Engage. Educate. Encourage. EMPOWER.
Ah yes… The blessed PCS! It is an intense time of adventure, uncertainty and new beginnings. But we want to take some of the guesswork out of it, so check out the images below for more PCS info (don’t miss our most popular feature, Post with the Most!), or keep reading to our latest PCS features from our blog.
Fifteen years ago I embarked on the journey of military life. Up until that point, civilian life was all I knew. Military life seemed a whole lot like some crazy cult.
Homeowners who are trying to sell their home in this historically slow market know firsthand just how hard it is to attract buyers. While location and size are important factors for buyers, the sales prices is likely the number one way that sellers attract buyers.
What is the key to setting the sales price for your home?
Quite often, I get the following statement from strangers I meet: “You have got to be from the South!” I grin, nod, and proudly admit with a natural twang that both my husband and I are from the Bluegrass State of Kentucky. Needless to say, we stuck out at our first duty assignment as the Army sent us far away from home, over the Atlantic, and landed us in beautiful Germany (K-town for all of you that have shared the Germany experience). Although we were geographically displaced from family and friends, we couldn’t help but fall in love with all of Germany’s splendor: green rolling hills, pristine gardens, tasty wine, fresh bread and vegetables, friendly neighbors…
It felt like home.
Five years ago we received PCS orders to report back—for the third time—to Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
I will be the first to admit that Fort Sill is not on my list of highly sought after assignments. However, to us, it’s six hours from home and family. We lucked into on-post housing, which is historical, though at times, quite hysterical.
“Fort Drum? It’s too cold.”
“Fort Hood? It’s too hot.”
“Fort Leonard Wood? It’s too remote.”
“Korea? It’s… Well… it’s Korea.”
Okay, you get the idea. Every place is too something.
Your home is a reflection of your personal taste and style, where you have free reign to decorate as you please. However, when it comes time to put your home on the market, the first and often most difficult step, is to switch your mindset.
The moment you have an inkling of an upcoming move, you should start researching your proposed duty station. Talk to friends and search the Internet for information on desired areas to live surrounding the military installation. As we all know, it is dangerous to make any firm plans prior to having orders in hand, but the legwork can begin long before you have confirmation that you are moving. During your research, it is likely that it will become clear what your priorities are: location to work, desired school districts, safe neighborhood, walking distance to nearby attractions and so on. Your research will afford you the knowledge of the typical rental prices for the area and will help you set your budget. Find out what the current BAH rates are for that military base so that you can make an informed decision about how much money you have to work with and what, if any, amount you are willing to spend out-of-pocket. If you have school age children, utilize websites that grade the various individual schools and districts to get an idea of which district you would like to be located within and find the neighborhoods zoned for those schools. Once you have your priorities set it is time for the next step.
One quick motion—right off!
At least that is the dream for me.
It is less than two months away–our PCS move—and I am already starting to say goodbye to people.
Hey, if everyone keeps asking me when I am moving, I am going to assume that they don’t want me around anymore.
This is a tough question many homeowners ask, one you might only find the answer to if you have a crystal ball, though a mirror may before more fitting. You have a personal relationship with your home; you may not see things as clearly as a potential buyer. Almost like a good long look in the mirror at ourselves, sometimes that unflinching stare can reveal flaws or weaknesses that we don’t really want to see.