Renting house in Cheshire/Prospect/Wolcott/Waterbury (New Haven, Danbury: real estate, housing)

[sabw]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are hoping to rent a single family house or townhouse (if it has SFH features, like a basement that can hold a workbench/tools) this spring, ideally in the vicinity of exits 25-26 of I-84 (we will be commuting to Danbury and Farmington, respectively).
I having been looking online in northern Cheshire/Prospect, southern Wolcott, and eastern Waterbury. We are hoping to stay ~1500/month, which rules out many of the Cheshire SFH rentals I have seen advertised.

After searching some similar threads on this forum commenting on the scarcity of rentals in many CT towns, I fear I am in a needle/haystack situation. I am hoping for some advice on a few questions.

1) Are single family rentals often handled by real estate agents?
If I were to contact one, would I experience a similar situation to being a buyer, i.e. he/she would find places for us to look at and have access to listings of other realtors?

2) How are the areas of Waterbury that border Prospect and Cheshire?
To give an idea of my comfort level - I feel perfectly safe living in the East Rock section of New Haven even when my husband is out of town.
Do you think there would be more (non-apartment) rental inventory there than in the other towns?

3) Does anyone have any experience with posting a "Housing Wanted" ad on craigslist?
I am curious to know if those postings get many legitimately helpful responses.

Thanks in advance!

[JayCT]

If you are having trouble finding rentals in the area you are looking at, you might want to expand your search area. There would be more of a selection if you include Southington which is a very nice town with a lot more in the way of apartments and townhouses. I am sure Waterbury itself would have a number of listings but I do not the city well enough to say where is good and where is not. Jay

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by sabw

I having been looking online in northern Cheshire/Prospect, southern Wolcott, and eastern Waterbury. We are hoping to stay ~1500/month, which rules out many of the Cheshire SFH rentals I have seen advertised.

1) Are single family rentals often handled by real estate agents? If I were to contact one, would I experience a similar situation to being a buyer, i.e. he/she would find places for us to look at and have access to listings of other REALTORS®?

Some rentals are handled by agents but more than half aren't. You are correct in your assessment that an agent with XYZ Realty can show you all LISTED rentals or non-LISTED rentals if you agree to pay the commission.

I didn't see any in Cheshire under $1,500. There is a Raised Ranch on the Southington-Cheshire line for $1,700. Rental amounts can be negotiated just like purchase amounts.

Originally Posted by sabw

2) How are the areas of Waterbury that border Prospect and Cheshire? To give an idea of my comfort level - I feel perfectly safe living in the East Rock section of New Haven even when my husband is out of town. Do you think there would be more (non-apartment) rental inventory there than in the other towns?

The East End of Waterbury transitions gradually to each of the towns it approaches (Naugatuck, Prospect, Cheshire, Wolcott). The streets between East Main Street and Meriden Road in Waterbury are very residential in character, often on .25-acre (or greater) sized lots.

Originally Posted by sabw

3) Does anyone have any experience with posting a "Housing Wanted" ad on craigslist? I am curious to know if those postings get many legitimately helpful responses.

Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with craigslist.

[wanderintonc]

Just be aware that if you rent in Waterbury, your car insurance will be very high. You might want to call your insurer and find the differences in rates for the towns you want.

[propane is fun]

in waterbury you can get a 6 room, 3 bedroom 2 story townhouse in the walnut-orange-walsh section of waterbury for $550/mo. that's IF you're willing to live on wood st, irion st, upper oak st area. hell, i wouldn't even live there. i say look in the EastEnd for a townhouse. you could find one for $900/mo and up. if you're cool with east rock in new haven then you'll be cool with eastend in waterbury.

[KH02]

Here is one in Cheshire for 1650 Rentals - 330 HIGHLAND AVE., Cheshire, CT, 06410 - Realtor.com

Their are a few on MLS in Southington but the ones under the price you want are either 1 bedrooms (you didnt say how many you wanted, or are in 55 and up communities).

It is a tough rental market these days, id include other places as well maybe naugatuck or wallingford, they seem to have quite a bit.

Just call the listing agents to view them.

Good luck in your search.

[Back Home]

East side of Wtby near Cheshire line , Prospect, West side bordering Middlebury ok. I would stay away from Mall area , downtown, south side of Waterbury and north side. Naugy might be an option or Watertown which is easy access to 84. Traffice will be a problem with both those commutes on 84. Good luck

[nspa]

try looking/posting on craigslist in ct. i've done that for sublets and had lots of good luck

[celina1960]

I would recomend the Town Plot area of Waterbury. There are also some hoses for rent in Naugatuck in your price range.

[camille2106]

We've been renting a townhouse in Farmington, exit #39A, off I-84, about 10 minutes from Waterbury. It's 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, and about 1200 square feet with a basement. We're vacating it at the end of June. The rent should be somewhere around $1350-$1450 per month. If you're interested, I can give you more information.