[NLEE74]

I am new on here and would like some advise from anyone. I signed up for the forums and I am reaching out for some helpful info. I used to live in Windsor Ct. growing up years ago. We moved to Florida when I was a high school student. I have been in Florida for about 20 years . My son is applying to UConn next year and I am happy to say, very excited to move back to my roots in CT. Florida is great but I'm ready for some change. This coming school year he will be a senior and I am feeling like time will pass fast if I don't have a plan in place. My family is still in Ct. (Rocky Hill, Glastonbury and Greenwich area and I need to include Agawam Mass. too.) I am looking for a area to move back to that will accommodate all of us. I am trying not have my son drive more than 20-40 minutes to the UConn campus but yet I need a safe area with a good school district as I have 2 more small children that are in elementary school still. I do not have anything lined up at the moment. I think I may try to rent the fist year or 2 just to make sure this is right for us because this will be a huge change. I'm in the insurance business and my husband is in the golf industry. Any advise would be extremely helpful and appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!

[HumpDay]

What's your budget?

Look into South Windsor. It's right next to Hartford and has great schools/low crime. It's extremely close to Interstate 91 which leads to Massachusetts and Interstate 84 which leads the way to UCONN. South Windsor is literally in between Glastonbury / Rocky Hill and UCONN. It's a quiet town that's next to shopping centers in Manchester and near Hartford which known as a insurance giant.

[NLEE74]

Well I own a home in Florida and I'm used to a $1500 a month mortgage. I'm prepared that things are a bit different in FL. vs. Ct. but I'm assuming pay is as well but I don't want to go crazy either. I was hoping maybe putting a few hundred more a month into a rent so maybe $1700-1900 a month. I would need at least a 3/2 and would like a garage. And thank you for the tid bit!!! That was another thing, shopping centers. We are used to having a lot of shopping centers near-by. Is Manchester a decent area? I don't want busy, busy but I don't want to be in no-where's land... I guess a happy medium if that's a such thing.

[JayCT]

We would need more information so we can help you find a place. There are many great towns to consider. A lot will depend on your budget, what you expect for that budget and the type of community (urban, suburban or rural) you would like. You do not say where you or your husband will be working so it is hard to point you to a specific town.

Glastonbury has excellent schools and would be about 30 to 40 minutes to UConn. South Windsor is another very good town. Closer to UConn is Tolland but it is further from major employment centers. Again it really depends on what you like and don't like and what you can afford. Jay

[HumpDay]

Originally Posted by NLEE74

Well I own a home in Florida and I'm used to a $1500 a month mortgage. I'm prepared that things are a bit different in FL. vs. Ct. but I'm assuming pay is as well but I don't want to go crazy either. I was hoping maybe putting a few hundred more a month into a rent so maybe $1700-1900 a month. I would need at least a 3/2 and would like a garage. And thank you for the tid bit!!! That was another thing, shopping centers. We are used to having a lot of shopping centers near-by. Is Manchester a decent area? I don't want busy, busy but I don't want to be in no-where's land... I guess a happy medium if that's a such thing.

I'd consider South Windsor a medium. Pretty much anywhere within a 2-3 mile radius from Interstate 84 in Southington to Vernon would be considered busy. Once you hit Tolland then it'll quiet down quite a bit. Manchester is very busy because Interstate 384 and 84 plow right through the city. Shopping centers in Manchester especially around Buckland Hills Mall attract residents not only from Manchester but residents from South Windsor, Vernon, East Hartford, Tolland, etc. The only busy areas within South Windsor are the areas closest to Manchester. South Windsor is just a bedroom community filled with residential properties. The only parts of town that have shopping centers and industrial properties are on John Fitch Blvd and Buckland Rd. Also (like what Jay mentioned), Glastonbury is another great town. It's more expensive though but it's worth it IMO. You're close to wooded areas if you're interested in hunting and outdoor activities. Route 2 is the main highway that leads into Hartford from Glastonbury and it takes less traffic than 84 and 91.

[NLEE74]

Thank you Jay. Yes, you are very right but unfortunately we have no jobs lined up as of yet so I am trying to get the feel. We will be coming back up again this August to check out areas. We are used to the traffic filled, congested Orlando Florida area with all the tourist. That is what I will be happy to get away from. I don't want to go from one extreme to another but maybe a happy medium...I say this loosely as every one's ideas are different but what I do want is I want to know when my kids go outside, I don't have to worry about an amber alert. Please don't get me wrong, I am not in a bad area but now but we live now in a town outside of Orlando. It takes a 5 minute drive to the grocery store and 15 minutes to go to tons of restaurants, stores, ect. I want safe as that is my number one concern. I want good school districts so if my husband and my self have to drive a little further than I am willing to do so. I guess a fair rent is somewhere between $1500-$1900 a month. I think that would be in our price bracket. I guess having these areas you both suggested I can go on websites and search rentals. I appreciate the advice!!!!!

[NLEE74]

This was very helpful and I greatly appreciate it!! I am going to start searching tonight and see what we can see from the internet. I am soooooo excited, I have waited many years to come back and we are finally going too!! Thanks for all the info!