Orders to Maxwell-Gunter? Drive Times, Rent vs. Buy, and What to Know First

The first thing most people do after getting orders to Maxwell is open a map and look for the closest neighborhood to the gate.

Distance is only part of it. How long you're here, your budget, your commute and the schools you want all matter, and only you can weigh those for your family.

We've lived in the River Region most of our lives and drive these roads every day. Here's the honest information we'd give a friend, so you can make the call.

Figure out which gate you'll use first

Maxwell is on the west side of Montgomery. Gunter Annex is on the northeast side. They're far enough apart that a short drive to one can be a long drive to the other.

Rough drive times to Maxwell in normal traffic:

• Prattville: 15 to 20 minutes
• Millbrook: about 20 minutes
• Montgomery: anywhere from 5 to 25, depending on the side of town
• Wetumpka: about 30 minutes

Working at Gunter? Pike Road and east Montgomery are shorter drives.

Don't trust our numbers, or Google's. Drive it at 7:15 in the morning before you commit. Gate lines can add 10 minutes on a bad day.

How long you're here changes rent vs. buy

A lot of people come to Maxwell for Air University schools that run about 10 months. Buying and selling a house inside a year usually costs more than it saves, so for short stays, renting is often the simpler choice.

Here two or three years? Buying starts to make more sense, especially with a VA loan and a home you'd be happy renting out when you leave.

Thinking about retiring here? Alabama doesn't tax military retirement pay. That's one reason many people who PCS here end up staying.

We'll run your numbers both ways. If renting comes out ahead, we'll show you. That's a conversation, not a sales pitch.

The VA loan, in plain English

If you're eligible, you may be able to buy with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. Get your Certificate of Eligibility early, and use a lender who closes VA loans often. A lender who only does a few a year can slow your closing down. We're happy to share names of lenders our clients have used.

Look up schools for each address

The districts here include Autauga County (Prattville), Elmore County (Millbrook and Wetumpka), Pike Road Schools and Montgomery Public Schools. Two houses on the same road can be zoned for different schools, so check the zoning for every house you're serious about directly with the district.

You don't have to be here to buy here

PCS timelines don't wait. We'll walk homes with you on FaceTime, point out what the listing photos don't show, and line up the inspection and closing around your report date. Plenty of military buyers close on a house they've only seen through our phone.

Text us your report date

We're Courtney and Chris Lowry, RE/MAX Cornerstone Plus. Text (334) 777-8636 with your report date, whether you're at Maxwell or Gunter, and what matters most to you. We'll send drive times and homes for sale in the areas you choose.

More detail on moving here: driven2moveyou.com/military