Apartments in Norfolk...Help?

[fierssej]

Hey ladies...

My fiance just deployed on the GHWB, and we have made plans to get married and move me to Norfolk as soon as possible after they return. I decided to get a jump on the house hunting aspect of all of this, and started to do some research about some apartment companies in Norfolk and Newport News that look like they should be able to work with our budget. I found a handful or so that I wanted to take a closer look at, so I contacted them and asked to see a copy of their lease. I explained that I am living six hours away and would like to see as much as I can before I would commit to driving so far to look at a property. Every one of them is refusing to give me a copy of their lease!! Has anyone experienced this? I've never heard of this before. I've had several apartments through college and since moving out on my own, and I've never had an issue with companies allowing me to look over the lease before I visit the property. Is this just how real estate companies treat military couples? Do any of you have any advise to overcome this?

I'm planning on moving at least some of our things into a place a few days before the homecoming. My fiance has never felt completely comfortable in a hotel room, and I'd much rather have somewhat of a home ready for him when he gets home.

Any insight you have would be great!

[meagan5220]

What companies are you looking at? Idk about before you even look at the place, but any apt complex in the area that wont give you a lease to take to the housing office before you sign it, run away. Most every complex in the Hampton Roads area knows that sailors are actually supposed to take new leases into the housing office to be checked out before they are signed. If you are on facebook join the pages spouses of Norfolk naval station, and navy wives of Virginia beach and Hampton roads. typically the ladies on those pages will have some suggestions. Newport News is a bit of a hike if he is going to be working at the Norfolk base, people have done it, but I would suggest asking him to make the drive before deciding for sure if he can. is the GHWB in Newport news right now or Norfolk?

[fierssej]

I'm looking at a few companies right in Norfolk. My soon to be inlaws lived in Newport News when his dad was in back in the early 90s and they suggested I look into there, despite the drive. We both grew up in the country, so long drives arent all that bothersome.

We are also hearing rumors that they are planning on sending the ship over to Newport News for a good year when they come back.

I will start looking more at Hampton Roads and see if that makes a difference. Thanks!

[meagan5220]

Yeah some people don't mind the drive, we personally live in Hampton itself. Its south of Newport News and closer to Norfolk. My husband works in Suffolk and Norfolk and Newport news. Its pretty centrally located between the three cities so that's nice. Its not so much the length of the drive its the traffic that gets most people, and the tunnel. Some people don't like dealing with the daily tunnel commute and traffic. My husband didn't mind it though.

I am trying to think if I have heard anything about it but I cant remember. He should ask on the ship. If they are moving to NN shipyards anytime soon there will be a definite answer. They have to have a contract for that type of stuff.

Hampton Roads is the area in general. It includes the cities of Hampton, Norfolk, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Portsmouth.

[fierssej]

Okay, I see. I'll have him ask around if he ever remembers to actually do it. Knowing him, it isn't going to be long before the stresses of deployment start to wear on him.

As for driving and traffic, he'll be on a harley probably 300 days out of the year if he can have his way.I don't think he would mind. I don't like it so much. I spent 4 years dealing with Pittsburgh traffic, and those drivers are pretty bad, plus tunnels everywhere.

All I really care about is findind a decent place for us to call ours and finally start our life together.

[meagan5220]

Yeah. You might even be able to Google online to see if there was a public announcement made about the contract. Usually there is at least here with the local news stations. 

Yeah my husband won't ride a bike here. The drivers here don't pay attention to bikers so he doesn't want to deal with it.

I understand. If you find any places in Hampton/Newport news area I can let ya know a little about the area. :) 

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

I don't really know anything about Virginia at all... other than the traffic sucks. I do know that it could potentially be incredibly important to you to know whether the ship is going to be in Newport News or Norfolk for the next year. I've been told the traffic difference is pretty crazy. And a year is enough time that you could sign a lease closer to NN and then move closer to Norfolk after if you'd like. At least in my opinion it's enough time. 

Anyways. The one piece of advice I really wanted to give.... 

Here in Washington when a carrier leaves, the rent prices in the area drop dramatically. Places here get desperate to fill their vacancies that were just made by all the single sailors that left on the ship and broke their leases and all the families that decided to break their lease and move back to their home state. About a month or so before the ship came home, all these families started moving back in and rent slowly rent up. Suddenly the ship was home and there are HUNDREDS of single guys looking for a place, any place, to live that's not on the ship, so the apartment complexes can obviously afford to raise that rent back up. My brother who is stationed out here actually got a great deal with the apartment based solely on this. Carrier left town, my brother wanted a two bedroom instead of a one bedroom, the apartment complex offered them a 2 bedroom unit with rent LESS than what they were currently paying for their one bedroom. 

So my point is to be aware of this. It could be beneficial to try to get a lease a few weeks/months before the ship comes home and get all settled in instead of waiting for your sailor to come home and be in that rush of hundreds of hundreds of people that want to get those same apartments. 

Oh, I suppose I have one other piece of advice to make. When you're young, having roommates is not the end of the world. Had my husband and I not considered the option of a roommate, we would be living in a one bedroom apartment paying 900 bucks in rent plus utilities. Instead we live in a 4 bedroom home with a two car garage and two large living areas. Our roommate pays us a fixed amount each month (and he's also on the lease, so equally as responsible for the house as we are) and we end up paying 900 bucks a month in rent plus utilities. The catch is finding a good roommate, but we've found that most single guys tend to keep to themselves, so some days we never even remember he's here until he comes upstairs to make his dinner or closes the bathroom door downstairs. Just something to consider if you want a little more than a small apartment! 

Good luck!!

[fierssej]

I thought about that affecting the market too. I started watching what the rents were doing when he got his verbals back in December, then i really started watching once he reported a month later. Trust me, i would like nothing more than to have a place completely settled before he comes home, but unless i can find a job, its not going to happen. I was hoping to lock something once they make their turn for home.

I was thinking about going and just renting a ranch house instead, but i would like to know the area better first. I know a roommate would be better financially, but he and have both already agreed that we want our first years of marriage to be just us, in every sense of the phrase.

[Emily-aaronsgirl11]

Having a roommate isn't for everyone, but we've not had a problem with it, even in our first years of marriage. 

You definitely don't have to take my advice, just throwing it out there! Good luck with everything!