Manchester CT??? (Hartford, Vernon, Storrs: low income, apartment complexes, for rent)

jewel363 · 08-05-2012, 07:18 PM

I'm looking to purchase a home in Manchester CT and would like to know what the town is like. I'm retired and will purchase in a 55+ community. Would appreciate any insights. Thanks.

Uconn97 · 08-06-2012, 07:40 AM

Its a fine community but gets a bad rap from the clueless folks out there. There are some pockets of manchester that are not desirable, but the town overall is very nice. Most people wouldn't look there to live because the schools do not perform that well, but if schools aren't a concern of yours, I wouldn't hesitate to buy there. From an amenities, etc perspective, Manchester has everything you could want. Let me know if you have any specific questions. Jviello who also posts on here lives in manchester and can also give you his perspective on living there.

JayCT · 08-07-2012, 01:48 PM

Manchester is a nice middle class community. It has a lot of shopping serving as the regions major shopping districts. Most neighborhoods are good but there are a couple that are less desirable. Jay

JViello · 08-07-2012, 05:29 PM

That particular area is South of I384 but not totally removed from the lower income part of town. Having said that, "low income" in Manchester doesn't automatically mean crime, drugs, gangs etc...in fact very opposite.

What you'll see at worse are small capes and ranches from the 50's and 60's with working class families. IOW, there really isn't much to fear, but if you are looking for manicured etc with beautiful ish, Wetheral street might disappoint. However, the surrounding area is very nice.

Downtown is a short distance away, so is the greenway, and Hartford is 15 minutes away as are dairy farms etc the other direction.

There are several 55+ places on Hackmattack street just a stones throw to the East which are very nice as well.

skel1977 · 08-08-2012, 12:40 PM

Depending on where you live, plan on LOTS of traffic during the holidays, xmas especially.

JayCT · 08-10-2012, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skel1977

Depending on where you live, plan on LOTS of traffic during the holidays, xmas especially.

This is only true in the Buckland Hills area. Other neighborhoods do not have bad traffic. Jay

cdepa513 · 06-09-2014, 01:29 AM

Hi all! I'm looking to move to Manchester in the next couple mths. Could you please be specific on the "bad" areas as I am a single female moving alone? I chose Manchester since I am coming from NYC and amenities are key since it will be a huge adjustment. I'm in my early 30s and need an area that has everything I need (since I'm used to everything I can imagine on one block). Also, I reviewed the apt complexes listed in other forums and they all have terrible ratings. Any suggestions where to rent besides the aspen, mills, pavillion? Would you suggest renting in a house would be better? Lastly, if you know of other areas similar to manchester in terms of proximity to amenities that would be really appreciated. I'm looking to be no more then 30 mins from Storrs but more on the western side closer to NYC. Thank you in advance.

ctwhitechin · 06-09-2014, 03:49 AM

I forget the neighborhood name, was south of 84 and the streets all seemed to have university names like Cambridge, colgate, et. Etc...we looked for a house there before we decided to move south.....looked very nice and well kept....certain parts of Manchester are not so great but overall not a bad town to live in,,,

Shorty458 · 06-09-2014, 06:58 AM

Manchester is a cute town. There of course are some shady areas, but that is true now a days w/ almost any town/city. My husband and I are moving back to CT and we found a cute duplex for rent. I contacted them to ensure it was still available and hope to have a showing when we get back up there.

When i lived in CT a few years ago, we lived in Manchester and Vernon. We rented a house in Manchester not too far from the mall actually, and the area was just fine. It was a cute, older house.

JayCT · 06-09-2014, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdepa513

Hi all! I'm looking to move to Manchester in the next couple mths. Could you please be specific on the "bad" areas as I am a single female moving alone? I chose Manchester since I am coming from NYC and amenities are key since it will be a huge adjustment. I'm in my early 30s and need an area that has everything I need (since I'm used to everything I can imagine on one block). Also, I reviewed the apt complexes listed in other forums and they all have terrible ratings. Any suggestions where to rent besides the aspen, mills, pavillion? Would you suggest renting in a house would be better? Lastly, if you know of other areas similar to manchester in terms of proximity to amenities that would be really appreciated. I'm looking to be no more then 30 mins from Storrs but more on the western side closer to NYC. Thank you in advance.

If you are coming from NEw York City, you are going to be in for a little bit of a culture shock. What is your budget and what do you want for that budget.

You should realize that all apartment complexes get bad reviews because the only people that bother to post on those ratings websites are those with a gripe. Aspen, the Mills and the Pavillions are all nice complexes. A couple of coworkers live at the Mills and like it. There can be a noise problem though. Look for a unit on the top floor to avoid having someone over you.

You might also want to look in Vernon. The Mansions there seem to always get good reviews from people posting on this board.

As for Manchester, the older areas near the hospital seem to be where there could be an issur. But even then, it is not bad for someone use to living in a more urban area. You will likely laugh when you see it. Jay