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.

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. 

At the height of the 2004 housing market frenzy, I went on a blind date with a house we had purchased sight unseen. PCSing to Washington, D.C. from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, that summer, our housing search, in that wild market, was like speed dating, where everyone already came in with an engagement ring. Every time our realtor or our internet searches presented us with a good option, the owner’s would glibly relay that they “already had two or three contract offers just that day!”

It is go time! You have been anticipating and preparing for your PCS for months now, and it is finally upon you. Your moving checklist is nearly complete, but here are a few things you may have overlooked in the throes of another military relocation:

Before you plunk down the card at Home Depot or call the contractor, you need to ask yourself “Who am I improving this for?” Dependent on your answer, you should seriously consider whether or not this project is right for you. The bottom line is that you should go into any home improvement project with the mindset that you’re doing this for your own enjoyment, and not as a way to make money.