Whether you’re embarking on your first PCS move or your tenth, finding a rental home at your next duty station is the same: you’re in uncharted waters.

You’re moving to a new place, with new people and a new culture. As unfamiliar as each move may feel, each one starts with the same thing…finding your new home.

Chances are, you have opinions about each home you’ve lived in and found what you can and cannot live without.

While the details are easy to get caught up in, there are five basic questions you need to answer while searching for your new home:

1. Is it close to the military installation? 

Finding out how far the property is from the base or post will help you narrow down your housing options. You and your spouse need to decide whether you want the convenience of living close to the installation or the privacy of living further away.

My husband and I have tried both. While we’ve enjoyed the luxury of living close to his work and his visits home during the day, we ultimately appreciate the space of living a few miles away. We find that it’s easier to find a balance between home and work, and it sets us up for a more relaxing weekend.

2. Is the property in a convenient location for both of you? 

While being close to the installation may be ideal for the active-duty service member, does living in that location make for comfortable living for the family?

Some installations are fairly removed from the local city or town, and living in that particular area might create a long commute for other working parties. Research the area and learn where job opportunities, schools, churches, and stores lie, then decide what location is best for you and your family.

3. Is it within your housing allowance?

Is it important for you to stay within the allowance? Determine where your priorities lie. While it’s nice to save money by staying well within your allowance, expanding your budget may give you more suitable housing options.

Figure out with your family if this move is the time to live in less luxury and save more money or relax in a comfortable home that gives you more commodities that you love.

4. Is it the right size? Does the property itself meet your family’s needs?

Most of us understand that we aren’t going to find our dream home at every duty station, but perhaps we can afford to be a little picky when it comes to size and comfortability of available housing options.

5. Is the rental pet friendly?

If you have pets, it is of the utmost importance to find a pet-friendly rental! This search criteria will limit your rental options significantly and give you a good place to start your home search.

If you don’t have any pets, you may want to consider whether or not you want to live in a property that allows them. Do you have allergies that may be triggered by living in a home that’s housed pets in the past? Are you sensitive to smells that may remain from previous tenants with animals? Although properties should be cleaned thoroughly between tenants, your sensitivity may keep you from enjoying your rental during your stay.

Keep these questions in mind as you prepare for your next PCS, and remember not to get caught up in all the little things but instead focus on your housing priorities.

Whether this is your first or last military move, good luck!

By Danielle Keech, staff writer for MilitaryByOwner Advertising