ON the beach

[jai5w4]

So my buddy and I report to Pensacola as SNAs next week at which time we will house hunt for a couple of days in the hopes of finding a place to call home. We, after extensive talk around the office with a couple aviators as well as research on this sight and others think we have this figured out...think living ON the beach (Perdido, Pensacola, or otherwise) sounds best for us.

Here's ou thinking:

1. It's more expensive, but we're only there for a few months b/f moving to Corpus or Vance so we are willing to spend more on a nice place and enjoy ourselves a little before things get too crazy with respects to the pipeline.

2. It's the summer, so we might as well be ON the beach. Not a couple minutes or blocks away, but no-kidding, open-back-door/balcony-to-gulf beach location.

3. The idea of a longer drive doesn't bother us.

My question for you all that have done/seen this whole 'living in p-cola thing' is, are we way off in our logic?

Thanks,

Jai5w4

 

[Snacks]

Just hope that we don't get slammed with an early major hurricane...

 

[WBGTSNA]

Sounds good to me, but I can't help you because I don't know anything either. I commission 04 AUG and report to P'cola in November, so I don't know if I will go that route because I will be there in the winter, but congrats on getting down there at a good time, and I would do the exact same thing if I were you.

 

[sniksnak]

jai,

good logic dude. you won't regret living it up on the beach. plenty of time to get serious during primary.

 

[MSkinsATC]

Plan on waiting

Im not sure if they have magically gotten rid of a bunch of people or what, but the wait when I just went through there was about 5-6 months for pilots, and 9-10 for nfo's just something to keep in mind, I have been in corpus for about a month, so I cant imagine much has changed that fast. Not to mention Hurricane season is breathing down your neck, be careful with that crap, cause its very hard to get renters insurance after hurricane season starts (June 1st)....just some things to think about

 

[scotty008]

Pretty sure the Navy pilot wait is less than that... As for hurricanes, the weather folks predicted a more mild hurricane season (relative to last year), which could still render you homeless by summer's end. That aside, some friends of mine live on the beach, and its ridiculously out of control. Good times, good people, and not a bad drive to NAS. You've got the beach right there, and Seville a quick cab ride across the bridge. Might as well enjoy the wait...

 

[TXHusker05]

Jai, had you caught me about 2 months earlier I would have had something for you. A friend of my family was renting out his beach house in Pensacola and it rented on the 2nd day it was listed. It would have been what you wanted and it wasn't even that far from the NAS. The lease is for a year now though.

What type of beach house did you want? Bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.?

Also, do you want to rent or buy? To be honest, I would recommend buying that way it really is your home and then after you move on to Corpus/Vance and eventually the fleet, you can rent it out and make money off of it. Plus then you own a place on the beach! Beach real estate in Pensacola is fair priced but you might be able to find something cheap that could have been slightly damaged from one hurricane or another that you could fix up.

 

[HeyJoe]

Try doing some on-line research on pricing...summer rentals are sky-high. You can end up paying the equivalent of a month's mortgage payment for a week's worth of rental (most owners are making their yearly mortagage off the summer rental season plus a profit after upkeep with two weeks resrved for themselves). If you and your buddies have coin to throw away, have at it.

In my case, I stayed in an apartment and then went for a winter lease, but had to convince rental company that we weren't going to party every night and wreck the place (we saved that for weekends only). Just an option if you are in right timing to snag one...there are a lot more available in the winter. Most decent properties are mostly booked by now anyway for the summer months.

Buying a property as suggested by TXHusker05 makes a lot of sense so I'd suggest looking hard at that if you're ready to commit.

BTW, it was definitely worth it. Be prepared to have lots of friends stopping by though, especially those who opt to live in the Q and want to escape the base on weekends.

 

[Schnugg]

If you are an SNA and you live on Perdido Key...you will shoot yourself for the having to do the drive to Whiting every day if you end up there.

And if you get Whiting for Primary, you can't break a lease as it's a local PCS not > 50 miles away.

Consider your commute. Drive the route you will have to back and forth to work during rush hour a few times. You won't regret finding out a certain road is a mess every day BEFORE you move in.

Cheers,
G

 

[TheBubba]

Or you could do what I did... I live in an apartment right outside the back gate. I'm like 20-40 minutes from Pesacola Beach and like 10 from Perdido. I think its great. I'm close to the beaches, I'm close to the base, and I don't have to worry about any type of traffic.

Something to think about.

Cheers,
Bubba

 

[nittany03]

I would agree for hurricane season. If one hits and you live up in the north end of P-cola, you're 100 ft off the ground and all you have to worry about is the wind. On the beach you're going to get flooded too. Better to stay high and dry, and at any rate the beach is only 15min or so away anyhow.

 

[saltpeter]

Do It!

 

[Jay610]

Or you could do what I did... I live in an apartment right outside the back gate. I'm like 20-40 minutes from Pesacola Beach and like 10 from Perdido. I think its great. I'm close to the beaches, I'm close to the base, and I don't have to worry about any type of traffic.

Something to think about.

Cheers,
Bubba

Same here...plus after a couple of weeks, everyday beach living isn't that great, especially for what you'll pay. Saving the money, and just driving to the beach is what I did. But then again...while you're waiting to class up, having the beach in the backyard.......

 

[jai5w4]

Okay, so if the hurricanes, drive, and expenses don't bother us (which they don't), upon what beach should we look to careen ourselves for the few months we're there?

J

 

[Gatordev]

Pensacola Beach. Actually, make every effort to get down there this weekend (Memorial day). I recommend you take a road trip this Friday and come be part of the "action." And again, from the other thread, <shudder>.