The contractor will have to take down an exterior wall when they begin framing making the master bedroom inhabitable.

Would you continue to inhabit a place with the utilities off and knowing that you're not welcome?....

Civilian constables DO have authority to arrest (i.e.

Here is the problem with owner occupied remote: 1. the house has to be inhabitable soon after closing or you will get hit with housing costs X 2 which probably makes qualifying a problem. 2. most lenders want a letter from your employer stating you can work remote for 36 more months in the future (few employers are willing to promise this). 

I’m currently getting ready to transition out of the military and into the civilian world.

The financing is going to be hard to get on a property that is completely inhabitable.

As far as potential clientele, there aren't just the people who live on base, but also those who are retiring or separating for other reasons, or those who have decided to stop renting because of landlord troubles, as well as the civilian personnel that you'd come in contact with.  

The post and local colleges will keep this area inhabited. 

If you have a lot of liquidity to offer, you can certainly pay cash but to your point that will inhabit the great feature of leverage.  

I go to Norfolk frequently for work (DoD civilian) and would like to get to know this market.