My fiance and I are looking for a place to live and wanted to see if anyone new of good rental properties or a realtor who could show us properties in the area. We would like to keep our rent to a maximum of $800/month. We would like to move in in July after our wedding but could secure a place now if absolutely needed. Does anyone recommend a good realtor or apartment complex? We would prefer a small house or duplex over an apartment but realize our options are limited with our budget. Thanks.

No one knows of rentals or a good realtor in the area?

You're going to have trouble finding a house in the area for < 800 because they can always get a soldier to pay more. I recommend the arbors of killeen behind the academy. Stayed there a few years and had a good experience.

[This message has been edited by Willis (edited 6/4/2010 1:00p).]

TA2002 - We knew it would be hard with our budget. How long have you been in the area? I'll be moving there in July so I'm not super familiar with the area.

Willis - e-mail sent, thanks.

You're welcome.

Other than my time at A&M, I've spent all my life here. A lot of people come here and don't like it, but it's home to me.

Complaints include allergies, the transient community, crime, Artillery booms in the distance... (puts me to sleep) I like the area because it's very much a melting pot with all of the soldiers their dependents and most of them have a laid back lifestyle. At least the one's I run into.

Entertainment-wise the Killeen area is kind of slow unless you like smokey clubs and strip joints. Two lakes around for outdoor activities. Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (run by the Army CoE) is the better of the two. Not much to watch live sports wise,except high school sports. Two movie theaters and a line of chain restaurants on 190 to eat out.

We have a Killeen/Fort Hood Aggie club. The president was Beth Deuermeyer '06, but I think they've voted in somebody new. They used to do Tuesday functions, but I haven't gone in a while. I will try and get an email for you.

Welcome to the area.

TA2002 -

Thanks for the info. My soon-to-be wife's family is from the area so I've been around there to visit but only know what you see from 190 and the neighborhoods. My dad grew up in Gatesville but that's as close as I get. Do you work on Ft. Hood?

Yup, I help test software for the Army.

What will you be doing?

Not for sure yet. I've been referred for a position with MWR on Fort Hood but I haven't heard anything for an interview yet. Sent in plenty of applications but no bites. If you have any suggestions let me know.

Probably nothing you haven't already tried.

Fort Hood's Civilian jobs page

http://www.hood.army.mil/civilian.contractor.aspx

Texas Workforce Commission

http://www.workforcelink.com/newworkforce/

Killeen has their own police academy if you're interested in being a cop.

http://ww3.ci.killeen.tx.us/PD/index.php?section=13

There are sometimes positions available where I work as a tester. You have to be able to get a security clearance, and probably pretty boring work, but I'll look for job openings and post them if I see them. Good work for a spouse too, if your fiance hasn't got something lined up.

Thanks for the links.

Let me know about any tester positions you know of. I'd be glad to learn how to do it and earn a paycheck.

Thanks again for your help.

Search ag - contact Manning homes to see if they have any duplexes - (254) 547-3880. Office manager is an aggie mom. I can't promise anything.

Thanks airplane driver!

stay away from anything that is associated with JWC Properties. the properties arent bad, but JWC will try to screw you hard and long when its time to leave. also, Colonial rentals in Cove has been put on the post off limits list, so that tells you something also. good luck.

Didn't I see something on the news in the last week or so about a call center or something coming into Killeen that will create eventually a thousand jobs--with a few hundred almost immediately?

TexasAg2002, what HS did you go to.

I heard the same thing bout JWC. We checked them out and as we were walking to our car I would assume a disgruntled tenant started telling us horror stories and told us to run as fast as we could in the other direction. We took her advice.

We found a great duplex in Cove. We love it. If anybody knows companies hiring full-time employees with a college degree let me know.

Don't know if you've already closed this loop, but the Stone Creek apartments in Killeen are probably the nicest/safest in your price range. I had a buddy that lived there for ~4 years and he never had any complaints. Rental houses are usually very sketchy in the area due to the huge population turn-over and the population generally being the dregs of society to begin with.

I heard this week that Child, Youth, and School-Age Services on post is going to be hiring close to 300 people in the next 4-6 months. Jobs are supposed to range from administrative to management to counselors and child-care providers. Worth a look. Go to www.hood.army.mil and poke around for civilian job opportunities, or search for CYSS in the search box.

Stay away from Killeen north of 190 between post and the Harker Heights shopping center. The odds of your house being burglarized or you being hit by a car in your own driveway are fairly high here. Harker Heights, Nolanville, and western Copperas Cove/Kempner are much more family-friendly, safer, and have less riff-raff than in Killeen.

We found a 3 bedroom duplex in west Copperas Cove off Summers Rd. We really like it so far. Thanks for all of the help.

I'm still looking for employment so if anyone knows of open positions or companies hiring please let me know. Thanks.

I went to Killeen High.