[JayCT]

Welcome back Greg. Many people think the grass is greener somewhere else, but it rarely is. Everwhere has its issues and problems. I know so many people like you that left either only to return or to realize too late that they made a mistake and could not return. Any move should be throughly thought through and researched carefully. JMHO Jay

[skytrekker]

I second Jay's feelings Greg. Welcome back-and yes, many are discovering the fantastic attributes about eastern CT.

[sevdie]

I've never lived in CT, but am a Native New Yorker and after being in the midwest for this long, I am desperately trying to get back to the east coast. I feel your pain and can't wait to come back.

[lisav314]

Originally Posted by sevdie

What are some of the better neighborhoods in Milford?

But when looking, I tried to stay away from the Devon section. Some parts of it just had a bit of a seedy look to me. I much prefer the Woodmont section or areas North of Post Rd. Just my opinion.

[sevdie]

Thanks for answering my question. I will keep that in mind.

[12buttons]

Originally Posted by Gregory P

Hello,

My wife is from VA. I am from RI.

We've lived in VA, MD, MA, RI and CT. In 2005 we left northeastern CT and, for some reason (new baby...lack of sleep) moved to NC.

I joined this board when after a year in NC we wanted to move back to CT because we realized we left a place we shouldn't have.

But now we know. It's set us back a bit (moving ain't cheap) but we're happy to be back.

Mainly, where we are (again) in NE CT is very affordable. We're renting a house now, waiting for '09 (like a lot of people) but the pricing, for the location, is right in your range.

We love it here. Really. I tell myself everyday how great it is here. I drive by our old house and wonder why we left...but I try to tell myself not to look back.

There are some other nice areas around CT but none as affordable as here.

It's a peaceful, easy living and I recommend it highly.

Greg

H ithere...NE is a big footprint..what town did you pick, why, and what are the houses going for? the quality of life? upscale? country? manufacturing blue collar?
CT has quite a range -something for everyone! me - I like the historic old places that time didn't touch.
how much rougher are the winters where you are than along the coast? I hate the cold!

[Gregory P]

In the quiet corner you've got Pomfret and Woodstock -- 2 very nice, rural towns. I think Woodstock only has 1 red light.

They're both old farm towns. The population is expected to increase 50% or so in the next 5-10 years. (not exact figured there)

Killingly and Brooklyn are both nice -- old mill towns and a mixed bag for both. But closer to the high way (395) and Killingly borders Rhode Island.

Also there's Sterling, which is changing I guess for the better. You'll find million dollar homes and $150 homes. It borders on Foster Rhode Island which although as far out into the woods you can get -- still only 20 minutes from Providence and an hour plus from Boston.

All of these towns are affordable for now. You can get a 3 BR ranch with 1/2 to an acre for less than $200.

When we left, you couldn't get your hands on a house for under $200 and now I'm seeing a lot even in the $170 range. Of course, location, land, etc all play a role in these homes.

But I recommend any of these towns mentioned. At least checking them out.

There are miles of farm land and woods, but every store you'll ever need. (From grocery stores to Target)

We love it here in the quiet corner (although I don't know how much longer than can call it that because like anything -- nothing stays the same.)

Greg

[hlaredzz]

We moved to CT a little over a year ago (from Pennsylvania) because my husband was transferred by his company. My boss at the time, who was originally from CT, warned me that the raise he would be getting would not offset the higher cost of living in this area. My husband did not listen.

Although CT is a very pretty state and the people seem nice, I really wish we would have stayed in PA. CT has the highest taxes in the US, including an annual property tax on your cars. Housing is also expensive. We got a nice house, but the good paying jobs all seem to be concentrated in the Southern part of the state, meaning I have to commute an hour every day just to afford to pay our mortgage. We want to have another baby, but there's no way we could afford for me to stay home, even though my husband makes decent money.

This is just my opinion, but if you want to continue to be a stay-at-home mom, I'd look elsewhere.

[JayCT]

I appreciate your comments and agree that you should be careful about salaries when moving to more expensive parts of the country. I must however question your comment on "good paying jobs" being concentrated in the southern part of the state. The greater Hartford area including the I-91 corridor up to the Massachusetts border has many well-paying jobs in many different professions. I am not sure where you live or what you do for a living but you can find good jobs around Hartford. These jobs may not pay quite as well as similar jobs in Fairfield County, but they certainly are comparable to New Haven County. Jay

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by JayCT

These jobs may not pay quite as well as similar jobs in Fairfield County, but they certainly are comparable to New Haven County. Jay

In my experience, the Hartford job market pays better than the New Haven job market (same job in an apple-to-apple comparison).