Joint Base Lewis-McChord · Pierce and Thurston Counties, WashingtonAustin Hellickson, LPT Realty · 206.940.0942
Battle BuddyVA Home Buying · JBLM

Briefings

Plain answers to the questions PCS families ask about buying, selling and living around Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Each briefing takes one question and works through it with the local detail a national article skips: which county, which gate, which office to call.

Prepared by Austin HellicksonManaging Broker, LPT RealtyFiled September 29, 2026

On-Post Housing at JBLM vs. Buying Off Post

For most families, living on post at JBLM is a choice, and the choice usually turns on how long you expect to stay and how much you want a house to deal with when the next orders arrive. On-post housing takes your whole BAH as rent in exchange for a short commute, repairs handled by someone else, and nothing to sell later. Buying off post puts that money toward a home you own and a town you pick, along with the work of selling or renting it when you leave.

By Austin Hellickson7 min read

Read the briefing

The rest of the file

  1. No. 02

    Artillery and Jet Noise Near JBLM, Town by Town

    What you’ll hear living near JBLM: artillery in Roy and Yelm, C-17s over Lakewood and Spanaway, and how to test a house for noise before an offer.

    7 min read

  2. No. 03

    Sell or Rent Your House When You PCS From JBLM?

    Leaving JBLM on orders? How to decide between selling and renting out your house: entitlement, landlord realities, taxes, and selling from afar.

    7 min read

  3. No. 04

    VA Loans on Well and Septic Homes Near Yelm

    Yes, a VA loan can buy a well and septic home near Yelm, Roy, or Spanaway. What the appraisal checks, shared wells, and Pierce vs. Thurston septic rules.

    8 min read

  4. No. 05

    Do Disabled Veterans Pay Property Tax in Washington?

    Washington’s property tax exemption for disabled veterans: the 2025 rating change, the income test, and how to apply in Pierce or Thurston County.

    7 min read

  5. No. 06

    Buying in Puyallup’s Lahar Zone: What to Check

    Buying in the Puyallup, Sumner, or Orting lahar zone near JBLM: checking an address, the sirens, insurance questions, and higher ground nearby.

    6 min read

Send me the question that isn’t here.

If you’re weighing a house, a town or a set of orders and none of these briefings covers it, call or email. I’ll answer it for your situation and your report date. If other families are asking the same thing, it may become the next briefing.

Call 206.940.0942 Send your dates