Buy or rent

[Jason Burton]

Hey BP I have been wondering if I should buy or rent. I'm being moved by my job to Fort Rucker, AL and I can't decide on whether or not I should buy or just rent. I will only be assigned to the area for a relatively short time (1 or 2 years; maybe only 6 months I won't know until I'm there). I'm eligible for VA loans so this would be a great opportunity to find a place to buy with no money down (OPM). The only problem is that I'm not that good at doing market research. I hear other military folks say the market there is "flooded" with rentals. How do I know if that is the case? I don't want to buy a property with the intention of renting it down the road only to realize that it won't rent. What's the best indication of a healthy rental market? Thanks for your advice in advance.