2006 Bah

[Brett327]

Yeah, they were outrageous in the first place and have remained that way. God forbid you actually try to buy a place now. Being an island, there really isn't that much to rent anyways.

Rents? You have got to be kidding. You can't use Pensacola, or other southern regions as your frame of reference for rent. Compared to many places the Navy puts people, Whidbey is very reasonable. There's no reason that a JO can't afford a 200-300K house. In case you can't I have a lovely home I can rent you.

Brett

 

[Brett327]

ok, mr. $2K bah man who doesn't even live in oak harbor.

i'm with kathy and the others who actually live in oak harbor, the bah is totally unacceptable, especially at the O1-O2 ranks.

Unacceptable in what respect? By means of comparison, for my aforementioned $2K BAH, I pay $1900 for an 1100 square ft apartment in SOCAL, so quit your b!tching. If I were to get a house here that was comparable to what I have in Whidbey, it would cost me $700-800K. While property values have increased in Whidbey, they are nowhere near some of the "expensive" Navy spots. The rent I charge for my house in Whidbey has also not increased commensurate with the increase in property value

Brett

 

[ChunksJR]

Cha Ching! $220+ w/deps in VA Beach. $200+ w/deps in PCola.

~d

 

[E6286]

Why is the site down?

 

[webmaster]

By the way, O1 and O2 are ENTRY level ranks...

ok, mr. $2K bah man who doesn't even live in oak harbor.

i'm with kathy and the others who actually live in oak harbor, the bah is totally unacceptable, especially at the O1-O2 ranks.

What is unacceptable? The BAH isn't designed for you to purchase a 2500 sq ft house, it is for you to find suitable housing, more than likely renting.


Specifically:

BAH is an allowance to offset the cost of housing when you do not receive government-provided housing. Your BAH depends upon your location, pay grade and whether you have dependents. BAH rates are set by surveying the cost of rental properties in each geographic location. The rates are established such that members in each pay grade, independent of location, pay approximately the same out-of-pocket costs. Therefore, BAH rates in high-cost areas will be much greater than those in low-cost areas.
​

Each market is different, and that is why it is so important when any DFAS surveys come out (whether they are BAH or COLA) that you spend the time and fill them out truthfully so they can assess the market. Though it appears through the following linked pamphlet that they conduct their own indepth analysis: BAH PRIMER

By the way, O1 and O2 are ENTRY level ranks, and as discussed in the primer above, you are setup against a 2 bedroom apartment (w/o dependants) or a 2 bedroom townhouse (w/dependants). Looking at the pay chart, you can see how the pay scale ramps up dramatically with rank (just as the pay scale ramps up with rank AND time in service). There is quite a delta between O1 and O3 on that BAH chart.

So, if you want that larger place that you consider suitable, then you can take that out of your overall pay, depending on how deep your pockets are. BAH isn't designed to cover the entire costs involved, so don't make it out like you are getting cheated. I personally, am MUCH more concerned about the E3/4 married to his high school sweetheart, baby on the way, and qualifying for WIC and food stamps (hopefully those days are gone....)

Back to the 2006 BAH chart, as always, glad to see that a Chief (E7) makes more than an O2 for BAH. There would just be something wrong about a Chief with all those years and a larger family (probably) , getting paid less than a freshly minted butter bar. (but, hey, that's just the prior E in my talking, isn't it? )

So you don't get the impression that I am ganging up on you with Brett, you aren't the only one in the Navy affected by living in certain locations, where the housing market (sellers/renters) KNOW they have you by the balls... I for one am looking at a hefty increase of ~$260 or so for HI, but it is NOT going to get me into the $700k median market price for a 3/4 bedroom house with a minimum of 1600 sq ft. But it does provide for quite a range on what I can rent.

If it were all about the all mighty dollar, then I would be writing code and tending servers with some of my college friends that are pulling in +$300k right now. But its not, and I get to wear the uniform and go out and do cool things that they don't have a clue about, and never will, except when they ask me about it when I come home over some beers.

I am not busting on you, I feel your pain. I make quite a bit more than you (and SHOCK, a bunch of ppl on here make a tad bit more than me)... but you take what you can find, smile and live with it.

Oh well, just wanted to put some things in perspective.

 

[Punk]

Rents? You have got to be kidding. You can't use Pensacola, or other southern regions as your frame of reference for rent. Compared to many places the Navy puts people, Whidbey is very reasonable. There's no reason that a JO can't afford a 200-300K house. In case you can't I have a lovely home I can rent you.

Brett

That's nice if you could find a $200k house here. Even a cottage is going for $250k+.

To get a 3 bedroom house, about 30 years old = $280-300k easily. Remember, I was looking just at this 4 months ago. If anything, it has continued to rise.

And rent, I pay $1k for a 2 bedroom and I made out really good. Everyone else I know who is renting is paying between $1250-1500. Still haven't tacked on utilities, which is higher since we live on the island (water, sewage, garbage the big ones). The rental market still hasn't risen as fast as the buyer's market, but that's because if it gets much higher, no one can afford it.

So brett, tell me about all these inexpensives places to live here.

 

[Kathy]

$1k for a 2 bedroom in Oak Harbor is good. Prior to buying our house, my husband was paying $1200 (water/gas/electricty/garbage included) for about a 600 square foot place that didn't even have a full kitchen (it had a hotel-style kitchenette). His BAH didn't even cover that place and it was a total dump.

The thing that gets under my skin is when I compare the rate to Houston. We have homes in both Houston and Oak Harbor and they are fairly comparable. The Oak Harbor house is a few years newer and about 250 square feet bigger, but the Houston house has a lot of upgrades. The Oak Harbor house cost $175,000 more than the Houston house yet BAH in Houston is higher than in Oak Harbor (I forget the exact amount).

But, I completely agree with John... luckily for us, I am out here writing code and tending servers like his college friends while my husband wears the uniform. I'm irritated by the BAH there but I am not worried about us being able to pay our bills. I too worry about the newer Es and wonder how they can possibly afford theirs on their BAH.

 

[SteveG75]

And rent, I pay $1k for a 2 bedroom and I made out really good. Everyone else I know who is renting is paying between $1250-1500. ...
So brett, tell me about all these inexpensives places to live here.

Punk,

Last year, I had a 2 BR condo for $850/month in OH, 3 BR in the same complex was going for about $1200.

Prior to buying our house, my husband was paying $1200 (water/gas/electricty/garbage included) for about a 600 square foot place that didn't even have a full kitchen (it had a hotel-style kitchenette). His BAH didn't even cover that place and it was a total dump.

Edit: For Kathy, I had 900+ sq ft, gas heat, water and garbage included, 2BR, 2 bath, garage for $850. The places are there, you just have to dig. BTW, I was in Madrona Heights (corner of SR20 and Swantown).

Read the BAH PRIMER: http://www.dod.mil/militarypay/pay/bah/bah_primer.pdf The military just doesn't expect people to live in single family homes until they reach O-4 (or O-3E). See the chart on pg 11. Since I am divorced now, my rates are based on living in a townhouse till I hit O-6 (which ain't happening).

If you want to keep up with the Jones, you have to do it on your own dime. I saw many RAG students (O-2's) get in financial trouble because they just had to have the $250K+ home and the wife had to drive an Expedition.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Punk]

Punk,

Last year, I had a 2 BR condo for $850/month in OH, 3 BR in the same complex was going for about $1200.

$850/month is very very tough to find now, if not impossible. Not only have the rates increased, but with VQ-2 moving in recently, there is next to nothing to pick from. I got extremely lucky when I found my place. In my same complex, 2 BR's condo's are going for 11-1250/month. I got lucky at $1k, very lucky. I also got a very nice place, so I don't mind shelling out some extra money to live here. The problem is now that, atleast here in Oak Harbor, the BAH will cover the lower 2 BR places (if they even exist anymore), but neither the median nor the average. Both of those are easily over the BAH.

Considering the BAH for OH is only $45 more than it is in Kingsville, south of everywhere, Texas, is just silly. I had a fairly new place, 3 BR for $750/month there. Comparable place here would be $1300, yet the BAH is only seperated by $45. Either Kingsville is overrated, this place is being underrated, or a combination of both.

I know and don't expect BAH to cover a mortage, I know its not there for that. But when it doesn't even cover rent, now there is something wrong.

 

[bennett4362]

While property values have increased in Whidbey, they are nowhere near some of the "expensive" Navy spots.

you're right, whidbey is not the most expensive navy spot, nor probably even one of the most expensive spots. however, the bah is not comprable to the market.

If I were to get a house here that was comparable to what I have in Whidbey, it would cost me $700-800K.

that's true, too, but i'm not trying to compare apples to oranges like you're implying. i'm not trying to say that bah here in whidbey should be $2K like in socal or hi or any other expensive metro area; it should, however, be quite a bit higher than $968. the rates for whidbey aren't high enough for the whidbey market.


you bought your house here what, at least 2 years ago? it's just in the past year that the market has soared, so honestly, just because one has a house here, unless one bought it or even looked at houses in the last 9-12 months, they wouldn't know.

The rent I charge for my house in Whidbey has also not increased commensurate with the increase in property value

so you're not a total jerk like a lot of people think

 

[bennett4362]

What is unacceptable? The BAH isn't designed for you to purchase a 2500 sq ft house, it is for you to find suitable housing, more than likely renting.

i totally understand that, as well as 01-02 are entry level ranks, and all the other things you mentioned, but i still feel that the oak harbor bah should have increased more.

and honestly, you guys who are arguing with us, if you were in our shoes i'd be hard pressed to believe you wouldn't feel the same way we do.

 

[Brett327]

I think John's post just about covers every applicable aspet of this topic as well as all necessary responses above. This whole issue pretty much boils down to a bunch of complaining - stop it already. It's unbecoming (this means you too, Punk).

@Bennett: Lots of people who may not live in Whidbey at this particular moment either have lived there, or own rental property there right now. As the above describes my situation, I think I'm pretty well plugged in to the various real estate goings on up there and am probably one of the few people on AW who's qualified to tell you whether you have a legitimate beef, or if you're just climbing on the complainer's bandwagon. Oh, and for the record, I am a jerk(and an A-hole), and proud of it.

Brett

 

[bennett4362]

@Bennett: Lots of people who may not live in Whidbey at this particular moment either have lived there, or own rental property there right now. As the above describes my situation, I think I'm pretty well plugged in to the various real estate goings on up there and am probably one of the few people on AW who's qualified to tell you whether you have a legitimate beef, or if you're just climbing on the complainer's bandwagon.

i guess you didn't fully read what i said: just because you own a house here or rented here or have lived here, doesn't make you qualified to say much other than "when i lived there..." or "when i bought my house in oak harbor...", especially if you didn't do any of those things here in the last 9-12 months.

the market in whidbey has gone through so much in the last 9-12 months. perhaps this year's bah survey didn't fully catch that; we can only hope next year's survey will accurately reflect costs in this area.

 

[Brett327]

i guess you didn't fully read what i said: just because you own a house here or rented here or have lived here, doesn't make you qualified to say much other than "when i lived there..." or "when i bought my house in oak harbor...", especially if you didn't do any of those things here in the last 9-12 months.

the market in whidbey has gone through so much in the last 9-12 months. perhaps this year's bah survey didn't fully catch that; we can only hope next year's survey will accurately reflect costs in this area.

Well, I guess you didn't read what I said, even though your quoted me in your post. Let me restate it for you:

I am intimately involved with and aware of all things real estate in Oak Harbor. This was true both when I bought my home as well as now that I rent it out. I know what the range of rents has been over the last 4 years and I also know what property is selling for (both then and now). I'm aware of the availability for a variety of different dwellings as well. I'm aware of the utility rates both in the city and county. I'm aware of the various tax initiatives which can affect the property tax rates, and vote accordingly. Exactly what piece of critical information about the Whidbey housing market do I need to get my hands on before you think that I'm qualified to comment, pray tell?

Brett

 

[Punk]

I think John's post just about covers every applicable aspet of this topic as well as all necessary responses above. This whole issue pretty much boils down to a bunch of complaining - stop it already. It's unbecoming (this means you too, Punk).

Oh the mighty Brett has spoken. Well, you are right about one thing (you being an A-hole)