What to Look for When House Hunting at Your Next Duty Station

Heidi Robbins

Aug 31

3 min read

Updated: Oct 5

House hunting on PCS orders means making a big decision quickly, sometimes from another state. As a military spouse for more than 30 years and an Arlington Associate Broker with 560+ transactions, I help families buy homes that work for this tour and still make sense at the next PCS.

Build your list: must-haves and nice-to-haves

Before you look at a single listing, sit down as a family:

Describe your ideal home in words: "a quiet street where the kids can ride bikes," "a kitchen big enough for everyone."
Collect pictures of homes and rooms you love. Patterns will show up.
Sort everything into two columns. Must-haves are deal breakers, like the number of bedrooms, the commute or a fenced yard. Nice-to-haves are bonuses, like a second living area or a newer kitchen.
Think about how your family lives. If you love hosting, look for open space. If time together matters most, look for a family room near the kitchen. If you need quiet, look for separation between bedrooms.
Set a budget and timeline, then revise the list as you learn the market.

Choose the right type of home

Single-family homes give you more space and privacy, and more upkeep.
Townhomes balance space, cost and maintenance, and often have an HOA.
Condos are lower maintenance and often closer to transit, with HOA or condo fees and rules.
Older homes have charm, but check the roof, electrical system, plumbing and insurance costs. Outdated wiring can be expensive to replace and harder to insure.
Newer homes cost less to maintain early on but may have smaller lots.

Buying for a growing family

Think a few years ahead: bedrooms for future kids, a yard, storage, a layout where you can see the kids from the kitchen, and space for visiting family. A finished basement or bonus room adds flexibility.

Buy your not-forever home

Most military families move again within a few years, so buy with the next PCS in mind:

Resale: look at how quickly homes in the neighborhood sell and how values have held up.
Rentability: if you might keep it as a rental, check local rents against your costs. My guide to renting out versus selling explains how.
Don't overextend on a home you'll only live in for a short time.

What to look for on every tour

The commute to base, tested at rush hour.
Schools: see my guide to researching schools from afar.
The neighborhood: walk the street, visit at night and on weekends, and check public crime maps from the local police department. My guide to choosing the right neighborhood has more.
Total costs: property taxes, insurance, HOA fees and utilities, compared with your BAH.

When to laugh and when to run

Some problems are easy fixes. Others are expensive.

Laugh, and fix it later: dated paint, wallpaper, carpet, light fixtures, cabinet hardware and an overgrown yard.
Look closer: an old roof, an aging HVAC system or water heater, and small cracks. Get estimates before you make an offer.
Be ready to walk away: major foundation problems, ongoing water in the basement, mold, unsafe or outdated wiring, and big repairs the seller won't address.

Always get a professional home inspection, even on a newer home or a tight timeline.

In Northern Virginia

Homes here range from city condos near the Pentagon to single-family homes farther out with longer commutes. My neighborhood guide compares the areas, and the pages for the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, Quantico and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall cover commutes to each. My free Northern Virginia PCS Decision Guide helps you put it all together.