What advice do you have for off-post housing for Fort Hood?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:56:32 -0400

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Apr 21 at 2016 3:10 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:10:05 -0400

Tell us locals what you're looking for in housing.
School age children?
EFMP?
I PCS'ed here in 2005, stayed here in 2014 when I retired....so i have some experience with the location and some slightly dated experience in cav land.. I retired as the 1CD G3 SGM

EDIT: Have you already decided you do not want on post housing? Or are you looking at off post as a temp deal till on post is available?
Do you have a unit sponsor? And do you want one?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2016 3:14 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:14:00 -0400

South of 190, harker heights or close to the border in Killeen.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2016 3:15 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:15:02 -0400

You should have been assigned a sponsor, if he or she is not lousy, they should be able to guide you through everything during ua pcs move.

Response by CPT Daniel Glorsky made Apr 21 at 2016 3:15 PM

CPT Daniel Glorsky — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:15:04 -0400

Use Linnemann Realty only! Don't use anyone else, you'll regret it. Check out Harker Heights or Nolanville. Belton is good, but is more of a drive. Cove is ok, just on the other side of Hood.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2016 3:16 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:16:02 -0400

Smart people move to copperas cove. Better schools, the band is outstanding and u can 2 back gates to good with no traffic ever. House creek area in cove is awesome

Response by SGT Laura Delgadillo made Apr 21 at 2016 3:17 PM

SGT Laura Delgadillo — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:17:13 -0400

I lived just off the 190 in killeen, short commute, decent area. Dont live anywhere near east gate. Real star property is a decent business that will help you out.

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Apr 21 at 2016 3:41 PM

SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:41:48 -0400

Don't use Century 21 Real Estate... Personal experience and you will be glad you didn't.

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Apr 21 at 2016 3:44 PM

SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:44:17 -0400

Oh BTW don't move into Killeen. Harker Heights (farther) or Copperas Cove (closer) to Ft Hood should be the best choices.

Response by CW2(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2016 4:46 PM

CW2(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 16:46:09 -0400

Heights is the best place I've lived at so far, quiet, can't say about the school district. And linnemann reality they are ok but watch out just like with every other realtor here.

Response by SPC(P) Doug Moxley made Apr 21 at 2016 6:17 PM

SPC(P) Doug Moxley — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 18:17:16 -0400

I lived in Killeen and it was the first time my car was ever broken into. I did like driving downtown checking out D street back in the 80's. ☺

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 21 at 2016 9:13 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 21:13:56 -0400

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member I think SFC Private RallyPoint Member is stretching the truth a bit about the traffic at the two western gates. I live less than a mile from the east gate, in Killeen. I never am more than 3 cars away from showing my ID and getting on base.

Yes, Killeen is more run down, but the housing is a LOT cheaper. I'm paying $405 for a one bedroom apartment. Of course, my kids are grown and gone, and I don't need more than what I have.

South Killeen has nicer homes, more space, and nicer stores. I tend to shop at the Commissary, but there are two Super WalMarts south of Hwy 190. Of course, the main gate, which is to the south, is absolutely the worst one to enter Ft Hood from.

Meanwhile there's Nolanville and Harker Heights to the east of Killeen, which also puts you closer to I-35 in case you want to visit the bigger cities. (Belton, Temple, Waco, Austin, Dallas, Ft Worth, San Antonio ...) Nolanville is a farming community, and might have bigger lots.

Also, south on Hwy 195 is Florence, another farming community.

My advice would be to use Apartment Finder or some other website, and pick someplace you can stay for 6 months while you check the area out.

Response by SFC Wade W. made Apr 21 at 2016 10:41 PM

SFC Wade W. — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 22:41:40 -0400

Armadillo Property Management. They take care of my house. Operated by a bunch of veterans. They are a good group.

Response by SFC(P) John McLaughlin made Apr 21 at 2016 11:14 PM

SFC(P) John McLaughlin — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 23:14:31 -0400

When I was stationed there in the 90s we lived in Temple.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2016 12:00 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 12:00:30 -0400

I've lived in Copperas Cove for 8 years and have had no problems with crime. It's close to post, and has good schools within walking distance.

Response by SFC Brian Schultz made Apr 22 at 2016 6:35 PM

SFC Brian Schultz — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 18:35:02 -0400

I've lived there for just over 12 years. My advice: Stay away from Killeen. Harker Heights is great. Have heard great things about Copperas Cove areas as well.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2016 8:16 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 08:16:43 -0400

I lived in Copperas Cove...It isn't far from post and there aren't to many military personal around

Response by SGT Aaron P. made Apr 25 at 2016 1:25 PM

SGT Aaron P. — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 13:25:38 -0400

I lived in Copperas Cove (SAFER THAN KILLEEN AND CHEAPER THAN HEIGHTS) for 6 years. I paid 650 a month for a 3 bedroom 1.5 bath 1300 sqft, smaller houses in Heights cost over 900. Loved it. My wife wants to move back. I used JWC Rentals. A lot of people said they Hate JWC, but the fact of the matter is PAY YOUR RENT, AND KEEP A DECENT HOUSE. Don't have cars and trash piled up outside (against cove ordinance) if you have children that are in school MOST of the schools there are awesome. If you have a Pre-k aged child, they get to go to Pre-k ALL DAY, allowing your spouse to get a better job with better house. It can seem like a stretch to work depending on where you are in cove, or where you work on post. I worked at Hood Army Airfield. So I was 15 min.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2016 9:10 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 21:10:20 -0400

Off post housing is not at all bad here. You have many options to choose from. You have copperas cove and Harker heights which are a little bit better than killeen housing (no offense). A lot of the housing places here are very shady so do your research before you arrive.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 1:00 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 13:00:18 -0400

Just do your research. I am stationed here now. You don't want to end up in a rough neighbor and risk getting robbed, hurt or etc. There are a lot of housing communities that surround the installation.

Response by MAJ L. Nicholas Smith made May 26 at 2016 3:30 PM

MAJ L. Nicholas Smith — Thu, 26 May 2016 15:30:43 -0400

Depends on the budget, whether you have kids, and how much time you feel like spending on the road. I lived in Harker Heights years ago and it was extremely convenient travel-wise and quiet for the most part. I was in 36th MEDEVAC, 4th ID and III CORPS and it was usually a quick trip in.
I'm not sure how the schools there are now and I would recommend to do your research if you have kids. An old friend of mine lived out in Belton near the lake and that was a nice spot.