[Citimike111]

I am relocating for a job in Newington and I need some input on the area.

I have three kids, 1,6,9. I need the best area for kids, schools, housing affordability. I would also like to be close to some shopping..


Is there any quaint downtowns in this region? I have no clue.

Any help would be appreciated.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by Citimike111

I am relocating for a job in Newington and I need some input on the area.

I have three kids, 1,6,9. I need the best area for kids, schools, housing affordability. I would also like to be close to some shopping..


Is there any quaint downtowns in this region? I have no clue.

Any help would be appreciated.

I can give you a bunch of examples, but we don't know what affordable is to you. Some from Fairfield County think a 500K colonial home is a steal. lol

Also:

Desired commute times?

Are you a city, suburb or gotta have some land and quiet country person?

[JayCT]

West Hartford is probably a town you should consider. It has a great walkable downtown area (called West Hartford Center) with lots of shops and restaurants. It has a great school system and a lot of family activities. West Hartford can be a bit pricey though, so it does depend on you defintiion of "affordable". Another consideration would be Glastonbury with great schools, good shopping and a lot of family activites.

Another consideration may be Newington itself. It is a nice smaller suburb with good schools and a lot of shopping both along the Berlin Turnpike (mostly big box type stores) or in Newington Center (a somewhat walkable village area). other towns to consider would be Wethersfield, Rocky Hill and Berlin. Again, it all depends on what you can spend for a home. Good luck, Jay

[CTLoanOfficer]

Glastonbury is a beautiful town, but is pretty pricey and has some high taxes. I have lived in Rocky Hill since 1996 and have loved every minute of it. There are wonderful schools and is very family friendly. We are very close to 91 and 9, and pretty close to 84 and 691. We are within 20 minutes of 3 major malls as well. Wethersfield is another great option. Newington itself is also a nice place to live. If you would like I can get you in touch with some great real estate agents who can give you more information.

[sun]

Newington is a very nice town, with many quiet streets and residential areas, and good schools. The Route 5/15 - Berlin Turnpike traffic on the east side, and associated rush hour traffic through the center of town is it's only downside. Neighboring Berlin to its south is much quieter and less commercial. It would be preferable to live in either of these towns and visit the other downtowns than to choose a town to live in simply because its downtown is "quaint".
I've heard from a resident that West Hartford Center isn't as quaint as it used to be before the major building development that's now going on there. The individual said that the new buildings are taking up more space than was expected and making the layout appear to look over crowded and squeezed in "wall to wall". Maybe it's just beginning to lose some of its charm.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by sun

I've heard from a resident that West Hartford Center isn't as quaint as it used to be before the major building development that's now going on there. The individual said that the new buildings are taking up more space than was expected and making the layout appear to look over crowded and squeezed in "wall to wall". Maybe it's just beginning to lose some of its charm.

Blue Back Square, the expansion of West Hartford Center, really has not changed the existing center at all. The commercial part of West Hartford Center is generally located west of Main Street and Blue Back Square is located to the east of Main Street behind the Congregational Church and Library. It is barely visible from Main Street. I will agree that the new buildings are a little tall (four and five stories) but they are located a lower elevation so they do not tower over the center at all. Really the only place you see the difference is from Town Hall or if you are on Raymond Road. Even from Farmington Avenue you don't really notice the new buildings. I still believe though that this will be a wonderful addition to the Center. Jay