Key Takeaways
- A listing takes about three months: Great Falls houses sold after a median 53 days (Redfin, August 2026), plus 30 to 45 days for a financed closing.
- Peak season is short: military moves cluster from mid-May through August, so plan from your report date backward.
- You have four paths: list with an agent, rent it out, let a buyer assume your VA loan, or sell for cash on a date you pick.
- HAP is not open for routine PCS moves: it currently accepts only wounded, injured, or ill service members and surviving spouses.
- Renting has a Montana tax rule: lease for 28 days or more for seven months a year to keep the reduced rate, and enroll for 2027 by March 1, 2027.
If you need to sell a house fast on PCS orders in Great Falls, Montana, the calendar drives every other decision. Your orders carry a report-no-later-than date, and that date will not wait for a buyer. Great Falls houses took a median 53 days to sell over the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin, August 2026). A financed buyer then usually needs another 30 to 45 days to close.
This guide is for airmen, officers, and civilians leaving Malmstrom Air Force Base. It covers the PCS calendar, listing timelines, VA loan options, renting, Montana paperwork, and where a cash sale fits.
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Let's chatWhen Does PCS Season Hit Malmstrom Air Force Base?
PCS season at Malmstrom Air Force Base follows the military's peak moving season, which generally runs from mid-May through August (Air Force Times, July 2026). The Defense Department has long placed the busiest stretch between Memorial Day and July 4 (American Forces Press Service, March 2013). Many families leaving the base are trying to sell in the same summer weeks.
The volume is large. Household goods pickups reached 138,570 by June 30, 2026, up from 134,282 a year earlier, per the Defense Department's Personal Property Activity (Air Force Times, July 2026).
Orders, the report date, and your real deadline
Your orders set a report-no-later-than date (RNLTD) at the new station. Out-processing, the household goods pickup, and travel all come out of the weeks before it. The house has to be sold, rented, or handed off by then, or it becomes a job you manage from another state.
Work backward. Pick the last day you could close in Great Falls, then subtract the time each path needs.
Why the base keeps the local calendar busy
Malmstrom hosts the 341st Missile Wing. About 4,000 people, including more than 3,300 active-duty members and 600 civilians, make up the wing (341st Missile Wing fact sheet, July 2026). The city puts the base's total economic impact at about $435 million for FY2024, citing the base's data card (Great Falls Growth Policy, March 2026).
The Sentinel missile program adds another layer. The Army Corps of Engineers broke ground May 28, 2026 on a $26 million commercial gate built for Sentinel construction traffic (USACE, June 2026). GAO reports the missile's first flight has slipped to about March 2028 (GAO, February 2026). Treat both as background, not a price forecast.
How Long Does It Take to Sell a House in Great Falls in 2026?
Selling a Great Falls house to a financed buyer typically takes about three months from list date to closing, though a well-priced house can move faster. Redfin reports a median 53 days on market for the three months ending August 2026, up from 49 a year earlier (Redfin, August 2026). Add a 30 to 45 day loan closing, and the total lands near 90 days.
Prices have held steady. Redfin puts the Great Falls median sale price at $349,719, up 2.9% year over year, with 269 sales in August (Redfin, August 2026). Separately, the Zillow Home Value Index for the city was $340,160, up 3.0% (Zillow ZHVI, August 2026). The two measure different things, so read them side by side, not as one number.
The illustrative 90-day window below shows how the two calendars line up for a family that starts the day orders arrive.
| Milestone | Illustrative day | What sets the pace |
|---|---|---|
| Orders received | Day 0 | Your assignment and report date |
| List date | About day 14 | Repairs, cleaning, photos, and hiring an agent |
| Accepted offer | About day 67 | Median 53 days on market (Redfin, August 2026) |
| Financed closing | About day 97 to 112 | Buyer's loan, appraisal, and underwriting, often 30 to 45 days |
| Cash closing | A date you pick, as few as 7 days after signing | No loan or appraisal in the way |
| Report date | Day 90 | Your orders |
This table is illustrative only; your orders and your house will change every number in it. In this example the financed closing lands one to three weeks after the report date. That gap is where double housing costs and rushed rental decisions tend to start.
Four Ways to Handle a Great Falls House on PCS Orders
A Great Falls owner on PCS orders usually has four realistic paths: list with an agent, rent it out, let a buyer assume the VA loan, or sell for cash. Each one trades time, cost, and certainty differently.
| Path | Time to close | Cost to you | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| List with an agent | About three months at median pace | Commission, closing costs, repairs, and carrying costs | Depends on the buyer's loan, appraisal, and inspection |
| Rent it out | No sale; you keep the house | Turnovers, repairs, vacancy, and management | Steady if tenants pay; the job follows you to the next station |
| VA loan assumption | Can run longer while the lender reviews the buyer | Standard sale costs; the buyer pays the VA funding fee | Depends on the lender approving the buyer's credit |
| Direct cash sale (Propcash) | As few as 7 days, on a date you choose | No commissions, fees, or repairs charged to you | No buyer loan or appraisal to fall through |
List with an agent
Listing often nets the most when you have time and a house that shows well. With five or six months of lead time, it is usually the right first move. The risk is a loan that falls apart after the movers have come.
Rent it out, assume, or sell for cash
Each of these gets its own section below. Our general guide to selling a house when relocating covers the same choices for civilian moves.
Can a Buyer Assume Your VA Loan?
Yes, a qualified buyer can take over your VA-backed loan if the loan is current and the lender approves the buyer's credit (38 U.S.C. § 3714). The buyer does not have to be a veteran. Once an approved buyer assumes the loan, federal law relieves you of further liability to VA on it.
The catch is cash. The buyer takes over your balance, so they must cover the gap between that balance and the price.
What the buyer faces
On an assumption, the buyer pays a VA funding fee of 0.5% of the loan amount (VA, September 2026). A buyer who takes out a new VA purchase loan instead must plan to live in the house (VA, September 2026). That buyer's funding fee on first use with less than 5% down is 2.15% (VA, September 2026).
What happens to your entitlement
Your entitlement stays tied to the house unless the buyer is a veteran who substitutes their own entitlement (VA, September 2026). If you want a VA loan at the next station, ask your lender what entitlement you would have left first.
Is the Homeowners Assistance Program Open for PCS Moves?
No, the DoD Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) is not taking applications for routine PCS moves. The Air Force's benefits site says applications are being accepted only from wounded, injured, or ill service members and from surviving spouses (MyAirForceBenefits, reviewed May 2026).
The PCS version of HAP was a mortgage-crisis expansion. The federal rule says that expanded authority applies until September 30, 2012, unless extended by law (32 C.F.R. Part 239). If you fall into one of the open categories, the Army Corps of Engineers runs the program.
Renting Out Your House From the Next Duty Station
Renting from the next station can work if the rent covers the mortgage and you can manage the house from a distance. It is a common choice when a listing cannot close before the report date.
What BAH tells you about local rents
Housing allowance is a rough reference point for rents near the base. DoD raised BAH an average of 4.2% for 2026, effective January 1, 2026 (Department of War, December 2025). The 2025 table for Malmstrom and Great Falls (MHA MT175) paid $1,389 a month with dependents for E-1 to E-4 and $1,482 for E-5 (DTMO, 2025 BAH rates).
BAH is an allowance, so use it only as a rough guide to rents. Check the current rate on the DTMO BAH calculator, then compare it with your mortgage, insurance, and taxes.
Montana's long-term rental tax rate
A rented Montana house keeps a reduced tax rate if leased for 28 days or more at a time, for at least seven months a year (Montana Department of Revenue, 2026). Your tenants must live there as a residence, and time spent only listing the house for rent does not count. You must enroll by March 1, 2027 to get the reduced rate for 2027.
The reduced rate starts at 0.76% of market value up to the statewide median residential value, with higher tiers above it (Mont. Code Ann. § 15-6-134). A house that sits vacant or runs as a short-term rental is taxed at the flat 1.9% rate instead. Plan for that if the house could sit empty for long.
The workload from a distance
The harder cost is distance. About 68% of metro Great Falls rental units were built before 1970 (Great Falls Growth Policy, March 2026). Older houses tend to need more repair calls, and long winters test furnaces and pipes.
Montana Paperwork: Disclosure, the 3-Day Rule, and the Transfer Certificate
Most Montana house sales involve two documents PCS sellers may not know: the seller disclosure statement and the Realty Transfer Certificate. Since 2023, the seller of a one-to-four-unit house must give the buyer a written statement of known adverse material facts (Mont. Code Ann. § 70-20-502).
The 3-day rule
Unless both sides agree otherwise in writing, the contract is not effective until 3 days after the buyer receives that statement. The buyer can withdraw without penalty during that pause. On a tight PCS calendar, deliver the statement early or settle the timing in writing up front. Our guide to Montana seller disclosure requirements covers the exemptions and waivers.
The Realty Transfer Certificate
At closing, the deed is recorded with a Realty Transfer Certificate that declares the price paid (Mont. Code Ann. § 15-7-305). Montana charges no real estate transfer tax. The certificate is confidential, not a public record (Mont. Code Ann. § 15-7-308), and the title company prepares it with you.
How a Cash Sale Fits a Great Falls PCS Report Date
A direct cash sale fits a PCS report date because the closing date is set when you sign, not when a lender finishes. Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer: we buy the house ourselves, so no buyer loan, appraisal, or financing contingency sits in the timeline. Cash closings can happen in as few as 7 days.
- Pick your closing date. Set it before your report date, or line it up with the household goods pickup.
- Sell as-is. No repairs, cleaning, or showings to manage while you out-process.
- No fees or commissions. Sellers pay nothing to Propcash.
- One offer, with the reasoning shown. We explain how local Great Falls sales data produced our number.
- No pressure. Our offer stands while you compare it with a listing or a rental plan. If a cash sale is not your best move, we will say so.
If you have months of runway and a house that shows well, a listing may net you more. Compare net against net. When you want a real number, you can get a cash offer on your Great Falls house in about two minutes.
Closing from your next duty station
You usually do not need to be in Great Falls on closing day. Montana closings run through title and escrow companies, which can often send documents for signing wherever you are stationed. If you might be deployed, ask your base legal assistance office about a power of attorney. For more on how we buy locally, see our page on selling a house fast in Great Falls.
Why wait? Sell your house “as is” for cash today
Tell us about your house. We'll make you a cash offer based on local market data.
Let's chatFrequently Asked Questions
How fast can you sell a house on PCS orders in Great Falls?
A direct cash sale can close in as few as 7 days, because there is no buyer loan or appraisal to wait on. A listed Great Falls house took a median 53 days to sell over the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin, August 2026). A financed buyer then typically needs 30 to 45 more days, so a listing often runs about three months.
Should I rent out my Great Falls house instead of selling when I PCS from Malmstrom?
Renting can work if the rent covers the mortgage and you are ready to manage repairs and tenants from another station. In Montana, a house leased for 28 days or more at a time, for at least seven months a year, can qualify for the reduced long-term rental tax rate. Enrollment for 2027 closes March 1, 2027, and a house left vacant or rented short-term is taxed at the flat 1.9% rate instead.
Can the buyer of my Great Falls house take over my VA loan?
Yes, if the loan is current and the lender approves the buyer's credit under 38 U.S.C. § 3714. The buyer does not have to be a veteran, pays a 0.5% VA funding fee, and needs cash to cover your equity. Your VA entitlement stays with the loan unless the buyer is a veteran who substitutes their own.
Is the Homeowners Assistance Program available for a Malmstrom PCS move?
The Homeowners Assistance Program is not available for a routine Malmstrom PCS move. The Air Force benefits site says HAP is accepting applications only from wounded, injured, or ill service members and from surviving spouses (MyAirForceBenefits, reviewed May 2026). The mortgage-crisis expansion that covered PCS moves was written to apply until September 30, 2012.
Do I need a seller disclosure statement if I sell my Great Falls house for cash?
You usually need a seller disclosure statement even when you sell your Great Falls house for cash. Montana's 2023 law requires a written statement of known adverse material facts for most one-to-four-unit house sales, cash or financed (Mont. Code Ann. § 70-20-502). The law exempts some transfers, including a sale where the buyer waives the statement in the contract, so ask your title company which rule applies to your sale.
Can I close on my Great Falls house after I leave Montana?
You can close on your Great Falls house after you leave Montana in most cases. Montana closings run through title and escrow companies, which can often arrange signing wherever you are stationed. A power of attorney can let someone sign for you if you are deployed, and your base legal assistance office can help you prepare one before you leave.
This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm specifics with your lender, the Montana Department of Revenue, or your base legal assistance office.