[Hammie]

Hello All!
This is my first post to this great website! I'm relocating to VT from PA and starting my new job in Montpelier in 3 weeks. I'm having a terrible time finding a house to rent in the area (within about 20 minutes or so of Montpelier in any direction). I need a house because I have 2 dogs and 3 cats and don't want the dogs' potential barking to disturb anyone. I don't have a problem paying an extra pet deposit and am confident they will all be well-behaved.

I have to sell my house here first, so a short term (month to month) lease is preferable, but may consider a lease option on the right house.

Also, my husband will need to find a job, so I'm thinking that if we're halfway between Montpelier and Burlington, that would be the best area to settle. What do you think? Is Waterbury a good place to live?

Another issue is hospitals...I know Fletcher Allen is in Burlington and Central Vermont Medical Center is in Berlin. Are there any other good sized hospitals around Central Vermont?

Thanks so much for any assistance you may give.

[vter]

For apts/houses try Craigslist, the Stowe Reporter, the Times Argus and the Waterbury Record. It's going to be fairly difficult, but not impossible, to find rental housing that will accept pets.
Waterbury is a nice small town. It's got a couple good restaurants, a large state office complex, and is close to Stowe for all the recreation opportunities there. You are also 20-30 minutes from Greater Burlington depending on weather, where in town you leave from, etc.
You're named the 2 biggest hospitals in that part of Vermont. A couple smaller ones are Copley in Morrisville and Gifford in Randolph.
Good luck with your move!

[goatwoodward]

I recently learned that pet deposits are illegal in Burlington. Not sure if that's true in Montpelier too, but the security deposit can be no more than one month's rent. However, landlords can get around this by making the rent higher per month, then returning the money only if there is no damage. Some landlords around here also charge $25 extra per pet per month.

Cat

[68vette]

There may not be a pet deposit. If not, what you will have is added monthly rent of typically $25-50 dollars per pet depending on the size of the pet as already mentioned. The only towns with specific rental laws outside of the state laws are Barre and Burlington (to my knowledge). Landlords prefer the added rental fee because the money does not have to be refunded.
Waterbury would be an ideal place if you need to be between Montpelier and Burlington. Winter typically is a difficult time to find rental units or homes. Landlords prefer to get everything rented by the spring to fall.
There is only one tertiary care center in the state (FAHC, Burlington). CVH is larger than most other hospitals in the state, but if a higher level of care is needed, the patient is transfered to FAHC or DHMC in NH. If a hospital is that important, these are your primary options. Copley and Gifford are very small short term acute care community hospitals (between 25-50 beds).