[skytrekker]

marc- I pay $165 a year for my homeowners insurance- in Florida I would over $5,000.
As far as 'business is booming';the nation is at this time probably in a recession- that will be felt deeper elsewhere then in New England- since much of the boom in the south has been predicated on in migration, plus residential and commercial real estate-both now which are tanking. The stock market is tanking, employment is stalling and the unemployment rate rose 0.3% today- since 1949 a rise this large has signaled a recession. I have no idea who your business connections are- but they are likely to see their 'booming business' soon disappear.

Energy costs and regulation in New England are pronounced here- I agree with you on that point- but much else of what you elaborated on I do not agree with. Comparing quality of life- Connecticut ranks in the top 5 states- most states in the south rank in the lower quarter.

[marc melchiori]

Definition of recession. Three consecutive 1/4s of negative growth. have not had one 1/4 yet.
Insurance, try living on the coast and in an older restored house.
housing market in south and North west still holding - nothing to write home about
business connections? folks in the manufacturing and comm realestate field. low doillar has helped their manufacturing output increase and expand their facilities.
We will be the first to tank and the last to get out.
how does anyone quantify life. Life is what you make of it.

[skytrekker]

I know the definition of a recession- the economy is in rough shape- recessions are not usually called until they are nearly over- THE National Bureau of Economic Research makes the determination. Also your 'quarters of growth' of declining GDP now probably a dated concept, and may not apply in this new economy,


As for housing markets is 'still holding up' in the south and west- prices in the Inland empire of southern California have dropped over 20%- they have dropped 20% also in Phoenix and Tucson. Orange county/LA, San Diego dropped 15% in the last year. Sacramento down over 20% since 2006-- There are thousands of empty newly built homes in California and the southwest- basically 'ghost towns'.

Florida is one of the worse regions nationally- some areas of the state down 25-35%. Nevada- prices have dropped 15-30%. Reno has dropped 25% Las Vegas has one then 1 year supply of homes---- holding up?

NC and the Pacific NW have held up by newcomers coming into the region- that is slowing- those housing markets will be the last to tank- some advice- read the housing blogs and get the real picture- not the manufactured garbage from the mainstream media.

As for Insurance costs I have a friend with a newer home in Florida near the beach-pays $800 a month for insurance.

Quality of life? Southern states and those in the west have very high crime rates, poor schools, poor local infrastructure, poor or inadequate local services - quality of life means something.

If the economy is doing so well- why is the Federal reserve in such a bind? They may have to lower rates again by half a percentage point. If they lower rates further-which they probably must do- the dollar tanks further, gold prices goes to heaven and the price for a barrel oil goes past $100- $4.00 a gallon gas this spring and summer may not hurt you-it will hurt me.....

and lastly the stock market- DOW dropped over 250 points yesterday, the Nasdaq almost 100- hardly indicative of confidence in the economy. And banks- the sub prime mess is now spreading into prime- and how about a credit crunch.

New England and Connecticut will not be isolated from a recession- but less likely take a smaller hit then these other 'booming areas' you speak with such glowing terms about.

[LaMadden]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Hi all. I left Connecticut when I graduated high school in 1992 and when my business obligations conclude in the middle of next year (2009... I'm being optimistic by 2 days) I will be moving back to Connecticut. In retrospect I never should have left, and am finally seeing the opportunity to correct that. I am a single, gay male and will be relocating near my brother in the Hartford area.

In any case, since I can (almost) say next year I'm moving back to Connecicut, I was hoping you guys can help excite me about Connecticut as a place to live and start a new business. I know the basics since I lived in Trumbull and Westport from 4 - 18, but I want to know what I might have missed as a child that I will know appreciate as an adult living in and operating a business (internet business-- I can live anywhere) in Connecticut!

Thanks!

Your skin will stay nice cause there isn't any sun

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by marc melchiori

We will be the first to tank and the last to get out.

Historically CT is the last to feel the impact of a recession and the last to recover. Jay

[marc melchiori]

listen folks, its nice to read the local paper and op ed section and think that everything is OK here, but once you are a business owner its a different story. This is not a liberal vs conserv. argument its just busines. The RI economy has become disconnected from the national economy that is to say it no longer follows national trends. The same hold true for CT - more or less.
If your measure of quality of life means schools, services, crime rate etc. so be it. Like I say its an arbitrary and individual figure. Who amongst us defines quality, does Martha Stuart? Does Oprah? I like my ford truck, i think it is a quality vehicle, you might like your toyota? Schools -I send my daughter to a private school because the quality of public school is not up to my standard. Crime? tell me a place on this Earth that has none? Infrastructure? My street has a pothile every yard? Its not the autobahn out there in RI or CT! Services??? I have to pay for my H2O and sewer on top of a fire tax and personal property tax and property tax and a business tax and a boiler inspection tax and a weights and measurements taxand a.... you get the point. I'm still waiting for some service.
FL, AZ, NV and CA are in dire straits - no kidding. But the picture is not as bleak in the middle swath of the nation. Take out those 4 states and the UP of MI and its OK - some better some worse.
Listen, As a business owner from all my travels I have discovered what alot of other business folks have, that I can profit better elsewhere. It's as simple as that. I wish luck to you treckker. Sorry about the spelling, i'm on 1600mg of painkiller for a smashed foot and usualy my secratary checks for me. peace out as they say today

[daksh]

hello sir i m looking for a part time job in stamford or near by downtown area.
thanks

This is not an employment board/forum- try the classifieds forum on City data. Moderator

[peapodjojo]

There's no Place Like Home - Trumbull CT

Easy access to Hartford or Stamford or from/to anywhere...
25 Pequonnock Rd

[NickL28]

FYI,

$35K - 45K is hardly enough for one person anywhere in the NYC metro area. And you really think that you are more accepted in CT (especially Fairfield County) than in NJ.??? That is a laugh. Most college grads today from average schools expect a starting salary of at least $75,000 a year. But even in Hartford County rents seem to have risen but not nearly to the outrageous even silly levels of the NYC metro area where not only do you need to spend $2,000 or more for rent but you must pay all the fees like Broker fees & come up with 6 months rent upfront if your FICO score is lower than 700.

The SW part of CT (Fairfield Cty) as well as the other suburbs of NYC are great if you have 'the job' that pays more than $200,000 a year, don't mind paying $200 a month for electricity & $10,000 a year for property taxes and need to buy or lease a new car every year that costs more than $50,000.

And BTW, I was in Stamford and it isn't much different than Jersey City, White Plains or anywhere on Long Island -- same suburban twenty somethings in SUV's & BMW's, same stores (is the H&M that they just built really different than an H&M in Missouri or Ohio), same snobby hostile mentality as you see in any other suburb that revolves around NYC. When you leave Fairfield cty or the five boros, you realize that there is more to life than consumer things and you can survive on $80,000 a year as a single adult.

Does having H&M & Barnes & Noble as well as Target really mean an area has arrived or is it just an opportunity for anyone with a high enough FICO score to add even more than to their credit card debt b/c we know that the fed or congress will swoon in with a bailout package??

[anyharbor]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

I don't think I'll be able to afford any where in Fairfield County. I am looking at Hartford County and Tolland because its close to my family and I can get a decent condo for 150K. Has downtown Stamford improved much? Was kind of a hole except for the mall as far as I remember.

Mark,
Do bother going back to Jane Ryan. All your favorite teachers have retired.