Salutations! Rumor floating around the ivy-covered halls is you’re looking to score yourself a new … um ... haven in New Haven, Connecticut. Good news, smart guy (or gal): You couldn’t have come to a better place, because setting up people in the lodgings of their lives is what we do best. So study up on the following Qs and As, and you’ll be settled into the perfect New Haven pad in less time than it takes to solve an Einstein equation or recite the first three chapters of Beowulf in Old English (just kidding, it won’t take nearly that long!)
You know how it seems America’s cities all got together at some point in the last several decades and agreed to sprawl into the suburbs? New Haven didn’t get the memo
Salutations! Rumor floating around the ivy-covered halls is you’re looking to score yourself a new … um ... haven in New Haven, Connecticut. Good news, smart guy (or gal): You couldn’t have come to a better place, because setting up people in the lodgings of their lives is what we do best. So study up on the following Qs and As, and you’ll be settled into the perfect New Haven pad in less time than it takes to solve an Einstein equation or recite the first three chapters of Beowulf in Old English (just kidding, it won’t take nearly that long!)
Neighborhoods
You know how it seems America’s cities all got together at some point in the last several decades and agreed to sprawl into the suburbs? New Haven didn’t get the memo. The downtown area is not only the city’s hub for entertainment, employment, and shopping, but it’s also where you’ll find the most popular residential properties.
New Haven offers some other feasible options as well, including the Westville neighborhood and East Rock. Other neighborhoods worth checking out include Prospect Hill and East Shore in north-central New Haven.
Of course, not everybody wants to live in the throes of urbanity anyway, and good for them: In West River neighborhoods like the eclectic Dwight Street Historic District and east-central ‘hoods like Wooster Square, lucky leasers can find rentals for less than a grand.
What’s the most convenient way to bum around town?
Get yourself some wheels, of course! (Just realize that you’ll only need two of them, not four). Bikers rule downtown New Haven. Residents utilize the city’s super-convenient bike lanes to traverse the entire city. Meanwhile, because downtown residences, employers, and hotspots are located so close to each other, many New Haven residents (over 14 percent) are able to rely on nothing but the courtesy of their own two feet to get around, while an additional 11 percent ride the city bus. Bottom line: Unless you want to embark on a daytrip to Manhattan or Boston (both two hours away), there’s no need to even pull the gas guzzler out of the garage.
What can I expect from a New Haven haven?
If you appreciate an apartment loaded with old-school flair, you’re likely to fall in love with your new place in New Haven. Well-established homes (built between 1940 and 1969) and historic residences (built prior to 1940) account for 75 percent of residential buildings, and many of these estates throughout the city have been transformed into multi-unit apartments and townhouses.
Plenty of revitalized or brand-new rental properties are available as well downtown, including units in the 32-story 360 State Street complex, the city’s biggest residential building. As for what to expect out of a New Haven pad, seldom are two places are exactly alike.
Are apartments easy enough to come by?
The rejuvenation of the downtown area in the 2000s resulted in a massive influx of new apartments, lofts, and condominiums, turning New Haven into a renter-dominated city (roughly 70 percent of the city’s dwellings are occupied by leasers.) Fortunately, the Green (an inner-city park/recreation grounds that frequently hosts festivals and concerts) is surrounded by a ton of new, old, and revamped rentals as well, all of which put tenants within walking distance of downtown’s numerous eateries, bookstores, and nightlife venues.
Other than that, you’re all set, wise guy, so welcome to New Haven and best of luck in the search for your perfect pad!
