On Base housing versus Off Base

[sskkc]

While dh was deployed, I definitely felt more secure and "connected" when living on base.

There is generally no major crime to worry about on base, though teens breaking into cars is common. The good news is they don't generally do "damage", the bad news is they take everything not nailed down... even the Barney CDs.

[militarymom]

typically for us, we've made a lot more money (on BAH) living off base. I think once we made $800 extra/month and had a bigger place and a garage (base housing had smaller homes and carports at the time). The money was after we paid utilities too. Last home we pocketed $600/mo and this time we're only pocketing $200/mo but we also have a 3500 sf home with a large yard, swimming pool amenities and 5 bedrooms. You can't get that on base.

I haven't lived on base but I suppose I would if I couldn't get what I wanted out in town. I happen to prefer to find friends outside of the military life sometimes. You'll always get to meet your spouses coworkers at events but it seems like when you live on base, and don't work--meeting people who just are locals can be more difficult.

Preferences I guess. I just always go for the notion of what is going to make us more money. Living off base certainly has, I'd hate to give my BAH up but that is just me.

[TheJagMan]

Like so many things...It's COMPARED TO WHAT? All about what's important to you...Saving $$$, feeling safe, etc...

I frequent Savannah and love the area...I would like to live as close to River St as possible, yet I've never had to make a morning commute...

[lisdol]

Originally Posted by militarymom

typically for us, we've made a lot more money (on BAH) living off base. I think once we made $800 extra/month and had a bigger place and a garage (base housing had smaller homes and carports at the time).

And just to give another example, we live off base and after putting down 20% on our home, we pay $600/mo over our BAH (E6) on our mortgage, plus another $60/mo for gas, $100 for electric, $40 for water and the septic pumping program, and $17 for trash service.

But we have 200 more square feet (1800 vs 1600) a 2 car garage, instead of a one car garage, we are detached instead of in a townhome, and live on over 2 acres, and the schools are much much much better. And we are paying on a 15 yr mortgage.

We could have gotten a double wide in the same town we are now and probably make money or break even on BAH but the base housing (brand new and privatized) would have been a lot nicer than a DW.

It definitely depends on whether the housing is the old housing or the new housing (it seems like many bases are going through privatization right now), and some of those intangibles. Sometimes the intangibles are worth more than the money, sometimes they are not.

The money depends on the base for sure - it was cheaper to buy than it was to rent or live on base at our last duty station.

[Neophyte282]

Well, we don't have the means to buy and don't want to because we are moving to the West in a few years. Looks like we have a few things to look at...

[favearticles]

Originally Posted by Neophyte282

What are the pro's and con's of on and off base living? I'm in the Savannah area if that helps at all.

I wrote an article about military housing vs off base housing. You can check it out by clicking the "favearticles" link above and click my homepage. Hope I was able to help!