PCSing to Colorado Springs This Summer? Here's a Timeline That Actually Holds Up

It depends on your situation — but almost every military family I work with makes the same assumption when they get PCS orders: "We'll figure out housing when we get there." Sometimes that works. More often, it means a rushed decision, a rental you didn't want, or an offer that falls apart because nobody built in time for the parts of a VA purchase that take longer than people expect.

My husband retired Air Force, so I've done this move myself more than once. The families who land well aren't the ones who move fastest — they're the ones who start the right steps at the right time.

Why Timing Matters More With a VA Loan

A VA loan isn't slower because of the VA — it's slower because of two things people underestimate: the VA appraisal timeline and, right now, inventory. Appraisals in El Paso County are taking longer than they did two years ago simply because there are fewer appraisers covering more transactions. And with more homes on the market than last summer, buyers have more to choose from — which is good — but it also means more homes to actually see before orders run out.

Here's What That Actually Means for You

60-90 days out: Get your Certificate of Eligibility pulled and get pre-approved with a lender who actually closes VA loans regularly in El Paso County — not every lender does volume here, and that matters when you need someone who won't be surprised by anything in the process. This is also the point to start a loose list of must-haves: proximity to base, elevation, HOA tolerance, and school boundaries if that applies to you.

30-60 days out: This is house-hunting trip territory, if you get one. I build a shortlist before you land so the trip is about narrowing down, not starting from zero. We look at showings back-to-back over 2-3 days rather than spreading them out, because your time here is the scarcest resource in this whole process.

Under 30 days out: If you haven't found a home yet, this is decision-making, not searching. I'd rather tell you honestly that renting for a few months and buying once you're settled is the better move than push you into a rushed offer. It happens, and it's not a failure — it's a normal part of some PCS timelines.

At closing: VA appraisals and loan underwriting can run longer right now than the "30 days to close" timeline people expect. I build in buffer on the front end so a slow appraisal doesn't turn into a housing gap for your family.

The Part Nobody Tells You

You can use your VA loan benefit again after a PCS, even if you didn't sell your last home — as long as you have enough remaining entitlement. If you're not sure where you stand on that, it's worth checking before you assume you need to sell first. That's a conversation I have with almost every returning client, and it changes the plan more often than people expect.

This is what I'd tell you if you called me today.