Should I Sell My Ewa Beach Home Before or After I PCS?

What Else Should You Consider Before Keeping Your Ewa Beach Home?

Once you have looked at your finances, your VA loan plans, and HARPTA, there are several practical questions that can help you decide whether keeping the home after your PCS makes sense.

Do You Think You Will PCS Back to Hawaii?

Military families sometimes leave Oahu knowing there is a reasonable chance they could return for another assignment. If you love your Ewa Beach home and could see yourself living in it again, keeping it may deserve serious consideration.

On the other hand, military careers are unpredictable. Your next assignment after this one may take you somewhere completely different. Try to separate "we might come back someday" from a realistic expectation that you would want to own and live in this particular home again.

Are You Comfortable Being a Long-Distance Landlord?

Keeping the home usually means becoming a landlord. Ask yourself whether you have experience owning rental property and whether you are comfortable relying on a property manager or rental agent while you are thousands of miles away.

MaryJo is not a rental or property management agent, but she can help you think through the real estate side of the decision and, if selling becomes the better option, help you develop a plan for the sale.

Remember That Tenants Create Wear and Tear

A home that becomes a rental will continue to age while you are away. Appliances fail. Air conditioning systems need service. Plumbing problems happen. Paint, flooring, landscaping, and other parts of the property may require additional maintenance over time.

That does not mean renting your home is a bad decision. It means your calculation should include more than simply comparing the expected rent with your mortgage payment. Consider property management costs, maintenance, repairs, periods without a tenant, and the condition you expect the home to be in when you eventually return or decide to sell.

How Much Do You Want to Manage From Your Next Duty Station?

This may be the most personal consideration. Some military homeowners are comfortable owning property from another state or country. Others would rather sell, take their equity with them, and arrive at the next duty station without an Ewa Beach property still requiring their attention.

Neither approach is automatically right or wrong. The important thing is to make the decision deliberately rather than becoming a long-distance landlord simply because your PCS date arrived before you decided what to do with the house.

If you own a home in Ewa Beach and PCS orders are coming, start the conversation early. MaryJo McGillicuddy can help you understand the current Ewa Beach market and what selling could look like before you decide whether keeping or selling the home makes the most sense for your family.