Any others living in pooler w/commute to ft.stewart? (Savannah: rentals, credit)

[SGTSPOILEDPRISS]

HELLO all!

My husband is in the military and this is not our first time to Fort Stewart. I was stationed there and met my husband in 2002. My Mother was also stationed there. I have been reading a couple of the posts here on how Fort Stewart "IS" and I am surprised at the changes. I lived on Shady Lane with my mother when I first reported. It was a beautiful home when I lived there. I also lived on Mahoney Rd(ROACH INFESTED), ludowici in a nice 3 bedroom double wide(mosley rentals). Hinesville has indeed changed and I don't give much credit to "the media making the place out to be all bad". It was bad when I was there in certain areas and I believe with the troop increase and growing diversity it could not have gotten better. The schools were not all that great when my son was a kindergardener. I'd say they were marginal. I repeatedly had to pull my "B" card on school officials. Overall though with all the bad I must say that since me and my husband left in 2003 we have always wanted to go back to the small town hinesville area. its hard to explain it. We love the area but hated all the bad that goes on there. Now grant it he was a E3 when we left. he is now a E6 and we are 5 kids football team deep now. lol
What I am getting at is our standard of living has changed alot. I don't ask for much but I enjoy that i don't have to see the rattling cars sittin' on 22's roll up to me at a stop light. SO ANNOYING! Nice cars(My husband wants one) but do u have to be that loud? i personally enjoy My husband coming home to a nice bright home and ammenity filled community. Don't get me wrong.....I'm not downing anyones choice to be in hinesville......but MY STANDARDS are that I can't stay there. wait.....not that I can't - I wont. Hinesville looks so Dreary. no color at all. The ranch styled homes let in no light and I suffer from depression. They literally built those homes in hinesville like caves. really!

So my question is Are there any wives STATIONED at Stewart but whose husband commutes to Fort Stewart from Pooler? (We found a 5 bedroom house to rent that is much more than our Bah but we get phone internet and cable - landscaping - and community privileges included in our rent.) How long is your husbands drive and what time does he leave to make PT? We are just wondering because we will be there in November but he wont be there until February because he has to go to BNOC. Thank you for all your imput ladies!!! Nice to meet you all.

[saharaga]

Originally Posted by SGTSPOILEDPRISS

So my question is Are there any wives STATIONED at Stewart but whose husband commutes to Fort Stewart from Pooler? (We found a 5 bedroom house to rent that is much more than our Bah but we get phone internet and cable - landscaping - and community privileges included in our rent.) How long is your husbands drive and what time does he leave to make PT? We are just wondering because we will be there in November but he wont be there until February because he has to go to BNOC. Thank you for all your imput ladies!!! Nice to meet you all.

We're no longer stationed at Ft. Stewart but I can tell you that commuting from Pooler will be at least 45 minutes one way assuming no traffic. Renting a home that is a lot more than your basic allowance doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Last time, I checked, enlisted soldiers do not make a lot of money and using up all of your housing allowance and then some just doesn't seem smart to me. How much is the landlord paying for phone, internet, and cable? I'm sure that it's not as much as the difference between your housing allowance and the rent. Landscaping and community privileges are usually standard in most rental agreements so I wouldn't consider that a mitigating factor. There are cities closer to Hinesville, like Midway, that would be a much easier commute than Pooler. Other than the lack of things to do, I personally had no problems with Hinesville when we lived there.

[SGTSPOILEDPRISS]

hi! Thank you for answering. Well to start...one of the reasons we picked pooler is because We have lived in Hinesville before and there is "the lack of things to do". We wanted to be closer to Savannah and We considered the other issues in Hinesville.....making us wanting to live outside of the area. I honestly would have lived in Richmond hill or Midway but the homes I have been finding are 2000 sq ft. moreso less and that is just too small for my family of 7. Also taken into consideration was the fact that We always wanted to retire in this area or Stone mountain GA. The owners of the home have offered us to purchase it When we are ready. This will be when hubby returns from Iraq in 12 to 18 mos. The home is 2 years old and That was a major deciding factor when I was looking for a home. Many of the homes in hinesville near the gate are either old and outdated or New and unkempt. Thus the statement I made about it looking dreary. Like I said...I don't down anyones decision. its just the homes there are not my tastes(ranch style) and the outside of the home for Us is just as important as the inside. Our rent is not all that bad when you consider all we are getting. We needed a 5 bedroom. I have seen some houses in Midway at 1350 to 1495 for 4 rooms and 1600 or more for 5. Once you throw in $100+ for the phone internet and cable, then another 40 bucks every two weeks in the summer for landscaping. You are right where we are. The only difference is We have the convenience of all our bills into one and We have the option to get comfty knowing we can buy in the future. If I had to take my pic and was ever trapped anywhere I wouldn't want it to be small town Hinesville or Midway. Richmond hill or Pooler are my definite choices. I did say Hinesville area but when we fell in Love with hinesville it was totally different than it is now. Hubby is ok with the extra 20 mins so.......

I just wanted to know how it worked out for any others that possibly have been where I am going. Thanks again for your response!!!!!

[SGTSPOILEDPRISS]

OK. We decided to buy a home in Hinesville. Just wanted to let you know. Thank you!

[saharaga]

Good decision. Good luck.