Jerry and Kathy C. | Ocala, Florida | Buying New Construction

The year 1968 was an important one for our nation’s Armed Forces, from Prague Spring to the Tet Offensive and the Vietnam War.

The year was a busy one for Jerry Cobb too. Jerry joined AAFMAA that year — his senior year at West Point — and after he graduated in June, he married his wife, Kathy, just days later. The couple moved to Ft. Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma, where Jerry deployed to Vietnam as part of the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division ("First Team").

When he returned, he went on to advanced training and furthered his education. He rose through the ranks and earned even greater success in his military career. After 11 years of Active Duty military service, he transitioned to the Reserves and started a 25-year career with a large government contractor.

When Jerry officially retired in 2005, he and Kathy were living in Southern New Jersey to be near their grandchildren. After 10 years of New Jersey winters, they decided to move to Florida. “We made several trips to Florida to look at various communities where we could enjoy the rest of our lives.”

Making the Move

Jerry had become a fan of AAFMAA’s webinars and remembered one on mortgages given by Rick Maines, Fayetteville Branch Manager for AAFMAA Mortgage Services LLC (AMS). He connected with Rick in 2019 to ask about VA Home Loan financing and getting a pre-approval.

With their mortgage figured out, the timing seemed right. They planned to put their home on the market, have a final Christmas there, and then move to Florida in 2020.

But, the real estate market had other plans. They put their home up for sale in May 2019 — and it sold in just four days. “That put us in a bit of a bind,” says Jerry. They couldn’t find any suitable short-term rentals in New Jersey, so they made some calls and found just what they were looking for in an active adult community in Ocala, Florida where they could build the retirement home of their dreams. Their New Jersey home sale closed in early September, and the next day Jerry and Kathy flew south to watch their new home take shape.

Once they decided to build the Ocala home, Rick locked them in with a purchase mortgage loan at 3.25%. “We compared the rate and terms from AMS with credit unions and other lenders, and the AMS deal was clearly the best,” says Jerry.

Outstanding Service

Aside from offering great rates and competitive terms, AMS provided the Cobbs with outstanding customer service. “We appreciate that AMS is staffed by people who have been in the military or deal with the military,” Jerry says. “They understand what we’re thinking, what we’ve been through. And they care. Every time I called to ask a question, they had an answer,” he says. “They made the whole process very easy.”

The Cobbs were able to customize the home under construction and watch its daily progress. They moved into their newly built 2,600-sq-ft home in December 2019 – just in time for Christmas.

“Although moving is never easy, the mortgage was definitely something we didn’t have to worry about,” Jerry says.

We’re Here to Help

If you’re not sure the time is right to purchase a home, please contact us online today or give us a call at (910) 500-6170 to speak Richard Maines and his team. We will be happy to provide you with an honest and fair comparison of your mortgage options, including a wide range of low-rate and low-cost loans designed to meet your needs.

Ensuring our Members obtain the best mortgage possible is our mission. Get your free mortgage assessment today!

For more information about how AAFMAA continues supporting the military community during the COVID-19 crisis visit www.aafmaa.com/COVID19.