by Lisa Orme

Created on: September 07, 2009   Last Updated: September 22, 2010

Looking to find an apartment in Hartford, CT? Here are some thoughts to help you make the best choice.

AFFORDABILITY. First and foremost, determine your budget. There's a huge range of housing both in the city of Hartford as well as the immediately outlying suburbs. Knowing exactly what you can afford will help determine the best place for your lifestyle.

UTILITIES. Make sure you know what's included in your monthly payment. While renters can always expect to pay their electric and phone bills, gas or oil heat and/or hot water may or may not be included in the rental payment. Some condo and apartment complexes will include basic cable in your rental fees, while cold water and trash are usually the responsibility of the landlord.

HEATING COSTS: When you're determining your housing budget, make sure you consider heating costs. If you're not from New England, the weather can be quite variable and heating costs can easily exceed a couple hundred dollars per month during the heating season. If heat and hot water are not included in your monthly rent, make sure you know how much they will cost you additionally. Beware that electric heat can be quite expensive, especially in some older buildings with less insulation, and ask to see previous utility bills. You can also use the calculator at http://hel.lbl.gov if the previous occupant's utility bills are not available.

LIFESTYLE. Are you a city dweller dependent on public transportation? Hartford has great bus service in the city and commuter runs to many communities outside of Hartford. Check out Connecticut Transit Company at www.cttransit.com for route and fare information. You can also travel by Amtrak north and south with stations in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden, Wallingford, and New Haven. And with a switch in New Haven, you can get to New York City by rail in about 90 minutes more.

Are schools important? Make sure you check out public and private schools in the Greater Hartford area. Try www.zipskinny.com. It's a great place to get started for statistical, demographic and other comparison information.

Are you a metropolitan or a suburbanite? Either way you'll want to check out the historical and entertainment attractions in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Hartford itself offers the Hartford Symphony, The Bushnell, Hartford Stage, Theater Works, Wadsworth Atheneum and Museum of Art, the Dodge Music Center, the Old State House, the Mark Twain House, and the Harriet Beecher Stowe house.

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