Category: Off Base Housing

Click here to view our off-base housing for Military and DoD personnel 

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

CLICK HERE TO BROWSE OUR OFF-BASE HOUSING LOCATIONS

Here are some of the bases we serve:

  • Camp Humphreys
  • Langley
  • Fort Lewis
  • Fort Hood
  • Camp Pendleton
  • Fort Carson
  • Fort Benning
  • Camp Lejeune
  • Fort Knox
  • Fort Wainwright
  • Camp Zama
  • Fort Jackson
  • Travis AFB

For the vast majority of military personnel who serve their country, corporate housing needs are addressed by the military and provided on base. For some, for those who are transferring, on secondment or PCS’ing, that isn’t always the case, which is where Blu comes in.

As military housing specialists, Blu Corporate Housing helps thousands of government workers and military personnel find a comfortable home near their base or duty station. We deliver exceptional quality furnished housing that can be tailored to suit your exact needs and can be within easy reach of where you work.

The government is spending millions of dollars improving military housing, including upgrading, rebuilding and renovating base housing across the country and wherever US personnel serve. That takes time, so while your lot is improving steadily, there is a real need to find alternative accommodation.

If you need high quality accommodation anywhere in the country, contact Blu today. We’re here to help!

As government-approved housing providers, we can find apartments, single family homes and any other property type you require within easy reach of most military installations. Contact us today to find out more!

Types of Military Housing

Military housing reflects the types of properties in any given area, your branch of service, rank, family status and specialization. Your housing officer can tell you more if you need to know the specifics. Blu can help find just about anything, anywhere and can deliver on a wide range of housing requests.

The average military rental will be an apartment or small family home, but can be anything you want it to be as long as you get it approved. Essentially, if a property type exists in the area you’re looking, we can secure it, it’s as simple as that.

The typical military housing rental we provide will be of a high quality, with good standards of decoration, fully equipped kitchens, fitted bathrooms, lots of living space and plenty of room to breathe. If you need anything specific, such as gated communities, underground parking or extra security, just ask!

Why Work With Blu?

Blu has many years’ experience working with government, law enforcement and the military so know well the particular needs of the people that work within those organizations. We also know the way the government works and budgets for military housing, so can manage all requests effectively.

Blu is also a full-service accommodation specialist that can handle the paperwork, arrange services, utilities and manage any special requests with ease. That’s why we are the natural choice for any personnel needing accommodation. Call us, email us or use the form and we’ll do everything we can to help.