STAFFORD, Va., July 17, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Military By Owner is excited to announce the addition of three new search locations for your next home. If you're in the Coast Guard or looking for your forever home in a location not in the immediate vicinity of a large base, post, or fort, then make sure to check out our three new Coast Guard Stations. The three new locations are in Virginia, Missouri, and Alaska, and two of them already have some elegant, reasonably priced homes listed, featuring Jacuzzis, whirlpools, finished basements, and modern double-sided fireplaces!
With increasing drawdowns of the military, many families are now seeking post-military homes, the homes where they can finish raising their children and finally settle in community long-term. Coast Guard Stations are typically located in scenic coastal areas, such as Alameda in California and Portland Maine. With a total active duty body of only 43,000 as of 2012, and 8,000 reservists, Coast Guard Stations are small. They're generally not co-located with large military installations, but many are within a couple of hours driving distance, so you can still take advantage of base services on an irregular basis. If you're concerned about living away from large military installations after you retire, make sure to check out our blog on Is It Safe to Live among Civilians after Retirement for some survival tips on how to still take advantage of base services and VA benefits.
Since they are not located in areas dominated by defense spending, the rental markets at least are not quite as savvy about BAH rates, which is good news for Coastie families, but it also means that the demand for housing doesn't fluctuate as vastly as it does in heavy military areas. Therefore, if you retire in the late summer and move near a Coast Guard Station, you may actually get lucky and find a house that isn't simply one of the leftovers that no other military family wanted to buy or rent!
To learn a little more about each of the three Coast Guard Stations, read on!
1. Coast Guard Station Milford Haven, Hudgins, VA
Sitting on the picturesque Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, Station Milford Haven has a combined less than 40 service members permanently attached to it. The USCG reports that the mission of the station is primarily "…Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, and Marine Environmental Protection on the Chesapeake Bay and its connecting tributaries." Two large military installations, Yorktown and Fort Eustis, are located within 50 miles. The area is renowned for outdoor water activities, but it is also in short driving distance of the famous Virginia Beach, great shopping in Norfolk, the Busch Gardens theme park, and Colonial Williamsburg.
2. Coast Guard Saint Louis, MO
The Coast Guard in Saint Louis, MO, an inland station, features several small units throughout the city. They primarily provide, "…maritime security, maritime safety, protection of natural resources, maritime mobility, and national defense across a geographically expansive area of responsibility encompassing the Upper Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers and their navigable tributaries. Scott AFB, a large military installation, is located less than 30 minutes from downtown. The Greater St. Louis Area is one of the twentieth largest metropolitan areas in the US with a population of just under 3 million. Situated along the Mississippi River, the town with historic French roots is known for its sports, theme parks, microbreweries, and substantial cultural activities.
3. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, AK
USCG Air Station Sitka, Alaska, is a remote station requiring access by either plane or boat. The picturesque retreat from the bustling life of Alaska's mainland cities has a population of just under 9,000, and is approximately 14 miles in length. Most of the cities commercial activity takes place within a walkable town, and the major industry in the area is fishing. Those who travel their do not require vehicles as public transportation is good, and traveling is highly encouraged, as Smithsonian Magazine hailed the small city as one of the top 20 towns in the US to visit in 2013! With a Tlingit and Russia heritage, the city boasts a charismatic cultural life in addition to offering a great outdoors life with beautiful hikes to dormant volcanoes, on trails, and to hot springs. The Coasties located at Air Station Sitka have a tough job covering a large coastal region. Their area of responsibility is highly demanding, covering "…12,000 miles of isolated and rugged coastline." They are also responsible for "…all inland search and rescue for Southeast Alaska."
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