Moving around is part of being in a military family. Whether it’s you that serves or a family member, you’ll likely live in many towns, cities and even countries during that service.
The needs of the military and the defense of this country requires a lot of flexibility from personnel. Rarely will a solider, sailor, airman (or woman) or marine serve on the same ship, or the same installation for an entire career.
If you’re new to military life, have just joined up or have married into the life, first, welcome!
Second, get used to moving around. A lot.
Fortunately, things are much better now than they used to be. You have many more options for accommodation and the quality of what’s on offer is so much higher than before.
Base housing
A lot of money has been spent on base housing. It used to be run down, worn out and generally in terrible condition. While still not modern in any sense of the word, base housing is at least weathertight and fit for habitation.
The downside is that it can be a little overwhelming for new military families at first. Military life is a bubble. If you live on base, you live, eat and breathe military and so does all your family.
That’s no bad thing but it’s a little one-dimensional.
Off-base housing
Off-base housing utilizes standard property rentals or purchases, depending on how long you’re here. You can rent a house anywhere within easy reach of the duty station and the government will assist with rent and perhaps other expenses too.
The advantage with off-base housing is that you can choose your own property, location and situation. Rent an apartment, a house or something else, it’s entirely up to you.
The downside is that you miss out on the camaraderie and neighborliness of base life.
Furnished rentals and military life
Furnished rentals are a viable option for temporary duty stations, training or getting to know a new town or city. Ideal to use before committing to a long term lease or before buying a house.
Book a furnished rental for between 1-12 months. Get a feel for your new home, learn where is good to live and where isn’t, figure out whether you want to live here or not and you can go from there.
Once booked, the furnished rental has everything you need included in the price. All appliances, kitchenware, TV, internet, bedding and more. All you need to bring is a suitcase!
What’s more, the military will likely pay for it for you as part of Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE)!
As long as the property qualifies for TLE, you’ll get help paying for accommodation.
If, for some reason you’re serving and your family cannot stay with you, Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expense (TQSE) can help cover their housing while you’re working.
The advantages of furnished rentals during change of duty station
Aside from having the government help cover the expense of staying somewhere while you’re in the process of moving, there are other advantages of using furnished rentals.
Pack light – You can move in with just a suitcase and let the movers handle everything else. No need to wait for boxes or for essentials. Pack up, drive off, move in. Simple.
Try before you buy – Moving to a new city can be daunting. Having a safe, fully furnished home to use for as long as you like the moment you arrive can be a big help. You don’t have to wait for movers, don’t have to wait for previous tenants to move out or worry about committing long term to a neighborhood you might not like.
Ideal for temporary duty – Not all moves are long term. Sometimes service personnel are sent somewhere for a few weeks or months. If you’re training, retraining, covering station or something else, don’t bother with a cramped hotel room or barracks, rent your own apartment or house instead.
All or mostly paid for – The government pays for your accommodation so you may as well get your money’s worth. It isn’t often you come out on top financially when you serve, but this is one of those times.
One monthly outgoing covers everything – Your monthly rent covers everything. All bills, TV, internet, heating, electricity, water and all the other outgoings we usually have to contend with.
If you’re changing duty station anytime soon and need somewhere for you or your family to stay, there are many reasons to consider furnished rentals. Contact one of our team today to discuss your needs.