[teliscovia]

My husband and I and our 2 kids (ages 6 and 2) moved to Stamford near my husband's job. Now we are currently renting in downtown stamford and plan to purchase a home in CT next year. I have looked at Bethel, Brookfield, Newtown, New Fairfield, Fairfield, Monroe, Shelton, Trumbull, Redding, Ridgefield, Southbury, New Milford and Oxford as possible places. My husband wants us to find a home that is commutable to NYC in case he changes jobs. We have a budget of $650,000. From my research, I woud not be able to find a 4 bedroom 2.5 bath newer home with at least half acre for that price in most of the areas on my list. As a result, I am willing to go as far as New Milford, Southbury or Oxford as they seem to be nice towns with a good school system and I could get a new(er) 3,000 plus sq ft home on 1 acre plus lot. My questions are:

Would you recommend New Milford, Oxford, Southbury - is the commute to NYC worth it?

I work in White Plains, NY what is the commute going to be like from these areas.

Are these solid towns that I should see a return on my investment in years to come?

What about some of the towns on my list which ones would you highly recommend my husband favors a closer commute.

I know I am asking a lot but can you give me some insight - I want to present? PLEASE

[mels]

Would you recommend New Milford, Oxford, Southbury - is the commute to NYC worth it?

It depends on the person. I have done many long commutes and it doesn’t bother me, but many people can’t handle it. Look at the time to be spent traveling and let your husband decide if he can take a 2 hour commute each way. He will be gone most of the weekdays when you factor commute time plus time spent at work. It is a monster commute from some of the towns you listed (Oxford and Southbury especially), but people do it.

Are these solid towns that I should see a return on my investment in years to come?

Anywhere within decent commuting distance to NYC is likely not to see their housing market tank ("decent" commuting distance leaves out Oxford, Southbury). As long as I have been alive, these have been desirable commuting locations and I don’t see that changing. I am specifically talking about Fairfield on down to the NY border on the shoreline, as well as Redding, Ridgefield

If you want a monster sized house (3,000+ sf) on at least an acre of land in your price range, it will rule out many of the towns that are easily commutable to the city. That is why they are inexpensive (relatively speaking of course) in some of the towns you listed.

What about some of the towns on my list which ones would you highly recommend my husband favors a closer commute.

For ease of commute, anything close to the Metro North line on the shoreline would be your best bet, but many of those towns are out of your price range.

I used to take the train in to the city out of Stamford and by the time I left my house, got on the train, got into Grand Central, took the subway to my office, I was looking at a commute of over an hour. Keep in mind that the commute isn't only the initial train ride.

[Rich Lee]

If you live in New Milford, you could cross the state line into New York and catch the train in Wingdale at Harlem Valley. This would be the Metro North - Harlem Line which travels south to Southeast (Brewster) to switch to 3rd rail.

I lived in Wingdale for 20 years. You would want to be near Gaylordsville or even the town of Sherman to minimize the commute.