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Anyone who has served for any length of time will tell you the quality of base housing is a genuine mix. While billions of dollars have been invested over the past decade, there is still work to do to catch up.

That’s why many serving personnel prefer to live off base.

Whether that’s renting a house or apartment or buying one, living off base is a common occurrence across all four branches.

That’s what this post is all about.

We’re going to offer actionable advice on finding the best furnished off-base military lodging.

No matter where you’re serving or how long you’re serving for, we can help.

We’re going to outline your main options if you’re changing station, on secondment or TDY.

On-base hotel or DOD lodging

You may not want to stay in base housing but what about a base hotel? Hotel, inn, DIOD lodging, call it what you like, it’s about the most convenient option there is.

It’s on-base, close to your station, cheap and convenient. You pay by the night and most, if not all, costs should be covered by your stipend.

You’re still using military property though. Some on-base hotels have been outsourced and provide better standards of accommodation. Not all will though.

If you’re traveling with family, forget on-base accommodation. Getting a pass and an escort every time they want to visit or leave is more trouble than it’s worth!

Off-base hotels

Off-base hotels will offer much higher standards of accommodation but charge a lot more for it.

Hotels are usually located in convenient places, close to base or transport links and will have amenities too.

However, for longer stays, a hotel room soon becomes confining. Those four walls soon begin closing in and living in a single room is never the best.

It may have been fine as a recruit or non-com, but it could have been a long time since you had to live in one room!

Airbnb

Airbnb has the flexibility you need to provide reliable off-base housing. Not all housing options will be suitable for military personnel or have long enough rental terms for secondments or longer stays.

Prices can be all over the place too.

The good news is the sheer volume of properties available gives you a lot to work with and perhaps provide the ability to switch between hosts for longer stays.

Do your research though, as it really is up to you to check out the place and ensure it’s up to standard.

Renting a house or apartment

Renting a house or apartment is a logical option if you’re at your new station or know you’ll be there for a year or more.

The downside of renting like this is that most houses or apartments are unfurnished. They are also for fixed contracts.

As we all know, TDY can change within hours and a standard lease agreement isn’t usually flexible enough to cope with that without costing you money.

Some leases are sympathetic to the needs of military personnel, but those tend to rent fast!

Corporate furnished housing for military personnel

There is another option you may not have thought of. Renting corporate housing. Despite the name, they work well for military personnel.

You pay by the month, they are fully furnished and equipped. You can block-book for months at a time or have a rolling monthly contract.

Work with the right housing provider and we can accommodate the unique needs of TDY too.

Corporate housing is typically in downtown areas, financial districts and the suburbs. Many are within reach of camp or base, or at least close to transport links to your duty station.

As a final benefit, all rents for corporate rentals are fully inclusive. That means one payment covers all your bills, utilities and essential services.

Everything is set up for you and can be managed by one of our team.

If you’re looking for safe, secure accommodation that’s flexible enough to cope with TDY, you’ve found it!

Published on Apr 10, 2022 By Barry Goodknight