[washiNYC]

Hello City-Data friends,
I am a fellow NYer who is tired of the overpriced city which I live in. After doing months of research, I decided to relocate to CT (preferably New Haven County) within the next 6 months (June-July 2008).

My questions (s) to you guys are:

1) If I still wanted to work in NYC, would the commute from New Haven-Grand Central Terminal be a doable one? I looked on LIRR.org website and at most I'll be on the train for over an hour...

2) Would it be possible for me to find a condo or a townhouse in New Haven County under $125-150K in a "decent" neighborhood (I do not have any children or spouse so it will be just me)?

3) The property taxes...are they sky-high like some areas here in New York City (meaning the outer boroughs) ?

4) Since I am single (LOL), how is the nightlife??

Any type of advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

[reason180]

The express train from New Haven to Grand Central is 90 minutes. Then you need to factor in the time it takes to get from GC to your office. Many people do that commute, but it isn't for everybody. What type of work do you do? The major corporate job centers in CT are Stamford and Hartford.

You could find a condo in your price range. Do you prefer living in an urban, suburban, or small town?

Check out New Haven and it's 'burbs. Also check out the Connecticut Valley which are the towns along route 8 between Bridgeport and Waterbury. These are mostly blue collar former mill towns but a lot of people that work in Stamford but can't afford to live in Fairfield County are moving there. Contrary to what many people on this board say Bridgeport and Waterbury are decent places to live. There is a lot of blight in Waterbury but there are some nice areas too.

Most of the nightlife is in New Haven. Many young people in CT tend to move to Boston or NYC in their 20's. However, there are many colleges in CT so it isn't too bad but nothing like NYC.


Check out craigslist and these newspapers for condo listings:

new haven advocate
New Haven register

Connecticut Post (Bport, Stratford, and lower CT valley(Ansonia, Derby, Naugatuck))

Waterbury Republican (wbury and CT Valley……also check wbury ‘burbs like Wolcott, Prospect, and Thomaston)

[washiNYC]

Thanks Reason180 for the information. I will definitely check it out.

In regards to living areas, I would prefer urban or suburban areas over small town areas.

My work is mostly creative services (i.e. copywriting, editing, marketing, etc.) so I am definitely looking within the State of CT to work but if push comes to shove, then I'll do the commute from NH to NYC.

I did read on quite a few of the threads here that Waterbury was not that "great" of a town to live in...

[JayCT]

New Haven would probably be your best bet. It is easily accessible to New York by train and has a nice nightlife and the culture of Yale. You could find a nice but not extravigant home in your price range there and taxes would not be nearly what they are in New York City. As for Waterbury, well it is a nice enough small city but it is a mill town and does not have the culture and upscale amenties that New Haven has. That is why the homes there are priced so low. Good luck, Jay

[reason180]

You shouldn't have a hard time finding work in your field.

I have a lot of family in Waterbury and I know the city very well. It is like anyplace....there are nice areas and not so nice areas.

I did a quick search using trulia.com and the price limit of $150 and I found a number of places. If the market comes down a little bit more you might find some good deals.

Since you are single and you prefer an urban area I would back up Jay's suggestion of New Haven. You will find housing in your price range and the largest group of young people. I would also suggest you check out Bridgeport/Stratford, there is a decent bar scene in the Black Rock section and it isn't a bad drive if you want to get to New Haven or NYC.

I won't be looking to buy a starter home for a few more years, but I will probably end up back in CT. I currently live in a nice, quiet, working class section of Brooklyn(about a 10 minute drive from Coney Island) and most of the houses start at around $500 and new condos are going for over $300. That is out of my price range. For what it is worth, all the towns I mentioned in my previous post are places I have considered for myself.

I suggest you search the forum, I think there have been a few discussions about which areas of New Haven are good and which areas to avoid.

[washiNYC]

It's funny Reason180...I looked on various realtor sites and I found the most affordable townhomes in Waterbury! (LOL)...Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

I used to live in Brooklyn myself before I moved to Queens. You are right about the prices there...way too much for a person like me to afford...but I am going to search the forum for more suggestions...

You and JayCT have been great with your suggestions.! Thanks alot!