Bloomington House Rental

[ghuns]

My daughter, SIL, 2 grandsons, and 2 mutts are moving to Bloomington in the near future.

SIL is in the USMC and has drawn the short straw so he gets to be a recruiter for the next three years. Drew an even shorter straw and got sent to Bloomington. I guess it's better than driving 10 hours to Quantico to visit, but I mean, damn. It's Bloomington.

They have previously lived on bases in military housing and have been extremely lucky. Nice thing about on base living is their housing allowance matches up with the rent. They are struggling to find a house close to their housing allowance that's not a total dump.

They need at least 2 bedrooms and a small yard for the boys and the dogs. Something a little outside of town wouldn't suck either.

Any leads would be a great help. As would advice on any areas to stay away from.

Thanks INGO.

 

[gregkl]

My daughter, SIL, 2 grandsons, and 2 mutts are moving to Bloomington in the near future.

SIL is in the USMC and has drawn the short straw so he gets to be a recruiter for the next three years. Drew an even shorter straw and got sent to Bloomington. I guess it's better than driving 10 hours to Quantico to visit, but I mean, damn. It's Bloomington.

They have previously lived on bases in military housing and have been extremely lucky. Nice thing about on base living is their housing allowance matches up with the rent. They are struggling to find a house close to their housing allowance that's not a total dump.

They need at least 2 bedrooms and a small yard for the boys and the dogs. Something a little outside of town wouldn't suck either.

Any leads would be a great help. As would advice on any areas to stay away from.

Thanks INGO.

I have a friend in the Army that was stationed here as a recruiter. He did okay because he's a hard charger but he did say that Bloomington is not a target rich environment for military recruiting.

He was glad when he PCS'd out.

There are a lot of places I would stay away from. Would be better if you/they are interested in a location to ask me about the area. I could even drive by it.

We have rental homes available in our neighborhood and other than being a liberal bastion for IU professors, it is a nice neighborhood.

It may be too much for the allowance but its just a short drive from the recruiting office.

 

[Mr. Habib]

Bloomington will be expensive. Look in the Ellettsville, Spencer, Bedford and Martinsville areas. All should much cheaper and still within about 30 minute or less drive. If you have questions about specific locations, feel free to pm me.

 

[Leadeye]

Bloomington will be expensive. Look in the Ellettsville, Spencer, Bedford and Martinsville areas. All should much cheaper and still within about 30 minute or less drive. If you have questions about specific locations, feel free to pm me.

This. ^

Bloomington has always been a landlords market, not a renters. Easiest drive would be from either Martinsville or Bedford, toughest drive from Spencer. Least expensive rents would be Bedford or Spencer. Ellettsville has become more like Bloomington west over the years.

 

[ghuns]

...It may be too much for the allowance but its just a short drive from the recruiting office.

I'm sure.

IIR, they are only going to get about $1400/month for housing in the Bloomington area.

They get like $2200/month now to live on base in Quantico. That gets them a very nice 2000 sq/ft, 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with a 2 car attached garage. To live in that kind of house off base would be well over $3000/month in that area.

 

[FNparabellum]

My daughter, SIL, 2 grandsons, and 2 mutts are moving to Bloomington in the near future.

SIL is in the USMC and has drawn the short straw so he gets to be a recruiter for the next three years. Drew an even shorter straw and got sent to Bloomington. I guess it's better than driving 10 hours to Quantico to visit, but I mean, damn. It's Bloomington.

They have previously lived on bases in military housing and have been extremely lucky. Nice thing about on base living is their housing allowance matches up with the rent. They are struggling to find a house close to their housing allowance that's not a total dump.

They need at least 2 bedrooms and a small yard for the boys and the dogs. Something a little outside of town wouldn't suck either.

Any leads would be a great help. As would advice on any areas to stay away from.

Thanks INGO.

That is extremely unfortunate. Bloomington isn't very friendly to military and the housing is terrible unless you plan on spending a lot of $$$.

 

[Leadeye]

A lot would depend on what they like to do, Martinsville is closer to city stuff so if they like that, it would be a good choice.

Much as I like living in the woods, some folks see Bedford as being the last stop before the Outland in Indiana.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Much as I like living in the woods, some folks see Bedford as being the last stop before the Outland in Indiana.

I see this as a feature. I wish more saw it as a bug.

From what I see on the local social media pages around here (Lawrence county and south), rentals are tough to come by. I think the construction at Lehigh has a lot of them in use.

 

[Mr. Habib]

I'm sure.

IIR, they are only going to get about $1400/month for housing in the Bloomington area.

They get like $2200/month now to live on base in Quantico. That gets them a very nice 2000 sq/ft, 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with a 2 car attached garage. To live in that kind of house off base would be well over $3000/month in that area.

Just for reference, an "okay" 1 bedroom apartment in Bloomington can easily run around 1k per month.

 

[KellyinAvon]

My daughter, SIL, 2 grandsons, and 2 mutts are moving to Bloomington in the near future.

SIL is in the USMC and has drawn the short straw so he gets to be a recruiter for the next three years. Drew an even shorter straw and got sent to Bloomington. I guess it's better than driving 10 hours to Quantico to visit, but I mean, damn. It's Bloomington.

They have previously lived on bases in military housing and have been extremely lucky. Nice thing about on base living is their housing allowance matches up with the rent. They are struggling to find a house close to their housing allowance that's not a total dump.

They need at least 2 bedrooms and a small yard for the boys and the dogs. Something a little outside of town wouldn't suck either.

Any leads would be a great help. As would advice on any areas to stay away from.

Thanks INGO.

How old are the kids? I think they have base housing on Crane.

 

[ghuns]

How old are the kids? I think they have base housing on Crane.

2-1/2 and 9 months.

I'm not sure that's an option for them, but I'll point it out.

 

[KellyinAvon]

2-1/2 and 9 months.

I'm not sure that's an option for them, but I'll point it out.

I met a couple in Iceland (97-98ish) who had been stationed at Crane and lived on base. They loved the area, hated the LONG drive to WalMart in Bedford. I-69 didn't exist back then though.

 

[hooky]

If you look outside of town, you can find some reasonable options. Even closer to town has some potential.

Just a quick search - Yard, pets allowed and within the housing allowance if I read it correctly. https://www.rentals.com/Indiana/Bloomington/lv335325238/

Maybe this one - https://www.rentals.com/Indiana/Bloomington/4355177/

 

[ghuns]

Bedford area seems nice and more reasonably priced.

SIL knows he's in for LONG hours so he's trying to keep the drive to a minimum.

Where we live, we just accept a half hour to 45 minute commute to be the norm.

 

[gregkl]

70% of the people that work at my company are in the Bedford area. Most can't afford to live in Monroe County.

I really need to think about renting my house when I move south instead of selling it. I could probably get a premium where I live. I can hear the IU football games when I'm outside my home.

Just need to figure out how I buy the next place.

 

[ghuns]

....I can hear the IU football games when I'm outside my home.

Maybe just cause I grew up surrounded by Boilermakers, but I can't imagine how this could possibly add value to a home.

 

[Dirty Steve]

^This
I owned a business in Bloomington for 25 years. Most all of my employees lived in Bedford, Ellettsville or Martnisville and commuted. The Bloomington housing market is driven by out-of-state renters who have come to the area from the coast or foreign nationals sent here by mom and dad with a bankroll who think $2500 per month is cheap.

Dirty Steve

 

[starbreather]

Columbus or Franklin wouldn't be bad but the commute would. Nashville area as well.

 

[gregkl]

Maybe just cause I grew up surrounded by Boilermakers, but I can't imagine how this could possibly add value to a home.

lol, I get it. I much preferred living in Lafayette, but this house I'm in now will allow me to retire debt free and have enough equity to pay cash for a decent home in retirement.

For that, I am okay with being close to campus and in a neighborhood that is in high demand. This neighborhood has been a desirable place to live since the early 60's.

I was lucky to score a purchase well below the market at the time.

Of course, the rest of the story is I spent the last 6+ years doing a total renovation!

 

[KellyinAvon]

Bedford area seems nice and more reasonably priced.

SIL knows he's in for LONG hours so he's trying to keep the drive to a minimum.

Where we live, we just accept a half hour to 45 minute commute to be the norm.

While I have been known to give recruiters a hard time, I do not envy them. That is a tough job, and you really have to love what you do.