[lkuck]

My husband, my 15yo daughter and I are moving to CT - my husband will be working in Wilton. We are looking for a cozier community, with a great school and as close to affordable housing as possible. We are looking to spend 350,000 - on 2/3br with a decent sized yard for our wonderful, 3 small doggies.

We have been looking and looking - and have decided that we really would love Fairfield, but it pretty pricey for what you get (though it sounds like the schools may be worth it) HOWEVER - I have found about a zillion (tsktsk) homes that seem to suit me in Newtown, Sandy Hook and Danbury.

I am an RN and will probably have no trouble finding work.

Can anyone ring in on the schools and community life in Newtown, Sandy Hook or Danbury - and if any communities pop into your heads while you read my thread... please share!!! Thanx so much.

We are heading out to see the area on monday (10/21) for the week and would love to have a little more than our scrounging around has gotten us to.

Best wishes to you all!

[skytrekker]

Danbury will be much more affordable then Fairfield is along the coast. Nearby Bethel is a very pleasant town with a cozy Main Street. Good Luck.

[almostidaho]

Actually, Sandy Hook is a neighborhood of Newtown, kind of down the hill to Lake Zoar. I grew up across the river in Southbury. Back then, Sandy Hook was a bit shabby, mostly a collection of former vacation homes. Every time I drive through there now, I still find the area charming but I'm always shocked by how many huge homes have been wedged along its windy roads.

Guess I'm just a real old-timer now. ;-)

I remember Newtown having big but good schools, very into sports. It's a heavily wooded, sprawling suburb with pretty good shopping and restaurants. (I REALLY miss 2 am visits to the Blue Colony Diner!) You will find yourself in your car ALL THE TIME. I'm not kidding.

Danbury is a bonafide city, with lots of malls, traffic, business, freeways, etc. But you'll also have access to public transportation, more school choices (parochial, tech high school, university), and work. I think the commute to Wilton may be better from here, but you really need to check that. Both routes 7 and 25 are horrors for commuters.

Danbury Hospital used to be quite sleepy, but is now very well regarded, or so my elderly mom sez. BTW, both she and my in-laws say stay away from New Milford Hospital (from a patient's p.o.v.).

[momfromct]

I have two sisters, one lives in Newtown and the other in Sandy Hook. Schools are excellent and the town is very charming. Very country though. Easy access to I-84.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by momfromct

I have two sisters, one lives in Newtown and the other in Sandy Hook. Schools are excellent and the town is very charming. Very country though. Easy access to I-84.

I guess Newtown might look like country if you're from a city. But it's not.

It's a bedroom suburb with mostly large lots.

[JayCT]

As Almostidaho indicated, Sandy Hook is a section of Newtown. Also the northern part of Monroe is sometimes called Sandy Hook. This is a very nice somewhat rural area with beautiful homes on larger lots. It is very nice with very good schools. I do agree though that is somewhat removed and finding a job nearby for you might be a little difficult but not impossible. The nearest hospital would be Danbury or Waterbury.

In your price range you will be able to find a modest home or condo in Fairfield. It is a great town and you would have access to several major hospitals in Bridgeport and Norwalk for jobs. Anyway,welcome to Connecticut and let us know if you have any other questions. Jay

[jreich210]

Originally Posted by JayCT

As Almostidaho indicated, Sandy Hook is a section of Newtown. Also the northern part of Monroe is sometimes called Sandy Hook. This is a very nice somewhat rural area with beautiful homes on larger lots. It is very nice with very good schools. I do agree though that is somewhat removed and finding a job nearby for you might be a little difficult but not impossible. The nearest hospital would be Danbury or Waterbury.

In your price range you will be able to find a modest home or condo in Fairfield. It is a great town and you would have access to several major hospitals in Bridgeport and Norwalk for jobs. Anyway,welcome to Connecticut and let us know if you have any other questions. Jay

Living in Sandy Hook, you have easy access to Danbury (20 min) and Waterbury (25 min), and about 30 minutes down Route 34 you have New Haven. Bridgeport is also about 20-30 minutes down 25. I wouldn't say it's removed. Further out, yes, but not removed.

[lkuck]

thanks for chiming in on the Newtown, Sandy Hook area. We just returned from spending 4 days there. What a nightmare - $ 400,000 houses with tiles falling from the walls, , moldy basements, etc. Decent (and that is a stretch) houses are on horrific lots, houses that should be condemned (but are $350-400,000) are on decent lots. The area is pleasant, even pretty - the roads are tight, people nice - we are not moving there though.

The home I live in now, 8acres - circa1896, 2 story farmhouse (very nice condition and well kept), beautiful circa 1894 barn and newer large machine shed with enclosed horse riding ring, and 2 separate paddock areas, fenced pasture, swimming pool, hot tub, fireplace, central air, new furnace - heated 2+ garage, - would probably be 700-800K in CT but in WI it would probably sell for 270-300K

Anyway, thanks again to you all.

[momfromct]

Yeah, well, I'm from Monroe. And I'm just saying it's more country than other towns.

Originally Posted by HeadedWest

I guess Newtown might look like country if you're from a city. But it's not.

It's a bedroom suburb with mostly large lots.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by lkuck

The home I live in now, 8acres - circa1896, 2 story farmhouse (very nice condition and well kept), beautiful circa 1894 barn and newer large machine shed with enclosed horse riding ring, and 2 separate paddock areas, fenced pasture, swimming pool, hot tub, fireplace, central air, new furnace - heated 2+ garage, - would probably be 700-800K in CT but in WI it would probably sell for 270-300K

I feel for you. We went through the same wrenching realization when we moved from Illinois to Newtown (not the Sandy Hook part of town). In our case, we settled for a much smaller house with fewer amenities and a weird lot that won't let me build an outbuilding. For almost twice the price.

A lot of statistics get quoted here about the median house prices in CT versus other places, but I don't think they mean much for a piece of property like your current home.