Hunter Army Air Field, GA

So, you just got your orders to be stationed at Hunter Army Airfield and you're probably wondering where on earth am I gonna live down there in Savannah that's affordable and close enough to Hunter?

Not to worry! You've got a lot of options, it all depends on what you're looking for in a home and a community. So why don't I give you a general summary of Savannah and the neighboring communities that may work for you.

Ardsley Park

Ardsley Park is a true Savannah favorite. Most homes were built in the first part of 1900s and Ardsley Park is filled with charming bungalows, larger two story homes to mansions. Even closer to Hunter at about 10 to 15 drive depending on traffic.

Midtown

The Savannah midtown area is filled with neighborhoods like Kensington Park, Groveland, Habersham Woods, and Fairway Oaks. Most homes built around the 1950s to the early 1980. Most within a 10 to 15 minute drive from post.

Wilmington and Whitemarsh Islands

The islands or Wilmington and Whitemarsh are a bit farther out but still convenient enough to Hunter. With a short ride down the Truman Parkway to Victory drive you can be home on the islands in about 20 to 30 minutes. Lots of homes on the island were built in the 60s thru the 80s but the 1990s to present has seen a lot of new construction on the islands as well. You'll find a variety of single family homes, condos and town homes in all price ranges.

Georgetown

A very popular community for Hunter, the Georgetown area is comprised of a number of unique and charming subdivisions off of HWY 204 (Abercorn Extension) and is about 20 to 30 minutes from base depending on where you live within Georgetown and allowing for traffic. The community has continued to grow through the past few decades and is still growing with new construction. You can find a variety of homes in all price ranges in Georgetown

Berwick Plantation

The Berwick Plantation Community is made up of a variety of neighborhoods of newer single family homes and townhomes including brand new construction. Stonebridge and Legacy Square are two neighborhoods are two of the most popular and affordable neighborhoods within Berwick Plantation. Close to shopping, great amenities and convenience to Hunter at about a 20 minute drive, makes Berwick Plantation is another favorite for military families.

Henderson Golf Community

If golf is your sport then you may want to consider Henderson, featuring an 18 hole championship golf course. Located on Savannah's southside off Highway 17, just down the road from Berwick Plantation, Berwick is a golfing community convenient to Hunter at about 20 -25 minutes away.

Godley Station

With between about a 20 and 30 minute drive from Hunter Army Airfield to most neighborhoods in Pooler, this community is another strong favorite for the military. Pooler has seen and continues to see a huge growth of new homes in an affordable price range. The Villages and Godley Station is the largest community with a variety of neighborhoods. Pooler Parkway at Godley Station offers lots of shopping and including Walmart and Home Depot and a variety of shops and restaurants.

Savannah Highlands

About 5 minutes from Godley Station off Jimmy Deloach Pkwy is another growing community call Savannah Highlands offering a variety of new home communities from townhomes to large all brick homes loaded with upgrades. Drive time to Hunter Army Airfield is about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Savannah Quarters

The Savannah Quarters golf community is just off the Pooler Pkwy exit at I-16 and offers a variety of new construction neighborhoods including The Gates, Hamilton Grove, Westbrook, The Village and Easthaven.

Port Wentworth

The town of Port Wentworth is a bit farther out but is still popular with military families. Although the drive time home to Port Wentworth may take you about 30 to 40 minutes from Hunter, there are a number of affordable communites with large homes at an affordable price. Some popular neighborhoods include, Lake Shore, Newport, Rice Creek and Rice Hope, among others.

Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill can be a bit of a commute to Hunter but it still remains a favorite. A coastal community south of Savannah, the drive time can still be close enough to Hunter with many neighborhoods only a 30 to 40 minute drive away. Located in Bryan County, Richmond Hill Public schools have long been a favorite for many families. Richmond Hill is also popular with military families who are stationed at Fort Stewart.

My intent is to give you an overview of some of the most popular areas for military families stationed at Hunter Army Airfield. The Greater Savannah Area is filled with many diverse and unique communities in addition to the ones that I have listed here, but I hope that this is a helpful starting point.

I really enjoy helping my military buyers with all aspects of relocating to the Savannah area, often working with them while they are still overseas, sending properties and community and neighborhood information by email. I understand that it's difficult shopping for a home from often far away and that when you are able to come in to preview homes that your time for choosing a home may be limited. If you're coming to Hunter and are ready to start looking for a place to call home, just send me an email and let me know.

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Hunter Army Airfield Relocation Information:

All About Hunter AAF:

Useful Phone Numbers:

Battalion numbers, recreation numbers, etc... for on HAAF. You can also find a wealth of information here about life at Hunter Army Airfield.

Education - Hunter Army Airfield School Assignments: Uniforms are required and vary from school to school

Pulaski Elementary School - Kindergarten to 5th Grade - Located at 5530 Montgomery Street (straight out the main gate for Hunter AAF). The principal is Joseph Thomas and the phone number is 912-303-6466.

DeRenne Middle School - 6th through 8th Grade - Located at 1009 Clinch Street. The principal is Marsha Tolbert and the phone number is 912-201-5900

Beach High School - 9th through 12th Grade - Located at 3001 Hopkins Street. The principal is Deonn Bostic Stone and the phone number is 912-201-5330

For more information on these schools, go the Savannah Chatham Public Schools and Georgia Department of Education

Housing

With all the troop movement, Hunter Army Airfield housing is not able to accommodate the housing needs. As soon as you know you will be moving here, call the housing department immediately.

Entertainment and Recreation

Hunter AAF has a new gym, a golf course, a dock with fishing pier, a bowling alley, and a skeet and trap range. They also have a wonderful child care facility and events throughout the year. For more information, see Hunter MWR.

Temporary and Guest Lodging

The Landmark Inn is a hotel on Hunter that can accommodate your friends, family, or guests. It can also be used for temporary stays of soldiers there for training, school, etc.

Guest Housing is perfect for people that are waiting for housing on Hunter or off. There are more like apartments. They have a living area, separate bedrooms, an eating area, and a kitchenette.

Phone numbers for both can be found under the useful phone numbers section above.

All Around Hunter AAF:

Education : Unforms are require and vary from school to school.

Find your local Public Schools by County, City, or Zip Code, this will help you narrow down your areas to search for a home.

But I don't want to go public!, what are my options? For those of you that would like alternatives to public schools, I have tried to find all the choices available in Savannah and its surrounding areas.

Housing

Where do you belong? This is a general description of the local areas. The Savannah area has many parts that can fit almost every lifestyle.

Take a chance on a new house in a new community or stay with older homes in well established neighborhoods discusses the pros and cons of building a home or adding new memories to a home that already has a few.

Recreation and Entertainment

Time to tee off gives you a list of local golf courses. There are plenty of courses to test your skill and keep you busy.

History can be fun overviews local museums, historic sites, and the many forts. Savannah is full of history. Just taking a walk downtown will give you a glimpse into the past.

Kids just wanna have fun, but so do Adults will give you locations that are fun for the whole family or just for adults. From miniature golf to discovery walks, your kids will have fun and even learn a few things too! But they don't get to have all the fun! There are plenty of fun activities for adults too.

I ain't afraid of no ghost, ok well, may be I am tells about some local ghost tours around what most people believe is the "most haunted" city. Do ghosts really linger around the buildings here? Come find out for yourself!

Shop Til You Drop! Savannah has a lot of local shops and your favorite name brand shops to boot. Don't forget about all the little shops on River and Broughton streets!

But what do we do with the children? - lists several child care facilities so you can have an evening out.

Relocation Process

The first step in any relocation is to get your orders! Once you know the area you will PCS (Permanent Change of Duty Station) to, you can begin your research phase. For housing on Hunter, the sooner you notify them of your move the better off you will be. If you are looking for housing outside the Hunter gate, let the loan process begin. You should get a certificate of VA eligibility (if using VA) and get a loan pre approval. Once you have your pre approval, you will know what range to look for housing. Keep in mind, the amount you are told is not necessarily the amount you should spend. Look at your budget and determine a monthly mortgage payment you can be comfortable paying. If you have children, you should look at local schools to determine the areas that you would prefer to live in. If children or school are not concerns, you can start looking at available housing in your comfort range.

During your online home search, you may find that you need more help or information. This is where I can help. I can take more pictures of your home's of interest, give you a relocation package to help your move go smoothly, give you market knowledge so you can make an informed decision on price, negotiate on your behalf, and assist you through all the paperwork. For more information on the process, see finding YOUR home?

Keller Williams Realty CAP Office: 912-356-5001 Cell: 912-308-2699 cpower21@gmail.com www.westchathamhomes.com Copyright ©2008 Christy Powers This is a personal blog representing my personal views and opinions. This is not a substitute for legal advice.

It is an inevitable fact of military life that moving is quite common. While it is a scary and can seem quite impossible the first time, you will get better at it. So, you just got your orders and are wondering what's next. The first thing is to do as much research as possible into your new location. If you can live off post and want to, then you need to look into housing. If you have children, your new homes location will determine their schools. Your hobbies and passions will also dictate your location. Needless to say, there are many topics that need to be covered to make your move successful.

Click on the map to enlarge

Hunter Army Airfield is located on the West side of downtown Savannah in Chatham County. Savannah is Georgia's first city. It is also considered America's first planned city. Savannah was founded in 1733 and full of history. If you ignore the paved roads and other modern conveniences, you almost feel you are getting a glimpse into the past. The beautiful old oaks covered with their Spanish Moss, the Victorian homes, and remaining plantations can give you the impression that time has not changed here.

However, time does not stand still anywhere for anyone. While 21 of its original 24 squares remain in existence, there have been many changes. They are even talking about rebuilding and adding new squares. There is something here for everyone whether it be just lounging on the beach, shopping, or learning about the history.

Hunter Army Airfield is considered to be a part of Fort Stewart, which is located further West in Bryan and Liberty counties. Hunter has seen an increase in the number of troops it houses. For that reason, more homes were built on Hunter to try to accommodate some of the new troops. Housing at Hunter can be difficult because of this. Therefore if you are looking for housing on Hunter, you will want to take care of this first. The sooner you notify someone, the better. To talk to the housing office, call 912-459-2133.

Hunter has most of the usual military conveniences. It has the commissary (grocery store), PX (AAFES), a health clinic, guest housing, Post Office, etc. For specialized medical care, you will most likely be sent to Fort Stewart. For recreation, there is the Hunter Lanes, the golf course, and Lotts Island. Lotts Island has a little picnic and play area. There is also a dock and a pier. We enjoyed fishing and crabbing from the pier. We saw a little shark and a pretty big stingray get caught!

The main entrance to Hunter is located on Stephenson Avenue off of Abercorn Street. However, there are two other gates. There is the Montgomery Road gate, that was previously the main gate, and the Rio Road Gate. The Stephenson gate will lead you to the shopping areas near the Oglethorpe Mall and eventually to the beach (navigation is necessary). Montgomery Street will lead you towards Forsythe Park and ultimately to the river. The Rio gate will lead you to the Savannah Mall and the Southside.

If you are looking for a home off post, there are a mind boggling number of communities, schools, and attractions. Just browsing listings via the internet will give you an idea of the home, but it will not tell you about the area. For more information about attractions and housing, a local real estate agent would come in handy. A military relocation package will be given and can be immensely helpful. Being a military spouse, I know too well about the Permanent Change of Station. If you would like more information about housing and Savannah, I will gladly help you with information and a relocation package to help you make this move a smooth one.

More Information:

School Information