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Missionary Family Real Estate: Before, During, and After the Mission

The mission is one of the most defining experiences in Latter-day Saint life. It is also, for real estate purposes, three distinct moments that each have specific implications: the family sending a child, the couple called as mission president, and the returned missionary entering adult life. No real estate guide addresses any of these. This one addresses all three.

Sending a Child on a Mission: The Family Financial Review

When a son or daughter is called to serve an 18-24 month mission, the family has a natural planning moment. Real estate considerations: (1) Basement apartment: if the missionary’s bedroom has been the income-producing basement apartment, a tenancy change may be needed. (2) Home equity review: mission costs (approximately $500-$600 per month) are paid by the family or through savings. Some families review home equity as part of mission funding. (3) Timing a purchase or sale: some families use the mission departure as a trigger to finally make the move they’ve been planning: downsizing now that one child is gone, or upgrading to the larger home while the market is favorable.

The Mission President: 3 Years Away from Your Home

Being called as a mission president is one of the highest callings in the Church. It also means leaving your home for exactly three years with your spouse and any minor children. The real estate decision: (1) Rent your home: a property manager handles tenancy during the mission. Income offsets the costs of ownership. The couple returns to their home after three years. Challenge: home has been used by tenants; condition may vary. (2) Sell before departure: capture current market value and invest proceeds. On return, buy in a potentially different market. Benefit: no landlord headaches during the mission. Risk: the market may have moved significantly in three years. Utah County appreciation from 2020-2023 was extraordinary; a family that sold in 2020 and returned in 2023 found a market that had repriced dramatically. (3) Leave vacant: rarely the right choice. Insurance, maintenance, and security all argue for occupancy.

The Returned Missionary: First Home Buyer

The returned missionary is 20-23 years old, has just completed 18-24 months of significant personal growth, often has some savings (mission savings, returned tuition, gifts), and is entering adult life in what may be a dramatically changed market. (1) BYU or school continuation: many returned missionaries re-enroll at BYU or another school. The BYU student housing market: BYU Housing Guide. (2) First home purchase in their early-to-mid 20s: increasingly common as LDS culture emphasizes family formation. FHA loans and Utah Housing Corporation programs apply. (3) The market they left vs the market they return to: a missionary who left in 2022 and returned in 2024 found prices that had moved significantly. The specialist who works with returned missionaries provides market context relative to the moment of departure.

Core: Hub — Temples — Proximity — Large Family — Wards — Food Storage — Announcements
Markets: Utah Co — SL Co — Davis/Weber — St George — Cache — SE Idaho — AZ — Rexburg
Migration: CA to UT — CA LDS — PNW
Life Stage: Young — Retire — BYU — Mission Fam — Mission Field — Investors — Parents — STG vs UT

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a family do with their home when called as a mission president?

Three options: rent (property manager maintains tenancy, income offsets ownership costs, couple returns to their home), sell (captures current value, eliminates landlord burden, but market may move significantly in 3 years), or leave vacant (rarely advised). Most families rent.

When do returned missionaries typically buy their first home?

Many returned missionaries pursue education first (BYU, USU) and buy their first home in their mid-to-late 20s after marriage and initial career establishment. Some buy near campus as students. Utah Housing Corporation and FHA programs support early purchases.

What real estate consideration comes with sending a child on a mission?

Often prompts a broader family financial review. Some families use the timing to downsize, upgrade, or review home equity. Mission costs of $500-$600/month are family-funded; some families consider home equity as part of mission financial planning.