BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT: If you sell early, you have flexible options including short-term rentals, month-to-month apartments, on-base housing, and temporary lodging—but early coordination with Sheppard’s Military Housing Office is critical to securing what fits your timeline.
Getting PCS orders brings a unique challenge—especially when your home sells before you’ve figured out where you’re going next. Look, I’ve been there. I navigated multiple PCS moves myself, including two while deployed, and I know that gap between closing day and departure day can feel stressful.
The good news? Wichita Falls has solid housing options to bridge that transition, whether you need something for a few weeks or several months. Here’s what’s actually available right now and what you need to know.
The Wichita Falls Housing Market Right Now
Let me give you the real numbers from September 2025 so you understand what you’re working with. The median home price in Wichita Falls is $195,000, down 2.5% from last year. Homes are sitting on the market for about 61 days—that’s 8 days longer than September 2024. Days to close average 30 days, just one day more than last year.
What does this mean for you? The market’s stable but slightly slower, which actually works in your favor when you’re looking for temporary housing. Landlords and property managers are motivated, and you’ll have more negotiating power for short-term arrangements.
Your Housing Options When You Sell Before PCS
Off-Base Rental Homes and Apartments
This is usually your most flexible option. Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, and Iowa Park all have established rental markets with options ranging from studios to four-bedroom homes.
Price ranges you’ll actually see:
• Studio to 1-bedroom apartments: $500-$800/month
• 2-bedroom apartments: $800-$1,100/month
• 3-bedroom units: $1,100-$1,400/month
• Single-family rental homes (2-4 bedrooms): $1,100-$2,400+/month
Many apartment complexes offer month-to-month leases after an initial term, and some specifically cater to military families with discounts. The key is asking upfront about military clauses that let you break the lease with orders—this isn’t automatic, you have to negotiate it.
On-Base Housing at Sheppard AFB
Sheppard’s privatized housing is managed by Balfour Beatty Communities. It’s convenient, especially if you’re still working on base, but availability can be limited. If you’re considering this route, get on the waitlist immediately—don’t wait until after your house closes.
Advantages include proximity to work, built-in community support, and utilities typically included in your BAH. The downside? Wait times can stretch weeks or even months depending on availability, which is why I emphasize early application.
Temporary Housing and Base Lodging
If you need something ultra-short-term—say 2-6 weeks while you finalize your move—temporary options exist but come with tradeoffs. Base lodging at Sheppard offers rooms when available, though space is limited and priority goes to TDY personnel.
Corporate apartments and extended-stay hotels in Wichita Falls provide flexibility without lease commitments, but expect to pay $60-$100+ per night. That adds up fast. For stays longer than a month, a regular apartment or rental home makes more financial sense.
The Military Housing Office—Use This Resource
Here’s something a lot of people miss: Sheppard’s Military Housing Office isn’t just for on-base housing. They provide relocation assistance, monitor off-base rental availability, help with lease agreements and military clauses, and can intervene if you have landlord disputes.
I can’t stress this enough—coordinate with them early. They have current market information and relationships with local landlords who understand military timelines. This isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential to finding quality housing that aligns with your PCS orders.
Strategic Timing: When to Sell vs. When to Move
The ideal scenario is closing your sale 1-3 weeks before you PCS. That minimizes temporary housing costs while giving you buffer time for any closing delays. But life doesn’t always cooperate with ideal scenarios.
If your orders are 90+ days out and you get a strong offer now, run the numbers. Compare potential rental costs against the risk of the buyer walking if you wait. With the current market sitting at 4.6 months of inventory and homes taking 61 days to sell on average, a bird in the hand might be worth taking—especially if you can negotiate a rent-back period with the buyer.
Rent-Back: The Bridge Solution You Might Not Know About
This is one of my Eight Strategies to Sell, and it’s particularly useful for military families. A rent-back, which is accomplished with a seller’s temporary lease agreement, lets you sell your home but stay in it as a tenant for a negotiated period—usually 30-60 days.
You close the sale, hand over the deed, and then lease your former home back from the new owner at a daily rate (typically market rent or the mortgage payment divided by 30). It keeps you in familiar space, your kids stay in their schools a bit longer, and you avoid the hassle of packing twice.
Not every buyer will agree to this, but in a market where homes are sitting longer, it’s a negotiation tool worth using. I’ve helped multiple military families structure rent-backs that gave them exactly the breathing room they needed.
There are some caveats to consider. The main one being you have to have a mindset shift, now you have become the tenant in the home you formerly owned, and the buyer expects the home in the same condition as it was at closing. Also, maintenance items are now the responsibility of the buyer. This shift can be tricky.
What About BAH?
Your Basic Allowance for Housing continues until your PCS, so you’ll have that to cover temporary accommodations. The BAH rates for Wichita Falls vary by rank and dependency status.
For most, it covers most standard apartments or rental homes, but if you’re in temporary housing at $80/night, you could burn through a month’s BAH in two weeks. Plan accordingly.
Final Thoughts: From Orders to Sold
Selling before your PCS doesn’t have to create chaos. With the right strategy and early coordination, you can turn what feels like a problem into an opportunity—securing top dollar for your home while having a clear plan for where you’ll live until departure day.
Whether it’s a month-to-month apartment, a rent-back arrangement, or temporary on-base housing, Wichita Falls has options that work. The key is understanding your timeline, knowing your numbers, and working with professionals who’ve navigated PCS moves themselves.
I’ve helped hundreds of military families through this exact transition, leveraging AI-driven market data and decades of local knowledge to maximize home value while minimizing stress. If you’re facing orders and need a clear strategy for selling—or finding the right temporary housing—let’s talk. Your mission is relocation. Mine is getting your home sold smart, sold fast, and sold right.
Ready to create your PCS strategy? Contact Tim Lockhart your Military Focussed Real Estate Agent at the Lockhart Real Estate Team—where faith, strategy, and results come together for military families navigating life’s biggest transitions.
Sources and Additional Resources:
Sheppard AFB Housing Information
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