I have read a lot of threads irt the housing towers on main base being closed for remodling.   I will be headed there in September 2012 and would like to know if the wait is still very long or has the rebuild finish (easing the wait time).  Thank you in advance for any information that you might be able to provide.

Also,  we lived out in town when we were staioned in Italy and do not mind living off base.  We (my family - wife, 7 year old son and 15 year old daughter) would just like to know the pros and cons associated with it. 

I am not sure on the wait but the towers were both open when we got here in Feb. Right now the are remodeling the town homes. However my quiet tower is filling up fast. So I am not sure what it will be like in Sept. Plus double check the schools. I have heard mixed reviews of the Elementary School on Main Base and rave reviews of the School in Hario. Just food for thought. I would love to have you as a neighbor but I have heard a few complaints about the Elementary School. The Highschool in my opinion is good. Small classes!!

For the schools, regardless of where you live, your daughter will be attending the main base high school. But for your son, the case is different. Darby Elementary in the Hario Housing area has extremely small classes sizes due to a small population. It is also considered the better of the two elementary schools due to this. Sasebo Elementary has small classrooms and almost considered "overpopulated". The only way your son would be able to attend Darby over Sasebo is if your family lives in Hario Housing. Captain Rock, the Base CO, has considered pushing for families with younger child to live in Hario to help with the class sizes on Main Base. At this time, Hario has only a 43% occupancy rate. There are many units open, and revo is almost complete on the townhouses here. The downside is mostly how remote Hario is. MB is about a 25-30 minute drive from Hario. They are also stopping the MWR shuttle bus that goes between MB and Hario during the day. There is a train station that is about a 2 mile hike from Hario, but taxis are about 63 USD one way. Hario has the bigger commissary, yet no NEX, just a "Home Store". It's much like a convenience store. There are pros and cons to both places. I can't take much about MB since I live in Hario. Hario is very family-centered, but we don't have much in the way of extra activities (ie ballet classes are on main base only). It's a matter of personal choice. I hope this has helped.

we lived in Sasebo from 07-10 and now live in yokosuka...we loved Hario and the school rocks...Amazing teachers...don't know about the high school...for us having the bigger commissary was a huge benefit.

Thanks to all for the great information.  You all gave me/us alot to think about.  Main base is closer to all the activity out in town and Hario is out away from everything?  Thanks again for then help.  looking forward to being there.

Hario is not exactly out away from everything. I'm not sure there is a boonies in Japan. There are things around Hario. It's just not around Navy things. Most of the places to eat that are Americanized are near Main Base.

I have a 7 year old and a 15 year old as well so we chose a Tower Apartment here on Main Base, which has so far been great for us. They can walk to school together and the older one can come home for lunch and is close to school for after school sports. I will say that weve found that the majority of our oldest daughters friends do live out at Hario. It is quite nice to be close to the arcade and base but we still make the trip over to the Hario Commissary on occasion.