Living Near Eglin AFB

Contact the Military Housing Office as soon as you know you're headed to Eglin, and email a copy of your orders to 96ceg.cemh@us.af.mil. That starts your referral to Mayroad, who handles the lease. Eglin doesn't publish a set wait time; it changes with your bedroom count, rank and the time of year, so ask when you call. When Eglin accepted its last privatized home, the base reported a shortfall of 415 homes, which is one reason so many Eglin families live off base.

Source: Air Force Housing, Eglin AFB

No to both. Corvias built 747 new homes at Eglin, and with 126 homes kept from 2001 the project totaled 873. Harrison Street bought it in December 2021 and renamed it Mayroad, which now owns and manages Eglin's family housing. Mayroad manages Hurlburt's housing too, but Hurlburt has its own Military Housing Office at 123 McMillan St., (850) 884-7505.

Sources: Eglin AFB, Air Force Housing, Hurlburt Field

Monthly 2026 BAH for Eglin AFB, as published by MilPayTools from DoD data:

• E-4: $2,340 with dependents, $2,007 without
• E-5: $2,433 with, $2,157 without
• E-6: $2,526 with, $2,250 without
• E-7: $2,841 with, $2,340 without
• O-1: $2,451 with, $2,244 without
• O-2: $2,523 with, $2,406 without
• O-3: $3,399 with, $2,592 without
• O-4: $3,528 with, $2,865 without

Always confirm your exact rate on the DoD BAH calculator.

For a first-time VA loan with less than 5% down, the funding fee is 2.15% of the loan, and 3.3% after your first use. You don't pay it at all if you receive VA disability compensation, are a surviving spouse receiving DIC, have a proposed or memorandum disability rating before closing, or are an active duty member who received a Purple Heart. If you have full entitlement, there's no VA loan limit, though your lender still has to approve the amount and the home has to appraise.

Sources: VA funding fee, VA loan limits

Across Okaloosa County, the median listing price was $410,475 in July 2026, and the median home sat on the market for 89 days in September 2026, based on Realtor.com data. Prices vary a lot from town to town and street to street, so ask for recent sales near the homes you like.

Sources: FRED median listing price, FRED days on market

Sometimes, yes. Many builders offer credits that cover some or all closing costs, depending on the community and how soon the home closes, and the VA doesn't cap credits toward normal closing costs. Extras beyond closing costs, like paying your funding fee or paying off a debt, are concessions and are capped at 4% of the home's reasonable value. Ask exactly what the incentive requires, then compare the numbers on your loan estimate. See how to get the most out of builder incentives and seller concessions explained.

Source: VA.gov

Some do. A Community Development District fee pays for roads, utilities or amenities in the neighborhood and shows up on the property tax bill, so ask about it before you compare payments. See CDD fees in Florida, explained.

Yes. You can have your own agent and your own inspector and still get the builder's incentives. Bring your agent with you to the model home so they're part of the deal from the start. An independent inspector works for you, not the builder, and can catch items to fix before closing while the builder's crew is still on site. See new construction homes near Fort Walton Beach.

The 96th Medical Group is on base at 307 Boatner Road; the appointment line is 850-883-8600. The commissary is at 1511 Memorial Trail, Bldg 1755, open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. as of October 2026 (850-389-6666).

Sources: 96th Medical Group, Defense Commissary Agency

Eglin's 9-hole course closed for good in January 2025. The main course moved to a reduced schedule in fall 2025 ahead of a planned closure, and in May 2026 the Air Force picked American Dunes Foundation to negotiate a lease of the course property. Check with Eglin's Force Support Squadron for the latest.

Sources: WJHG, Eglin AFB, Get The Coast

Yes. Anyone 16 or older needs an Eglin permit and photo ID, purchased through iSportsman. A recreation and fishing permit is $5 a day or $30 a year, $10 for ages 65 and up, and $1 for those who are 100% disabled. New and renewed permits now include a background check that can take up to 72 hours.

Sources: Eglin iSportsman, Eglin AFB

The Defense Department's official listing site is HOMES.mil, and Eglin's Military Housing Office at (850) 882-4533, ext. 3, can help with off-base housing questions too. If you'd rather rent first and buy later, I'm happy to point you toward local rental options while you learn the area.

Usually, yes. Florida Statute 83.682 lets an active duty service member end a rental lease when PCS orders (or temporary duty orders over 60 days) move them 35 miles or more away, or when they're ordered into government or privatized military housing. You give written notice with a copy of your orders, the lease ends at least 30 days after the landlord gets it, and rent is prorated to that date. These rights can't be waived in the lease.

Source: Florida Statute 83.682

No, not because of renting it out while you serve. Florida lets a service member rent out a homestead property without losing the exemption, and as of 2026, valid military transfer orders are enough to keep your permanent residence for you and your spouse. Tell the property appraiser what's going on so your file is up to date.

Sources: s. 196.061, s. 196.015

Yes. Many PCS families do. A detailed video walk-through, a professional home inspection and a final walkthrough by video or in person when you arrive cover most of what you'd see on a visit. Ask your title company early how they handle signing from out of state.

Often, yes. VA loan benefits can be used again, and if you keep your current home as a rental, you may still have remaining entitlement to buy near Eglin with little or no down payment. Your lender figures it out from your Certificate of Eligibility, which lists the entitlement you've already used. After your first use, the funding fee for less than 5% down is 3.3% unless you're exempt. My VA buying guide walks through each step.

Source: VA loan limits and entitlement

Often, no. If it's your main home, the IRS lets you exclude up to $250,000 of gain ($500,000 if married filing jointly) when you've owned it and lived in it for at least 2 of the 5 years before the sale. Service members on qualified official extended duty, generally active duty for more than 90 days at a station at least 50 miles away, can choose to pause that 5-year window for up to 10 years. Florida has no state income tax, so federal tax is the only one to plan for.

Source: IRS Publication 523. Your CPA or tax preparer can run the numbers for your situation. Thinking about keeping or selling when you leave? See what to do with your home when you get PCS orders.

Usually, yes. A second home or rental doesn't get the main home exclusion, so the profit is taxed as a capital gain (long-term rates apply if you owned it more than a year). If you rented it out, the depreciation you claimed is taxed when you sell. Investment property may qualify for a 1031 exchange, which can defer the tax if you buy another investment property.

Sources: IRS Topic 409, Capital Gains, IRS like-kind exchanges