where to buy second home or land in Ct? (New Haven: homes, gated)
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I am looking to purchase a second home or land that is within driving distance from Westchester County. Ideally, I'm looking for a cute coastal new england town with a nice town center that has lovely beaches. I was initially looking to purchase land in Mass. The idea was that I would purchase land now (want to retire in New England and am very fond of Mass) and then build when I'm ready (not anytime soon).
But then I started thinking about how nice it would be if we could purchase a place close enough to our home so that our family can actually use it.
I realize that CT is expensive. I am waiting to see what happens with some $$ I may be getting from some land that was left to me overseas, but I'm thinking of looking in the $200-$400K range. Southern Ct is not an option as its very expensive, and way too close to where we currently live. I want to be at least an hour away from where we live now (Southern Westchester).
Can anyone suggest any towns to look into? Thanks in advance for your help.
Towns within driving distance to Westchester county with 'close proximity' to the shoreline are going to be very costly.
Southwestern Connecticut is very expensive- you might enjoy the coastal towns of Branford, Guilford, Clinton, and Westbrook- all east of New Haven. Pretty New England seaports, with much charm- and less congestion then southwestern CT- and far less money for property. Also the lower Connecticut river towns of Chester, Essex, Deep river and East Haddam are very pleasant, quiet and have quick access to the shoreline. I know the towns I mentioned are a bit further afield as for as driving distance from Westchester NY- but they are very charming, and cost wise far cheaper; the additional 50 minute drive makes them well worth it.
Good luck and welcome to the state!
Last edited by skytrekker; 01-07-2008 at 05:52 AM..
Check out the lower Connecticut River Valley. The towns there are very charming and there is a lot to do (Goodspeed Opera House, Gillette Castle, restaurants, etc.) plus you are within a reasonable driving distances to the beaches. Towns to consider include East Haddam, Haddam, Essex, Chester, Deep River and Lyme. Jay
Old Lyme is beautiful... but I-95 is a mess. Try Litchfield Co. many New Yorkers summer there. There are even quite a lot more than one would expect here in Simsbury (pastoral West Simsbury in particular). There are a couple $2,000,000 + estates on large lots in W. Simsbury that would be Idyllic summer getaways as well as some historic homes that, if in need of repair, start around 400K. Check into hamlets like W. Simsbury, North Canton, Barkhamsted, New Hartford, Harwinton, Goshen, Warren, Litchfield, Canaan, Salisbury. There are many Beautiful vistas to be had in NW CT, and you won't have to deal with the New England fundamentalist/anti-NY sentiment you would probably feel east of the CT river. Where do you live specifically in So. Westchester; closer to White Plains or closer to Bronx/Eastchester area? Regardless, you should check out the area. From the southernmost reaches of Westchester county, my town (Simsbury) is roughly an hour and twenty minutes to an hour and forty minutes away, depending on traffic. One tip of advice, when travelling to NW CT, it would be wise to use I-684 and I-84 to reach your destination, not I-95 and Rte. 8.
As for coastal towns, I have a summer home in Old Lyme... but it seems to be getting more and more like Fairfield County everyday (hustle, bustle, high cost of living). There are quite a few New Yorkers in my little beach community, called point o' woods. It's the most secluded waterfront development in Old Lyme (as opposed Soundview, Old Colony). It is gated and has a private security force, a playground, a marina, a basketball court, tennis courts, a boardwalk, a nice enough beach, and a beautiful marsh along the western boundary of the development. Most of the homes are probably considered historical at 70+ years old (like mine). As for pricing, many non-waterview homes (also like mine) will not cost you an arm and a leg if they have not been completely decked out; most interior homes go for around $400,000 so you would probably find them affordable.
Thank you all for your advice. I will look into the towns mentioned above to see which would fit my needs. I'm not opposed to a long drive, I'm willing to drive at least 2-3 hours away if need be! I thought of Rhode Island too but not really as familiar with RI as I've only gone to Newport. If you know of affordable areas, I'd love to look there too and keep my options open.
I live in Ardsley (SW Westchester closer to thne Hudson River and bordered by Dobbs Ferry and Scarsdale) so 684 is actually mcuh easier for me - just hop on the Saw Mill and I'm there as opposed to crossing over to get to 287. Great advice on avoiding 95 - we vacation alot in the Cape and in Maine and 95 is a nightmare!
Old Lyme seems pricey but I'll look into it. We're not opposed to getting a home that needs work but will we really find a home in the $400's if most are in the multi-million? Either way I'll look. Can anyone recommend a realtor website where I can see the Ct MLS? I've been using realtor.com but there's probably a better site out there.
I would also suggest Stonington and North Stonington along the coast CT- as well as Colchester CT- located about half way between Hartford and the shoreline.
Eastern Connecticut is perhaps the most untouched part of the state- Pomfret, Tolland, Willington, Coventry, Colombia, Putnam and Lebanon are pleasant small towns surrounded by rural land and forest. All Peaceful and have the lowest home prices in Connecticut- and yet less then an hour from the coast.
The Raveis.com website is a great site for consumers. It feeds daily from the MLS and often has more information (taxes, additional pictures, etc.) than the standard Realtor.com site. Also, once you narrow down the towns you're searching in, if you need a recommendation for an agent, let me know. I've taken training classes with many agents from the shore area and can recommend a good one that specializes in your needs.
Location: somewhere between Florida and New England
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Im surprised nobody mentioned Old Saybrook. Nice town and pleasant downtown area. The homes can get pricey close to the water but its reasonable compared to western CT. Another area I would recommend is Candlewood Lake in Danbury, New Fairfield, Brookfield or Sherman. There are many weekenders from New York and home prices are very reasonable.
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