Hello there everybody!!

I will getting stationed in Ft Bragg soon and was wondering about good places to live and what I should know about the area and things to do?  Also what are the requirements for Active military for a CCW?

North of Spring Lake is a good place to live.  Harnett County has better taxes, easier commute, and it's easier to get to Raleigh from here.  You have to be a resident for 30 days prior to application, but I think Cumberland County might have some other requirements like a letter from your commander.  You can also take the class within 30 days and apply when you are eligible.  Remember that you can't go through the gate with a concealed weapon.  Also, open carry is legal while you wait for your permit to come in.

http://www.usacarry.com/north_carolina_concealed_carry_permit_information.html

I got stationed here in September. I highly recommend looking into the linden oaks neighborhood. It's military housing, but in its own compound north of the post. Last I knew they were still offering bedroom upgrades

I've been stationed here for a couple years and I'll second what Badger said... living up north seems to be the way to go.  I live in southern Harnett County (Sanford address, but out in the country) and my daily commute is 21 miles and 35 mins (traffic dependent) to the Ardennes side of post.  Cost of living is pretty low here (we bought a house here) and monthly mortgage and utilities are well under my BAH.  Sanford is a decent sized town (all the big box stores, etc.), and centrally located to the Triangle and Raleigh/Durham (~45min to downtown or RDU).  Less people, traffic, and crime than Cumberland county by far.  

School-wise (you didn't say whether or not you had kids), Moore County has the best schools in the area, but also has the highest cost of living as well. (Someone has to pay for all those golf courses!)  Aberdeen/Southern Pines/Vass is a nice area with around a 30-40 minute commute (little longer right now until they get all the washed out roads fixed from the hurricane).  Southern Pines has a cool old downtown area with shops/restaurants/bars/etc.    

I can't in good conscience recommend ANY  on-post housing, let alone Linden Oaks.  Why would you want to live in a neighborhood that has an HOA led by an O-6 COL?  You forfeit 100% of your BAH for on-post housing, and utilities are no longer "free"... you get a monthly allowance and any overages are out of pocket.  Not to mention the normal neighborhood drama coupled with dependa drama all rolled in to one.   The rental market here is pretty solid, you shouldn't have a problem finding a decent place where your monthly rent and utilities are less than your BAH.  That plus the mandatory registration for POWs in on-post housing are an immediate no-go for me for on-post housing.  If you enjoy the on-post lifestyle, then by all means check them out.

Post up any other specific questions you have or head over to the .mil forum and pose them there... quite a few ARFCOMers stationed at Bragg who can chime in as well.

Good luck on your move... and welcome to the center of the universe!

Godsdaddy, I don't know, it depends on your situation.  If you know you're going to be here 5 years, you should probably buy something.  Otherwise, rent.  Many people don't want the hassle of a lease, though.  I lived in base housing for 5 years in Alaska, but that was a different situation.  It was that, or rent and renting wasn't plausible.  I did live walking distance from where I worked, at least!  That said, if you rent or buy, do it NORTH of post, in Harnett County.

As others have said, north of spring lake is a nice area. Not a terrible commute compared to south. Raeford is nice and out of the way if you like "country" but the commute in the evenings is a **itshow. Welcome and would love to meet you sometime

Thank you for all the input from every body.  To answer a few of the questions, I do have children but divorced and will have them during the summer times and some of the holidays.   I do love the country even though I am from the city.  I rather live off post and thanks for the tip of not going thru post with concealed weapons.  I will check out the places you recommended.  I am not sure how long I will be stationed there.  But I plan on doing SFAS or SMU while there and hope to get selected so the possibility to stay a while is high.

There are some new nice apartments right on the south side of Sanford is apartment living is your thing.  They are just starting renting them.

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Absolutely agree, on all three highlighted points.  

We were going to be here 5+ years, and just came off three years of renting at our last post... so we were in the market to buy.  If the OP is coming here for the SMU accession pipleline and follow on training/schools, it's probably not in his best interest to buy.  That said, the rental market is pretty good in my area... two decent sized houses with some property for rent on my road alone.

Yes I am hoping to hit the pipeline as soon as I can.  being in 82nd I am sure it may pose some challenges and with the deployment rumors I already getting emailed about...that may not be in my interest to buy either

I'll give you another option of the southern pines/aberdeen area.  Its a great area, with a lot less military feel than the fayetteville area.  as with harnett county it is a little drive, but may be worth it to not live in fayetteville.  

I have lived in fayetteville and it sucks, always worried about your stuff getting stolen, vandalized etc.

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I lived in Sanford and loved being away from Bragg, I was at Bragg for 18 yrs IM me for any questions



 

Lindon Oaks sucked, I lived there for 1 yr, fucking asshole parents who won't police their kids and the MPs suck.





Lots of break in's etc as well.





Free





 

Most of the guys in my shop live out in the Sanford area but a few are actually trying to move onpost because they are tired of dealing with traffic and the gates in the morning.