Orders move fast. So do we.
A PCS to Fairchild isn't a normal home purchase — you're buying on a government clock, often from another time zone. The Manna Group runs the move like a mission brief: video tours you can trust, VA financing done right, and a closing date that respects your report date. Licensed in Washington and Idaho, so the search doesn't stop at the state line.
From orders to keys, on the clock.
Orders in hand, plan in motion
The clock starts the day you get orders — not the day you land. One call sets the strategy: budget, BAH math, neighborhoods that fit your commute gate, and whether you're buying now or renting first.
Tour from anywhere
Most of our PCS buyers shop from another duty station — or another continent. Live video walkthroughs, honest camera work on the parts sellers don't photograph, and straight answers about street noise, slopes, and neighbors.
Write the offer, work the VA loan
A well-written VA offer wins in Spokane — the myths about VA buyers losing out die when the lender is local and the agent knows how to position the appraisal timeline. We work with lenders who close VA loans on time, every time.
Close on the clock
Report dates don't move, so the closing does the moving. Power of attorney for a deployed spouse, remote signing, keys handled before your household goods arrive — one family, one report date, zero drama.
What does your BAH buy here?
Set the monthly number you want to spend — your BAH, or any budget — and see the $0-down VA purchase price it supports. Estimates only; your lender letter is the real answer.
Estimates only — BAH rates change annually and vary by grade and dependents; taxes and insurance vary by home. The VA funding fee (often financed) isn't included. A local VA-savvy lender letter is step one, and we'll connect you.
"Shane's team pushed our closing date up to the day before Veterans Day, which meant a lot to us as actively serving military members. They go above and beyond to make home buying simple, transparent, and even enjoyable."
Military move questions.
Can we buy a home near Fairchild AFB before we arrive?
Yes — sight-unseen buying is normal for PCS moves, and it's half of what we do. Live video tours of every candidate home, extra camera time on the things listing photos hide, digital signatures on everything, and a local team walking the property when you can't. Many of our military families get keys the same week they land.
How much do we need for a down payment with a VA loan?
For most eligible buyers with full entitlement, zero. The VA loan allows $0 down with no monthly mortgage insurance — the single biggest financial advantage military families have in this market. You'll still want funds for earnest money, the inspection, and closing costs, though seller credits can cover much of that when the offer is written well.
What is the VA funding fee, and does everyone pay it?
It's a one-time fee the VA charges to keep the program running, usually rolled into the loan rather than paid in cash. The percentage varies with your down payment and whether it's your first VA loan. Veterans receiving service-connected disability compensation — and Purple Heart recipients on active duty — are exempt entirely. Your lender confirms your exact status up front.
Can we use a VA loan more than once — or hold two at the same time?
Yes to both, with the right math. Your entitlement restores when you sell and pay off a VA loan, and many buyers keep the first home as a rental using remaining entitlement to buy at the next duty station. That's also how several of our clients started building wealth through real estate — one PCS at a time.
Does BAH count as income when qualifying for a mortgage?
Yes — lenders count BAH as stable, effective income for qualifying, and because it's non-taxable some lenders can 'gross it up' when calculating ratios. Fairchild's BAH rates change annually and vary by grade and dependents, so we run your actual current number rather than a rule of thumb — the estimator on this page lets you start from whatever monthly figure you're comfortable with.
Where do Fairchild families actually live?
The honest answer: it depends on the gate you use and the life you want. Airway Heights and Medical Lake are minutes from the base; Cheney adds college-town energy; the West Plains keeps you close with newer construction; and plenty of families choose north Spokane or the South Hill and trade a longer drive for city neighborhoods. We'll map real commute times before you fall in love with anything.
Should we buy or rent on a three-year assignment?
Run the numbers, not the folklore. Buying costs money going in and coming out, so a short assignment needs either appreciation, a below-rent payment, or a plan to keep the home as a rental when you PCS out. That last option changes the math completely — and because rents near a stable base stay strong, Fairchild assignments often justify buying when the purchase is planned as a future investment, not just a residence.
What happens to the house when we PCS out?
You have two good exits: sell it, or keep it as a rental and let the next assignment's BAH pay two mortgages' worth of wealth-building. We help you compare walk-away equity against rental income honestly — and since the team is licensed in both Washington and Idaho, we can handle the sale side whenever the orders come.
Do sellers in Spokane take VA offers seriously?
They take strong offers seriously, and a VA offer written by an agent who knows the program is a strong offer. The old myths — endless appraisals, picky repairs, slow closings — come from badly-managed transactions, not from the VA loan itself. We pair you with local lenders who close VA on schedule, and we position the appraisal and repair conversation before the seller can worry about it.
What are VA minimum property requirements (MPRs)?
The VA appraisal checks that the home is safe, sound, and sanitary — working systems, no major structural or safety issues, reasonable access. It protects you from buying a problem while you're stationed half a world away. Most well-maintained Spokane homes pass without drama; where something needs fixing, it becomes a negotiation point we handle before closing.
My spouse deploys before closing — can we still buy?
Yes. A properly-drafted power of attorney (often a military-specific POA from base legal) lets one spouse sign for both, and remote online notarization covers many situations beyond that. It takes planning — the lender and title company both need the paperwork early — which is exactly the kind of detail our transaction coordinator runs down for you.
Can we use a VA loan on the Idaho side — Post Falls or Coeur d'Alene?
Absolutely. VA loans work anywhere in the country, and The Manna Group is licensed in both Washington and Idaho — one team, both sides of the state line. If the right home for your family is in Post Falls, the process looks exactly the same as it would in Airway Heights.
How fast can a military family realistically close?
Thirty to forty-five days is the normal VA window in Spokane, and faster is possible when the file is clean — one of our active-duty families closed in under 21 days, and the team moved the date up to the day before Veterans Day because it mattered to them. Give us the report date; we'll build the calendar backward from it.
Send us the orders — we'll build the plan.
One call covers the budget, the neighborhoods, and the calendar, whether you're buying now or renting first and buying smart later. Serving Fairchild families on both sides of the Washington–Idaho line — and grateful for what you do.