Resource library

Practical notes before you move.

Start with the questions below, then discuss how they apply to your property and timing. These short notes are general education, not financial or legal advice.

A two-story suburban Maryland home with a two-car garage

Buying

Preparing to Buy

Start with a workable budget and a short list of priorities. Separate the features you need from those you would trade for a better location, condition or price.

Ask a lender to estimate the monthly payment, taxes, insurance and any association fees. Keep closing costs, maintenance and reserves in the budget too.
Gather the financial documents your lender requests. Compare loan terms and ask what could change between preapproval and final approval.
Before touring, discuss whom the agent represents, what the buyer agreement covers and how compensation will be handled.
Keep notes on each home's condition, layout and likely upkeep. Review comparable sales with PWR when a property interests you.

Ask yourself: Which costs or features would make an otherwise appealing home a poor fit? Preapproval is preliminary, not a final loan commitment.

Explore buying with PWR

Selling

Preparing to Sell

A useful selling plan starts with the property, its condition and your timing. Gather information before spending on improvements or choosing an asking price.

Collect repair and maintenance records, improvement details and any association documents. Ask which information or disclosures your sale requires.
List known concerns and separate necessary work from cosmetic preferences. Discuss costs and priorities before committing to repairs.
Review recent comparable sales and current competition with PWR. Ask why each property is relevant and how condition or features affect the comparison.
Consider offer terms alongside price: financing, contingencies, proposed closing and possession dates. Mention another purchase or relocation early.

Ask yourself: Which preparation tasks and dates need to be settled before you are ready to list?

Explore selling with PWR

An older couple relaxing together on a porch

Rightsizing

Starting the Rightsizing Conversation

Rightsizing starts with how you want to live, not an assumption that you should move or choose a smaller home. Compare what works now with what you would like to change.

Write down daily needs: stairs, storage, outdoor upkeep, room layout and access to the places you choose to visit.
Compare the costs and practical demands of staying with those of moving. Include preparation, moving expenses and the ongoing costs of another home.
If selling is part of the plan, discuss property condition, comparable sales and how the sale would fit a purchase or other housing choice.
Decide whom you want involved. Family or trusted advisers can help with your permission; packing and moving needs can be planned separately.

Ask yourself: What would need to improve for staying to work, and what would another home need to offer?

Explore rightsizing with PWR

A service member in Army uniform carrying moving boxes into a new home with family

Relocation

A PCS Move Planning Guide

Put your report date and housing decisions on the same timeline. Mark confirmed dates separately from estimates so you can see which decisions depend on information still to come.

Identify when you need housing, when you can visit and whether an existing home must sell before another purchase.
Discuss showing options, property access, inspections and document requirements with the people involved. Confirm remote arrangements before making travel plans.
If considering a VA loan, ask about a Certificate of Eligibility and compare lender requirements, estimated payments and closing costs. Eligibility alone does not guarantee approval.
Review contract and financing deadlines alongside your report date. Ask what changes in orders or timing could mean for your obligations before signing.

Ask yourself: Which decisions can you make now, and which need confirmed dates, financing or property information?

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A tree-lined Washington, D.C. street of historic rowhouses

Property Decisions

Comparing Homes and Asking Prices

A useful comparison looks beyond the asking price. Evaluate homes using the same criteria, then ask which recent sales help explain their pricing.

Compare property type, size, layout, condition and location. A nearby sale may be less useful if the home differs substantially.
Distinguish active asking prices from completed sale prices. Ask when comparable sales closed and whether concessions affect the interpretation.
Note likely maintenance, renovation needs and recurring costs. Specialists can help evaluate concerns that photographs or a quick visit cannot resolve.
Ask PWR to explain the differences behind a pricing analysis. Use that discussion alongside your budget, priorities and proposed offer terms.

Ask yourself: What explains the price difference between the homes you are considering?

Review the home-buying steps

A bright ensuite bathroom, virtually staged

Selling

Presenting a Distinctive Home

Help buyers understand the property they are evaluating. Clear photographs, accurate descriptions and practical preparation can explain a distinctive home's layout and features.

List features that need explanation, such as an unusual layout or specialist equipment. Gather relevant maintenance information and ask which details belong in listing materials.
Discuss preparation priorities before commissioning work. Separate repairs, cleaning and presentation choices, and weigh each against the budget.
Identify virtual staging clearly. Buyers should be able to distinguish the property's actual condition from illustrative furnishings or alterations.
Discuss photography, showing access and privacy preferences alongside required disclosures and listing information. Agree on how offers and questions will be reviewed.

Ask yourself: Which details would help a buyer understand this home rather than simply admire its photographs?

Explore distinctive-home representation

Read the original consumer guidance.

CFPB: getting ready to buy a home

CFPB: understanding a preapproval letter

VA: purchase-loan requirements

VA: the home-buying process

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