Moving to Burlington soon, housing/activites questions (Colchester, South Burlington: transplants, for rent)

[SoonToBeVermonster]

Hi! My boyfriend and I are planning to relocate to the Burlington, VT area starting this October 1st. He is a born and bred Mainer, and I am originally from Virginia (but I'm used to Maine, and excited about the cold/snow in VT). We're both in our late 20s, and he is planning to go back to school at the University of Vermont.

We'd like to find somewhere to live that is either in Burlington or closeby. These threads have posted a lot of concerns about noise from college kids/drunken homeless men on the streets of downtown. We are hoping to find rent that is $1100 or below - is this possible, in an area that is not overrun by college kids? Or, is it not as bad as people say? Does anyone have any suggestions for finding housing other than Craigslist and the local papers? (I've checked both, and so far there seems to be nothing in our price range that also allows pets - we have a cat.)

Should we consider living outside of town and commuting it? Is traffic terrible? Would we have any hope of finding a small cottage or cabin that still has internet? (I will be working from home.)

I'm also just excited to start talking to people about activities and ways to meet people. Are there young (late 20s, 30s) couples around that aren't necessarily connected to UVM? What are some good ways to meet people?

We're really looking forward to becoming Vermon(s)ters! Thanks in advance for your advice!

[68vette]

Originally Posted by SoonToBeVermonster

Hi! My boyfriend and I are planning to relocate to the Burlington, VT area starting this October 1st. He is a born and bred Mainer, and I am originally from Virginia (but I'm used to Maine, and excited about the cold/snow in VT). We're both in our late 20s, and he is planning to go back to school at the University of Vermont.

We'd like to find somewhere to live that is either in Burlington or closeby. These threads have posted a lot of concerns about noise from college kids/drunken homeless men on the streets of downtown. We are hoping to find rent that is $1100 or below - is this possible, in an area that is not overrun by college kids? Or, is it not as bad as people say? Does anyone have any suggestions for finding housing other than Craigslist and the local papers? (I've checked both, and so far there seems to be nothing in our price range that also allows pets - we have a cat.)

Should we consider living outside of town and commuting it? Is traffic terrible? Would we have any hope of finding a small cottage or cabin that still has internet? (I will be working from home.)

I'm also just excited to start talking to people about activities and ways to meet people. Are there young (late 20s, 30s) couples around that aren't necessarily connected to UVM? What are some good ways to meet people?

We're really looking forward to becoming Vermon(s)ters! Thanks in advance for your advice!

First off, avoid Craigslist! There are people who list legitimate places to rent on Craigslist, but the Burlington area seems to be getting hit hard with scammers lately. Both my step sons looked at multiple places that were found through Craigslist and several were scams. Two of the places someone showed up to show them the place (possibly ex-tenants who had a key?) and they were not legit. When he returned later to show his girlfriend one of the places, they ran into the actual tenant who said the place was not for rent.
October will be a more difficult time to find a place. UVM students move back into the area starting in August. Because the housing market is so tight in the Burlington area, there will be fewer options. Your price range is not that bad, but by October a large chunk of the nice places could/most likely be gone. There are 5 collages/universities in the area with a student population of about 25,000. There have been big issues with the student population the past few years. The university and the Burlington Police Department recently had a public forum to discuss ways to deal with the noise, drinking, etc. Some areas of Burlington are much worse than others. Also do not accept a place sight unseen. There are a large number of dumps in the downtown area. Pictures are often times very misleading. You need to see what you are getting.
Pets are always a problem in this area when it comes to renting. Unfortunately for people with good pets, it is very difficult to find a nice place that accepts pets. As a landlord myself, the deposit money hardly covers the amount of damage done. I don't rent in Burlington, but I think they have limits or restrictions on what can be charged for pets. I think this is why most places do not accept pets.
The easy and best option in my opinion would be to live just outside of Burlington. There are several options like South Burlington, Colchester and Winooski. In each of these towns, you could be downtown within 5-10 minutes depending on location (Colchester is a huge town, the far end of town could be 20 minutes away).
Traffic is not horrible, but it depends on where you live and what time you will commute. Rt 15 and Williston Rd are not very good during commuter hours.
You might have a hard time finding a cottage or cabin in the Burlington area unless you are willing to go about 20-30 minutes outside the area. The majority of the surrounding area is mostly a suburban layout.
Having similar hobbies as others is typically the best way to meet people. The Burlington area is mostly made up of transplants. People tend to be a little more outgoing and accepting of others. I don't think you will have any issues meeting people.

[fotogrl]

I'd suggest checking out Little Eagle Bay townhouses. We've lived here two years and love it. Well maintained, a mix of young professionals, retirees, and a few grad students. The units furthest from North Ave. are super quiet. Rent is in your price range and includes internet, and they allow cats. There is a private beach on Lake Champlain, and the bikepath to downtown (2 miles away) is at the end of the block. I don't see any availability currently on their website but if you call them I'm sure they'd have something open up by your move date. Good luck with your move, and welcome to Vermont! Little Eagle Bay, Burlington, VT