Blog Posts in "Moving Tips"

PCSing to the DC area can be very difficult because there are so many options. Hopefully I can help you narrow down your search and identify common cities surrounding DC area . There are a few confusing areas that have the same zip codes, but are in different counties and are aligned to different school districts. Falls Church vs City of Falls Church is an example. Another example is Alexandria vs City of Alexandria . Falls Church vs City of Falls Church vs West Falls Church City of Falls Church - The City of Falls Church is not part of Fairfax County Schools. Falls Church - The part inside t... read more

Every school has its pros and cons and students, especially military kids, thrive in different environments. The key is to find an environment that fits your child’s needs, but how do you do this when you are stationed miles away and you have to research online? TIPS FOR SEARCHING ONLINE SCHOOL RATINGS Tip #1 - Research Online School Ratings Look at test scores, percentages of free/reduced lunch, and demographics. GreatSchools.org - They rate schools based on a 1 of 10 scale (* Military Town Advisor utilizes GreatSchools’ ratings) SchoolDigger.com - They rate schools based on a 1 of 5 scale S... read more

Military Online Rentals - Renting Online The term “slum lords” is typically used for poorly run management groups, which often have expensive rents and low quality housing. We like to think these companies don’t exist, but unfortunately they do exist and usually prey on military families. To help you avoid this nightmare, I have put together a few tips on how to find military rentals online. In our last two moves, we were looking to rent and both times we did not do a house hunting trip. It wasn’t feasible and we didn’t have the time. Here is what I did, where I looked, and how I started my o... read more

House Hunting near Mayport or Jacksonville, Florida Have you received orders to Naval Station Mayport, Florida ? We did, twice. We lived in Jacksonville, Florida for 7 years total over 2 different tours. I graduated from college in Jacksonville, worked part time at a Hallmark store, taught first grade for 2 years, and then spent 3 years as a stay at home mom there. I experienced a lot around the area of NS Mayport. I truly did love being stationed there. In my blog titled “ Basic Boundaries: Where to Live if You Are Stationed at Naval Station Mayport, Florida ” I talk about the basic boundari... read more

Off Base Housing near Quantico One of the most stressful things for new couples moving to Quantico for TBS is finding a place to live. Often, this move is the first real move after college and can be extremely intimidating. Distance from base, safety of area , and cost are just a couple of the unknowns that can make an already stressful situation seem even more overwhelming. Luckily there are several great options in the area, filled with dozens of lieutenants and their families who went through the same search. The first and most important factor to consider is distance from the base . Durin... read more