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April 2012
MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.
Letter from the Editor

Spring is in the air, and as daffodils and tulips start popping up, so do the bright yellow MilitaryByOwner signs. In front yards and nearby intersections, military families see the sure sign that PCS season is on its way!

If you are a summer mover, we certainly hope that you will choose to advertise your home "For Sale" or "For Rent" with us this year. If you have advertised with us before, then we welcome you back and if you are new to our site, we are here to help you if you need assistance.

April is the Month of the Military Child and I would like to take this opportunity to say "thank you" to all military children for the amazing sacrifices you make on behalf of your military family member. The military children I have had the pleasure of knowing during our Marine Corps career have been some of the most polite, resilient, caring and well adjusted individuals I have have ever met. Thank you to all military children for your service to our great nation!

We are looking forward to spreading the word about MilitaryByOwner.com at the Marine South Expo in Camp Lejeune, NC, April 11-12, 2012. If you are planning on attending the expo, please be sure to stop by our booth and say "hello".

As many of you know, Facebook recently transitioned to a new Timeline format. This change has allowed us to integrate many new features into the MilitaryByOwner Facebook page, including links to our video tutorials, MBO Relocation Blog and regional blogs. We have also included milestones that display photos of our site and how it has changed during the last 12 years. We enjoyed revisiting our past and hope that you will too!
 
As the traffic on our site increases during the PCS season, so does the email, chat and phone calls and we love to hear from you.

If you have any questions about how to place an ad, renew an ad or search our site for homes, please feel free to contact us. You can reach us via email , phone (866-604-9126), live chat, Facebook and Twitter (@militarybyowner). We look forward to speaking with you!

Monica 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monica Schaefer View our profile on LinkedIn    

Editor

Media Relations Manager

MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.

 

 

 

In This Issue
Featured Article
Relocation Tips
Expert Corner
Featured Home
Military Life
Testimonial


Resources

Quantico Live Blog

Related Resources

About Us



_________________________________________________
Featured Article
Demystifying "For Sale by Owner"   

Monica Schaefer
MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.
  

Let's cut to the chase; selling a home by owner can be intimidating. Perceived as a complicated process of marketing, showing, negotiating, inspecting, and signing, there are those homeowners that wouldn't dream of embarking on the task of selling their home themselves. However, in a stagnant real estate market, saving the 3-6% commission paid to a real estate agent can be tantalizing, as it could mean the difference between loss and profit. So is selling your house as hard as it seems?

 

Breaking down a daunting task into manageable pieces may help make the process appear less overwhelming, so let's start with first things first... selling your home is a business transaction! While the four walls of this home undoubtedly hold an abundance of incredible memories, it is important to go through a paradigm shift and remove the emotional tug the home has on you. Take a business-like approach to selling your home in order to maintain clarity throughout the process.

 

 

 



Relocation Tips

Ease Your DITY/PPM Move with Portable Storage Containers 

PCS,  DITY, PPM, POV, TMO. This may sound like a foreign language to most, but for military families these acronyms can often invoke feelings of panic. It can only mean one thing... a military relocation is on the horizon.
 
For a comprehensive look at the steps involved in a DITY move, please read our article "To DITY or Not to DITY". 
 
The magnitude of planning for a move can be overwhelming, so let's tackle one of the biggest decisions first: partial DITY, full DITY, or no DITY at all?  If you are still trying to figure out all of the crazy military acronyms, DITY is short for Do-It-Yourself move and apparently one acronym wasn't enough, because PPM or Personally Procured Move was added to the list. My experience, after 16 years of Marine Corps life, there are two types of people, those that will, and those that won't. If you are the type that rather not be bothered with packing a single cardboard box, you may want to reconsider. With easier options for transporting your possessions across the country, organizing a full or partial move could mean a more organized and even profitable move.   

Read more

Expert Corner
Honor for Our Women Veterans

On 8th March 2012, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) honored women veterans for their significant roles in making monumental contributions to the nation. Secretary of Veteran Affairs, Eric.K.Shinseki, said "VA Honors women veterans of all eras for their courage and sacrifice. These veterans and those who currently serve in uniform are part of a proud history of women defending our nation. Today women veterans are recognized for more varied roles and operations, but women have always been critical to our military." Women veterans were also encouraged to make use of their VA benefits by the Veteran Affairs Department.

 

Women make up almost 15% of active duty troops, spanning every branch of military services and approximately 18% of National Guard and Reserve Forces. The VA estimates that women will represent 10% of the veteran population by 2020. The VA recently brought out, "Stories of Service"- 3 to 5 minutes of video clippings on women veterans of different eras sharing their military experiences and explaining the role of VA benefits in their personal life.

 

Women serve as Gunners, pilots, truck drivers and fuel suppliers. The VA offers women veterans:

  • Home loan guarantees
  • Educational Benefits
  • Compensation for service related disabilities or illnesses
  • Employment opportunities
  • High quality, gender specific health care

In lieu of these, the VA has also established a Women Veteran Call Center, to assist women with the various benefits available.

 

A woman veteran with a dream of owning a home can now make it true with the VA Home Loan Guarantee Program. VA Home Loan Captain, a company established to serve veterans can assist in using your VA Home Loan Benefits at competitive interest rates with no down payment and no Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).  To learn more, please visit: www.valoancaptain.com

 

Sources: http://www.va.gov.in


 

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Featured Home

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Rent: $2,350.00/mo.  

 

5 Bed, 4 Bath (Single Family)

MUST SEE HOME W/GREAT BACK YARD located in Aliante! 2 story with 5 br, 4 ba, large kitchen, office, family room, and upstairs loft. Back yard includes solar/gas heated pool/spa, rock slide, and waterfall. Gated community is within walking distance of schools and entertainment. Near Nellis or Creech.

 

See more details of this home: MBO223234       

 

 

Military Life
American Forces Press ServiceOfficial: Take Time to Honor Military Kids' Service

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

 

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2012 - Children of U.S. service members around the world will be honored throughout April for their contributions to their families' well-being and sacrifices on behalf of the nation, a Defense Department official said.

 

Each April, Americans pause to recognize the nation's 1.8 million military children during the Month of the Military Child.

 

"It's really important to recognize that military children also serve," Barbara Thompson, director of military community and family policy, children and youth, told the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.

 

It's also important, Thompson said, to take time to let military children "know how proud we are as Americans that they ... are supporting mom or dad in uniform, who is making great sacrifices for this country."

 

While frequent moves and school transitions can be challenging, Thompson said she believes the most challenging endeavor a military child has to endure is a parental separation due to deployment.

 

"While we've made great strides with technology and Skype ... it's not the same as having your mom or dad at your baseball game or high school graduation or one of your birthday parties," she said.

 

These separations can have a "serious impact" on military families' well-being, Thompson noted, particularly on the children. Younger children may experience separation and attachment issues, while older children may engage in risky behaviors, she explained.

 

Thompson noted a specific concern for children from Guard and Reserve families. These children, living in every community around the nation, may be lacking nearby support. A military child may be the only student in a school with a deployed parent, she said, and the school oftentimes isn't even aware.

 

"School districts are key partners," Thompson said. "That's where 92 percent of our school-age kids are located. They need to know they have military children in their schools."  

To combat a sense of isolation, officials have posted information online to educate teachers, school administrators and parents on supporting military children.

 

On installations, child development centers, youth programs and the New Parent Support Program are geared for providing "safe havens" for military kids, Thompson said.

 

The department already has made strides by partnering with other agencies and organizations, she said. DOD works closely with Zero to Three's Coming Together Around Military Families initiative, and with Sesame Street's military support programs such as Talk, Listen, Connect and Military Families Near and Far.

 

Officials have partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and 4-H to increase the programs and resources for school-age military children, Thompson added.

 

The DOD also has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, land-grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System to reach out to military children in communities, she said, noting 70 percent of military kids live off of installations.

 

While they're making progress, DOD officials can't tackle these issues alone, Thompson said. It will take the efforts of an entire nation -- from individuals and communities to government agencies and private companies -- to accomplish this goal, she added.

 

Every American can help to support military families, she said, and no effort is too small. A neighbor can help a parent with a deployed spouse by pitching in with a carpool, driving children to an extracurricular activity, or mowing a military families' lawn.

 

Schools can set aside special days to honor military kids' contributions, and communities can sponsor a play or picnic, or simply find the military families in their midst to thank them, Thompson said.

 

She suggested people visit the White House's Joining Forces website to find service opportunities that support military families in their neighborhoods.

 

Taking care of military parents has a positive and direct impact on their kids, Thompson noted.

 

"It's important to care for the stay-at-home parent with a deployed spouse," she said. "They're the first responders for these children. If the stay-at-home parent isn't being nurtured, it's very hard for him or her to nurture those children."

 

While military life can be challenging for children, it also offers tremendous opportunities for growth, Thompson said.

 

"We know that it's challenging to move every two to three years and uproot and make new friends and adjust to a new environment and a new community," she acknowledged. "But those are also opportunities for growth and resilience, to learn very quickly how to make friends and adapt and be flexible."

 

Thompson said she's spoken to military children now in college who reflect back to their experiences with a different perspective.

 

"While challenging in the moment, it really prepared them for being away from home, for forging new relationships and seeking new interests," she said.

 

Thompson encouraged people to take time this month to honor military children for their sacrifices, whether it's with an event or words of gratitude.

 

"One of the things that's disconcerting is we know that 1 percent of our population is in uniform and is serving, and the other 99 percent of the country takes full benefit of that," Thompson said. "As a community, we owe it to our children to honor them and to protect them." 

 

 

Testimonial

As a satisfied customer of MilitaryByOwner for the past 10 years, I have always been pleased with the overwhelming response we receive on our home advertisements. But when I placed an ad for our home near MCAS Yuma at 10:30 pm on a Friday night and received our first call at 12:20 am, I was definitely caught off guard. The best part is, that phone call resulted in the renting of our home! Thank you MBO for successfully renting our home in less than 2 hours!

Eric
MCAS Yuma

About Us

We love the fact that our number one source of advertising comes from our customer base and we would like to introduce ourselves to those who we have yet to have the privilege to work with.
 
Contact Us

MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.
129 Lupine Dr.
Stafford, Virginia 22556
866-604-9126 
Office M-F 9:00am-5:00pm EST
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