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Places to live in Corpus Christi

nublett

Been there, done that.
I think most of you are being narrow minded. Yeah, it's a quick drive from the island and there is a little prestige associated with it, but in Texas you can live >60 miles from the base and make it in <60 min! The island lacks services and is twice as expensive as elsewhere. Most of Corpus proper has serious car theft problems. Check-out some of the outlying suburb-type towns. They have more services, you get more bang for your buck, and the people are more laid back. Easyroommate.com and roommates.com are good resources. Ask successful flight grads, not promoting their property, in Corpus what they think.
 

Snacks

Everyone leave, I have to poop. NOW!!!
What about living on base at Corpus (married with a lot of stuff)? Is it a crap shoot, or pretty good like it is here at Whiting?
 

nublett

Been there, done that.
They haven't been offering base housing to students of any kind. There just isn't enough base housing. If your spouse is also a flight student you could make a killing off your BAQ by getting into one of those luxury mansons rented by some flight students. What does your spouse do for a living? The area you would want to live in might depend on that. What amenities are you looking for? Kids & pets?
 

Snacks

Everyone leave, I have to poop. NOW!!!
My wife is a Neonatal Nurse Practioner (civ). We don't have pets or kids, so we have that going for us. I'm an O-3, so I'll get about $1400 a month BAH. That good enough to cover a nice place off base in a good area?
 

kray1395

Active Member
I would recommend looking down in the area where I'm living. There's a lot of new housing going up and Corpus Christi is definitely growing in my direction. I live in a neighborhood called Bear Creek which is off Cimmaron south of Yorktown. We are across Cimarron from one of the nicest subdivisions in Corpus called Kings Crossing. It's about a 15 minute drive to the base, and about 5 minutes to the SPID, so everything is close by. We do our shopping at the HEB Plus about 2 minutes away and I think it's one of the nicest grocery stores I've shopped at. $1400 should get you a plenty nice place. I know there are a lot of instructors that live near me, both from NAS Corpus and NAS Kingsville, and some students. A couple of the students are on here. I chose to live here because I was selected for E2/C2 and knew I would be going to Kingsville, which is still a 40 mile drive from my house.

That being said, I was just informed by CTW-2 Stucon that I will be the last student approved to live in Corpus Christi while being stationed in Kingsville. It used to be that they let all married people put in a request chit and it would be approved, but I guess they decided to stop doing that even for the married folks. I'm not going to lie though, the drive sucks. Well, not so much the drive but the gas that's required to make the drive sucks. I only get there and back 3 times on a tank of gas, and I'm paying over $60 right now to fill up. We have a nice house though and that's why we do it.
 

Snacks

Everyone leave, I have to poop. NOW!!!
Kray1395, I take it that the houses are rentals? I'm not looking to buy, especially since I'm not going to be there for less than a year. Thanks!
 

KimberlyD

Registered User
We're looking into Armon Bay which I know is the same property management company that does the Summit (also the Veranda & the Sandcastle) but other than what I've heard fr previous people to live there, I don't have any hard info on them.

Base housing is most definitely available to students but b/c it is PPV you have to go ask for it, same as you would w/ any civilian housing, it isn't just a stop on your check off sheet anymore.
 

gregsivers

damn homeowners' associations
pilot
nublett said:
I think most of you are being narrow minded. Yeah, it's a quick drive from the island and there is a little prestige associated with it, but in Texas you can live >60 miles from the base and make it in <60 min! The island lacks services and is twice as expensive as elsewhere. Most of Corpus proper has serious car theft problems. Check-out some of the outlying suburb-type towns. They have more services, you get more bang for your buck, and the people are more laid back. Easyroommate.com and roommates.com are good resources. Ask successful flight grads, not promoting their property, in Corpus what they think.

Living that far out works until you start having 0530 sim briefs and 0600 flight briefs. And I don't remember any "suburb" of Corpus worth living in. Robbstown? no thanks. The island isn't that expensive, and its a great time to live in something like that. The only service the island really lacks is a grocery store. Big deal, its a 7 minute drive.
 

Bevo16

Registered User
pilot
The HEB by the Air Station on SPID is a closer drive to the Island is nothing to complain about. It is faster to get to that HEB from the island than it is to get to a Von's or Ralph's from where I live in San Diego.
 

ben

not missing sand
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
base housing

Snacks said:
What about living on base at Corpus (married with a lot of stuff)? Is it a crap shoot, or pretty good like it is here at Whiting?


Base housing in Corpus is pretty nice. Everything is either new or newly renovated. There is some older housing but it is currently being torn down. The management is done through a civilian company and they're not the greatest, but it's no worse than any management you'll find at an apartment complex. You won't rate over a 2-bedroom if you don't have 2 or more kids. My wife and I enjoy our place here and we're both very happy to have decided to live on base. The view out of the back of the house looks out over the bay and the neighborhood is nice and quiet. In my experience, the residents aren't all that social like I've heard they are in Milton. It's a mix of officer and enlisted without any sort of separation. The drive to work is not as fast as it could be because the speed limit is 20 mph for about 3/4 of the distance. That being said, it's a lot shorter than driving in from somewhere off base. It makes a pretty big difference with gas prices nearing $3.00 per gallon.

Whoever said that base housing isn't available here doesn't know what they're talking about. I personally know three students who live here, and I have seen more guys in the neighborhood who I haven't met. It's a good option if you're not planning on being here but a few months. Let me know if you've got any specific questions.
 

nublett

Been there, done that.
Hey Ben, that was probally me. When I left Corpus less than 6 months ago you coulddn't get (married) housing unless your orders had you there for longer than 6 months. I just assumed Snacks was a flight student, If I was wrong sorry.

Snacks, since your wife is a nurse you are probally better off in Corpus Christi proper. It would be great if you could get housing. It doesn't hurt to try anyway.

The coastal bend is home to me and I, personally, never understood what the draw to Padre island was. Live where you want, but I'll never be suckered into living out there. I can see trying your luck if you are only there for a short time, like for school, but I think it's expensive, boring, and dangerous- but that's just me. There are lots of outlying towns, that might have a slightly longer drive, but are cheaper, safer, more fun, and dare I say it... cultural! Quaint little towns like Taft and Sinton with their charming mainstreets lined with antique and specialty shops and homecooked restaurants. If you like the outdoors at all- that's where the best fishing, hunting, horseback and ATV riding, etc. is. You can't ride down the beach on Padre Island. Besides, what did you say you were paying for gas between the base and the island? It only costs me $20 to fill my van up in Sinton and it is a straight shot down the I-69 45 min. to Corpus, 20 min. to Ingleside, 50 min. to Kingsville, and 2 hrs. to the opposite side of San Antonio.
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
nublett said:
.......Quaint little towns like Taft and Sinton with their charming mainstreets lined with antique and specialty shops and homecooked restaurants. .....
Ahhhh ... Sinton, Texas. Got the world's finest US oak rolltop desk there @ a little antique store @ 1976 while instructing in Beeville. Still have it --- been offered $3K for it ... no thanks. Also a GREAT Mex restaurant there --- out by the RR tracks ... wood floors and a big hole in the swinging screen door so the flies could get in for dinner. When the bracero-cook would swing his head ... the sweat would spray the kitchen .... good for the Nachos.

What ever happened to the Red Barn steak house on the road to Corpus .... ???

I'm a "totally" :))) West Coast valley-boy ... but I LOVE South Texas ... go figure.
 
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