PCS Orders and Your Rental Property: What Fort Stewart Landlords Need to Know

Owning a rental property near Fort Stewart comes with unique advantages and unique situations. One of the most common questions we get from landlords: “What happens if my tenant gets PCS orders?”

Here is a plain-language breakdown of what PCS orders mean for your lease, your tenant’s rights, and how to protect your investment.

What Are PCS Orders?

PCS stands for Permanent Change of Station. When a service member receives PCS orders, they are being transferred to a new duty station. This can happen at any time, typically with 30 to 90 days of notice.

For landlords near Fort Stewart, this is a regular occurrence. The 3rd Infantry Division rotates units frequently, and service members can receive orders to installations across the country or overseas.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

Under the SCRA, service members have the right to terminate a residential lease early when they receive qualifying military orders. Specifically:

• The orders must be for a deployment of 90 days or more, or a permanent change of station.
• The service member must provide written notice and a copy of the orders.
• The lease terminates 30 days after the next rent payment due date following notice.

Example: Soldier gives written notice on March 10, with rent due April 1. The lease terminates April 30.

This is federal law. You cannot waive it in a lease, and you cannot penalize a tenant for exercising this right.

What Does This Mean for You as a Landlord?

In practical terms, you should expect that military tenants near Fort Stewart may leave before their lease term ends. This is not a problem unique to your property. It is built into the Fort Stewart rental market.

The key is being prepared:

Include a military clause in every lease. This formalizes the SCRA process, sets expectations for both parties, and can specify what documentation is required. Our leases include this as standard.

Start marketing early. A good property manager begins re-marketing your property as soon as they know a tenant is leaving. With Fort Stewart, we can often time availability to coincide with incoming unit rotations.

Keep the property in top condition. Properties in great condition fill fastest. Regular inspections and maintenance are the best vacancy insurance you have.

Military Landlords Receiving PCS Orders

It is not just tenants who receive PCS orders. If you are a service member who owns a home near Fort Stewart and you receive orders, you face a different challenge: you need to either sell the home or convert it to a rental.

We work with military homeowners in this situation regularly. The process is typically:

1. You decide to rent rather than sell (often the right financial move).
2. We conduct a rental analysis and recommend a rent rate.
3. We prepare the property for marketing and begin showing it.
4. We screen and place a qualified tenant.
5. We manage the property while you are at your new duty station.

Many of the landlords we work with are themselves active-duty or veterans who understand the cycle. We can manage your Hinesville property from anywhere in the world, sending you monthly statements and direct deposit payments.

Why Veteran-Owned Matters

RE/MAX All American is a veteran-owned business. Our team has lived the military experience. We understand BAH, PCS cycles, the stress of a deployment, and the trust required to hand your home to someone else.

When we say we will take care of your property, we mean it the way one service member means it to another.

If you are a military landlord near Fort Stewart, or a civilian landlord who wants a property manager experienced with military tenants, call us at (912) 432-7300. We are here Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM.