Brevard County · Selling
Military move (PCS) and selling in Brevard County
A plan built around your report date, with sell-or-rent compared in dollars.
Free · Agents who know Brevard County · Every step in one app
Orders can turn your life around in a few weeks. You may have a report date, a moving company to schedule, a spouse’s job to sort out, and a home in Brevard County that you now need to sell or rent, often while you are already on the road.
It is normal to feel pulled in many directions. Military households move often, and many have sold or rented a home from another duty station. You do not need to have it all figured out today.
The path is built around one date: your report date. From there, you compare selling and renting in real dollars, choose, and then handle the rest from wherever you are. Signing can happen remotely, and your agent works locally.
What’s different for you
- Set the report date. Your report date sets Moving Day.
- Compare selling and renting. See both in dollars before you decide.
- Sell from anywhere. Sign from your phone after you’ve moved.
When you start in CloseHive from this page, your plan already includes these steps, along with the usual ones for selling in Brevard County. You always see what to do next, and your agent handles the how.
What to know
Your report date sets the plan
Work backward from your report date. Decide when the home needs to be empty, when your household goods ship, and whether you want to close before or after you leave. A home that is empty and clean often shows better, but it also costs you while it sits.
Selling: the main-home tax rule
The IRS says many owners can leave up to $250,000 of gain out of income ($500,000 on a joint return) when they sell a main home they owned and lived in for at least 2 of the last 5 years. For service members, the IRS allows a special choice that can help if orders kept you away from the home.
The military pause on the 5-year window
IRS Publication 523 says members of the armed forces on qualified official extended duty may choose to suspend (pause) the 5-year test period. You qualify if you are called to active duty for more than 90 days or for an indefinite period, and you serve at a duty station at least 50 miles from your main home or live in government quarters under orders. The pause can last up to 10 years, for one property at a time. A CPA or the IRS publication explains how to make this choice on your tax return.
Renting: your Florida homestead
Florida law says renting out all or most of a home that had a homestead exemption usually counts as giving up the homestead. The same law says this rule does not apply to members of the U.S. Armed Forces, whether they joined by choice or were called to serve. Contact the Brevard County Property Appraiser to confirm how this applies to you before you rent.
Renting: becoming a landlord from afar
If you rent the home, Florida landlord rules apply to you. For example, security deposits must be handled the way the law requires, and you must plan how repairs are handled while you are gone. Many owners who rent from afar hire a licensed property manager. If you rent and later sell, the IRS says part of the gain linked to past depreciation can be taxed at up to 25 percent, so get tax advice before you decide.
Signing from your next duty station
Florida allows online notarization by a Florida online notary no matter where you are, with your identity checked over live audio and video. Ask the title company early whether they offer it. A power of attorney is another option; in Florida it must be signed with two witnesses and a notary.
Your options
What to gather
- A copy of your orders with your report date
- Your latest mortgage statement and payoff contact
- Your homestead exemption details from the property tax bill
- The dates you lived in the home, for the IRS ownership and use tests
- A rent estimate and a list of monthly costs, to compare selling and renting
- A plan for keys, lawn care and checks on the home after you leave
- Your ID, for remote signing with the title company
- A power of attorney, if a spouse or someone else will sign for you
- Contact for your installation’s housing office
Mistakes to avoid
- Deciding sell or rent on a guess. Put both choices in dollars: what you would keep from a sale now, and what renting really nets each month after all costs.
- Missing the tax window. Write down the dates you lived in the home. If you have been away on orders, ask a CPA about the military pause in IRS Publication 523 before you sell.
- Assuming you lose your homestead by renting. Florida law has an exception for members of the Armed Forces. Confirm with the property appraiser before you decide.
- Waiting to set up remote signing. Ask the title company about online signing, or set up a power of attorney, before you leave Florida.
Brevard County in numbers
- The typical home in Brevard County is worth about $339,600, and 77% of homes are lived in by their owners.
- Typical rent here is about $1,556 a month, including utilities.
Free help
Questions people ask
Can I sell after I’ve already reported to my new base?
Yes; documents are signed in the app and your agent handles the rest locally.
Can I sell my house after I have already reported to my new base?
Yes. Your agent handles showings and keys locally, and Florida allows online notarization, so many papers can be signed from where you are. Ask the title company early what closing will need.
Do I lose the home sale tax break if I was away on orders?
Not always. IRS Publication 523 lets members on qualified official extended duty pause the 5-year test period for up to 10 years. A CPA can tell you whether you qualify.
Will I lose my Florida homestead if I rent my house during PCS?
Florida law says renting a homestead usually counts as giving it up, but that rule does not apply to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Confirm your situation with the Brevard County Property Appraiser.
Should I sell or rent my house when I PCS?
It depends on your numbers and plans. Compare what you would keep from a sale today with what renting would really net each month after repairs, a manager and empty months, plus taxes when you sell later.
How far does my new duty station need to be for the IRS pause?
IRS Publication 523 says at least 50 miles from your main home, or living in government quarters under orders, while on active duty for more than 90 days or an indefinite period.
Can my spouse sign for me while I am deployed?
Yes, with a power of attorney. In Florida it must be signed with two witnesses and acknowledged before a notary. An attorney can help you prepare one that fits your sale.