[rebecca2006]

Hello ,


I am a single woman in my 30s moving to Hartford area for a job opportunity. I am looking at apartments in Hartford downtown or West Hartford areas. Are these areas safe and how is the commute to Enfield ? Should I be looking at some other areas for apartments? My budget is around $1500/month.I would like to be near areas with good shops and restaurants and also not too isolated.


Any suggestions pls..


Thanks.

[KH02]

If your job is in Enfield, why not rent there? It has all the shopping and convenience you could want. If you want something more trendy with a downtown feel then West Hartford might be for you.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Yes, West Hartford has trendy upscale restaurants galore. It's also a short drive to Westfarms Mall.

Enfield has them too--but more of the chains. Also tons of shopping options in Enfield and nearly Manchester.

Apartments in Enfield will definitely be cheaper.

If you live in West Hartford or downtown Hartford, you would have to commute up and down 91 to get to Enfield. On a good day, probably only about a half hour but I have coworkers who make that commute and they seem to hate 91 with a passion. Lots of slowdowns due to rush hour, accidents, weather, construction, etc.

I guess it depends what your top priority is: an easy commute or the best restaurants/shops.

[rebecca2006]

Thank you both for your replies. I do have to think about that. I will have 2 weeks to search for apartments.



Will it be better/cheaper if I buy something? Is so which areas should I target ? If I buy, I would prefer areas which has high resale value. 30 min commute I can handle in case I buy. I don't want to go beyond $300000 and would prefer a town home or condo with 2 bed and 2 bath.



Thanks.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by rebecca2006

Thank you both for your replies. I do have to think about that. I will have 2 weeks to search for apartments.



Will it be better/cheaper if I buy something? Is so which areas should I target ? If I buy, I would prefer areas which has high resale value. 30 min commute I can handle in case I buy. I don't want to go beyond $300000 and would prefer a town home or condo with 2 bed and 2 bath.



Thanks.

You should only buy if you are certain you will live there for a minimum of 5 years. I would not recommend West Hartford though since a commute to Enfield would be at least 30 minutes. You could look in Enfield itself or Suffield. Windsor and South Windsor may be other options. Jay

[BostonBornMassMade]

Downtown Hartford could be cool.I'm

[rebecca2006]

Thanks to both of you.

[Lincolnian]

Windsor Center is a walkable area with some nice restaurants and a new apartment complex. It's an easy commute to Enfield.

[MikefromCT]

Normally I would suggest Hartford or WH for a young person new to the area, but commuting from either of those towns to Enfield can be a real hassle. I-91 can be a parking lot as far as traffic goes, and unfortunately the only way to get to Enfield is to drive. Eventually the Hartford rail line will include stops in WH and Enfield, in which case the commute would make more sense, but in the meantime, the highway is the only way to get there. Windsor is just to the north of Hartford, and I-91 bisects it, and going northbound from there would give you a shorter commute. The town itself is quite nice, and there are some rentals here as well, but I would suggest you avoid the Wilson neighborhood which is a small area south of Route 218. It abuts Hartford’s most crime-ridden section and it’s not the most desirable area. From Windsor it’s a short drive to Hartford or WH, and during non-rush hour commutes it isn’t as bad. Hold off on buying anything until you’re ready to make a long-term commitment to an area.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

Normally I would suggest Hartford or WH for a young person new to the area, but commuting from either of those towns to Enfield can be a real hassle. I-91 can be a parking lot as far as traffic goes, and unfortunately the only way to get to Enfield is to drive. Eventually the Hartford rail line will include stops in WH and Enfield, in which case the commute would make more sense, but in the meantime, the highway is the only way to get there. Windsor is just to the north of Hartford, and I-91 bisects it, and going northbound from there would give you a shorter commute. The town itself is quite nice, and there are some rentals here as well, but I would suggest you avoid the Wilson neighborhood which is a small area south of Route 218. It abuts Hartford’s most crime-ridden section and it’s not the most desirable area. From Windsor it’s a short drive to Hartford or WH, and during non-rush hour commutes it isn’t as bad. Hold off on buying anything until you’re ready to make a long-term commitment to an area.

There is a CT Transit express bus that goes from downtown Hartford to Enfield by the mall. But it also goes on 91. But it may go in the HOV lane and actually be faster than driving? I'm not sure.