Things can be two things at once. A person can be a military spouse and still have ambitions of their own, while also caring about their spouse, other military spouses, and military families. Just because one thing is true doesn’t mean something else can’t also be true. This is evident in realtor, military spouse, and Minot PCS Pay It Forward Ambassador, Sarah Kotecki.
Sarah came to Minot in 2024 with her active-duty spouse, Technical Sergeant Nicholas Kotecki of the 69th Bomb Squadron. The couple trekked from Alaska to get here, so they were used to the cold, but they weren’t used to the small-town vibe. Sarah explained that in Alaska, it was like a tourist town, and every weekend it felt to her like they could go out and do “this once-in-a-lifetime experience.” They loved it, but they have also come to embrace the small-town and slower-paced life that Minot offers.
Once here, after purchasing their home off base and settling in, Sarah realized there was a need for someone to help guide military families on their way to Minot. There is so much to learn about this place, and any PCS can be confusing, so people need help. So Sarah signed on to be the Minot PCS Pay It Forward Ambassador.
PCS Pay It Forward is an established organization with chapters at many military installations all over the country. Their goal is to be the face of incoming PCS moves and to be a person there for incoming families. Most of their chapters are led by a local realtor who is experienced in the ins and outs of not only moving for the military, but also the nuances of buying and selling around the VA loan and other military options, as well as the local area.
Sarah became a realtor several years ago after she and her husband purchased a home and realized how many hoops there were to jump through. She decided she wanted to be someone who could help others navigate the process, especially since buying a home is one of the biggest purchases people make in their lives.
That brought her to where she is now: leading the Minot PCS Pay It Forward group on Facebook. Sarah admitted that, yes, the page exists partially to help homebuyers find her, a quality realtor who specializes in VA loans, but it also exists to simply guide new families in general, which is something she is passionate about.
Sarah mentioned that one of her favorite parts of the group is the free Personalized PCS Plan she creates for anyone coming to Minot AFB. She said each plan is highly personalized to the individual or family and contains information pertinent to their specific situation. For example, if a family is coming with lots of kids, Sarah makes sure to include information about school districts. If they are coming with pets, she includes links and information about the best veterinarians to contact.
On the Facebook group page, she says, “My goal is to get to know you, your family, your timeline, and what’s most important about your move. From there, I’ll customize the plan you see here to connect you with the resources, information, and local insights that actually fit your situation…I’m here to help make your move to Minot a little easier.”
Ultimately, whether someone is looking to see what they could do with their VA loan and buy a home, or just wants some information about the best restaurants in town, Sarah is there to help.
She said, “My main passion is to help people sort through all the internet fluff of what’s out there when it comes to a PCS and get the info they really need.”
Overall, Sarah is proving that people can co-exist as both someone who genuinely wants to help others and someone who hopes to grow their business. It doesn’t have to be one or the other in this world. And when it comes down to it, having one more person in Minot willing to help others out is really what we all need.
