Moving can be difficult and stressful, but for service men and women, the call to move can sometimes be unexpected too. Now, there's one organization is helping those in the military, law enforcement officers, firefighters, healthcare workers and teachers make that move easier.
Homes for Heroes helps these men and women buy and sell their homes for free.
Chief Petty Officer Patrick Lowther and his family enlisted the help of Homes for Heroes as they move to Nevada.
"I made chief this year, and so with that happening, I am now moving out to Fallon, Nevada," he said.
It's the second time in six years he has had to move, but this time, he and his wife have their 4-year-old to think about as well.
"All of the paperwork, everything that goes into that, on top of working, our move to move across the United States, moving our family, everything else, you can imagine on top of me transitioning to my new job, it's a lot to do in an extremely short period of time," Lowther said. "They [Homes for Heroes] understand what goes into a military move. Most of them have experienced it [moving] first hand and understand that it happens at the drop of a hat in most cases."
Allison Chance is a Homes for Heroes representative in Jacksonville and helped Lowther and his family.
"We've moved five times in eight years," she said. "My husband is in the Navy, so I'm a military spouse going on almost 10 years now. It's really my way of giving back to people who serve."
Chance and reps around the country help stage the homes to sell and give a percentage of their commissions back to the heroes the group serves.
"It's a great honor for me to do that," Chance said.
Support Lowther said it is second to none for him and his family.
"Things change last minute, and understanding what could happen at our next job, immediately leaving it, leaves a lot sometimes to the family members to handle than the service members," Lowther said. "So, having that support and them [Homes for Heroes] understanding that and being able to help your family, it really is like having a second family."
Now, his family is on their way to Nevada, while another military family moves into their old home.