What are your top concerns when finding a new place to live during a PCS move?
PCS
Housing
2. Sexual predators in the area
3. Crime and drugs in the area
4. Cost of Rent, or house prices
5. How big the lot is (Don't care about shopping, the further away from people the happier I am)
6. How close is the nearest lake for fishing
Clean and safe neighborhood. I don't want my kids growing up around people whose lifestyles are a big negative influence. Distance is always a factor since I like living closer to post. Traffic access because I don't want too drive on congested roads.
2. Will all my stuff fit?
There's an official across the board policy on how much floor-space each paygrade gets, but States/posts differ on their heartbeats-per-bedroom policy. I learned the hard way to put off buying furniture until I got there.
3. How much will it cost me in money and opportunity?
I can save $300-$400 a month living off post in an apartment complex and pay for it through a long commute and the inability to come home for lunch. I can pay extra to live close in civilian housing with the space I want. I can live on post and focus on living bundled up by candlelight to make cash off the on-post energy metering. And so on.
Quality neighborhood 1st and foremost, that being safe and family friendly. My next concern was quality for the money spent, I did both the renting and buying, while buying was always cheaper, depending on when you PCS'd and the market it could be financially burdensome at times. Also did the base housing and privatizes as well, and they both have their plusses and headaches, it is all what you want or are willing to put up with will decide what you do.
There are many options, it just depended on the needs at the time for family and length of assignment that was the determining factor for me and I would assume many others as well.
Sir,
a little bit of all of the above you mentioned, each one was dependent on the area and scenario available, I have or had learned over the years that each situation was unique in its own and required a variety of tactics and techniques for determining best choices.
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