts; a strategic digital marketing system that reaches thousands of targeted buyers on purpose every single week; clear communication; and an agent who is fully invested in your outcome and goals, not just a transaction. I'm proud to represent Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty because it gives my clients access to a global network and resources few others can compare to. So whether you're selling, buying, relocating to Hampton Roads, or just want to know what your home is worth in today's market, reach out to me anytime and we'll put a real plan together. I'm John King with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty. I look forward to working with you.
Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk. So how do you pick the right city when you PCS to Hampton Roads? Because each city has a different profile. Virginia Beach has a coastal lifestyle with sought-after schools and competitive pricing, while Norfolk is closer to the naval base with more affordable entry points. Chesapeake has more space with a suburban feel, while Suffolk has room to grow at lower entry price points. The right city depends on the location of your new command, your commute, tunnels, budget, and your family's priorities. I'm John King, Navy vet with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty, and I've helped well over 400 families buy and sell real estate right here in Hampton Roads. I'd love to help you and your family reach your goals. You can reach me directly at 757-270-3994. Thanks for watching.
Remote buying here in Hampton Roads, and how to close on a home you've never even walked through, because it happens every PCS season: very limited house hunting leave, orders in hand with a report date in 6 to 8 weeks. So here's the process. A virtual tour of homes, live with your agent. A trusted local contact who will physically walk the home. Real-time communication with the inspector on inspection day. Digital signatures at closing. I've built this process specifically for inbound buyers just like you. I'm John King, Navy vet and Hampton Roads real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty. If you need some boots-on-the-ground help during your PCS move or any move into the area, give me a call. I've got you.
So you've got PCS orders to Hampton Roads. Here's the very first call you need to make. Not the movers, not the housing office. Call a real estate agent who has actually closed VA transactions in this Hampton Roads market. Get pre-approved with a local lender before you start looking at houses online, and lock in your budget first. Because in competitive military markets, sellers pick between offers in hours or days. A certified pre-approval with your Certificate of Eligibility confirmed puts you in a completely different position than a pre-qual letter alone. I'm John King, Navy veteran and real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty. If you need some help, give me a call.
More short videos on Hampton Roads real estate: KingRealtor757 on YouTube.
Keep exploring Hampton Roads with John King
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia's policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, disability, or source of funds.
John King · Virginia Real Estate License #0225211050 · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices RW Towne Realty · Licensed in Virginia
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Prices, availability, and market conditions subject to change without notice.
REALTOR® — Member of the National Association of REALTORS® · Virginia Association of REALTORS® · Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association (HRRA)
