[CTartist]

Originally Posted by beerisgood02

It can be done, but you'll feel like an outcast in a town mostly filled with wealth.

Maybe the person is putting that onto himself, not feeling like they fit in. I remember when I first bought my house in Trumbull. I had the smallest house in a nice area and it seemed like everyone had more money than me and my husband. He said to me "we have a house here right". And I said "yes". Then he said "we belong here just as much as anyone else that has a house here so don't worry about it and just enjoy".

I told him that's very sage advice and never worried about how much money I had or did not have compared to my neighbors again.

BTW, did the read the OP's original post. They want to stay under $3000 because they want to give money to charity. Good for them, that's admirable. The OP and his/her spouse seem like wonderful people and Greenwich would be lucky to have them.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by CTartist

Maybe the person is putting that onto himself, not feeling like they fit in. I remember when I first bought my house in Trumbull. I had the smallest house in a nice area and it seemed like everyone had more money than me and my husband. He said to me "we have a house here right". And I said "yes". Then he said "we belong here just as much as anyone else that has a house here so don't worry about it and just enjoy".

I told him that's very sage advice and never worried about how much money I had or did not have compared to my neighbors again.

BTW, did the read the OP's original post. They want to stay under $3000 because they want to give money to charity. Good for them, that's admirable. The OP and his/her spouse seem like wonderful people and Greenwich would be lucky to have them.

That is good advice your husband gave you. More people should have that attitude. They will be fine if they choose to be. It is not like they will be the only ones living in a $3,000 home. Jay

[SeaDoo342]

Originally Posted by CTartist

Maybe the person is putting that onto himself, not feeling like they fit in. I remember when I first bought my house in Trumbull. I had the smallest house in a nice area and it seemed like everyone had more money than me and my husband. He said to me "we have a house here right". And I said "yes". Then he said "we belong here just as much as anyone else that has a house here so don't worry about it and just enjoy".

I told him that's very sage advice and never worried about how much money I had or did not have compared to my neighbors again.

BTW, did the read the OP's original post. They want to stay under $3000 because they want to give money to charity. Good for them, that's admirable. The OP and his/her spouse seem like wonderful people and Greenwich would be lucky to have them.

Aren't you from Stamford? Stamford has way more wealth than Trumbull...

[ayoskillz]

Why don't you move up to trumble area or milford. Get something 200k cheaper for the same size and then you will have alot of money to travel and donate snice you dont like to spend much on housing

[FunkOdyssey]

Originally Posted by CTartist

Maybe the person is putting that onto himself, not feeling like they fit in. I remember when I first bought my house in Trumbull. I had the smallest house in a nice area and it seemed like everyone had more money than me and my husband. He said to me "we have a house here right". And I said "yes". Then he said "we belong here just as much as anyone else that has a house here so don't worry about it and just enjoy".

I've always suspected people would be happier having the biggest home in a poor neighborhood rather than the smallest home in a wealthy neighborhood, because our status is relative to those around us. That turns out to be true, however, we also see a relative status benefit at the neighborhood level when the neighborhood is nicer than those around it, and a happiness boost from the amenities of a nice neighborhood. All together, owning a small house in a wealthy neighborhood ends up a net positive and is recommended.

source: Does Your Neighbor's Income Affect Your Happiness?

[clamshack203]

Most people in my Gwich office commute in from upper Westchester and upper FF County. Neither camp is very happy with their commute, very challenging in the summer when the NYC race to NE shorepoints clogs the area roads regularly every thursday and friday night, particularly I-95 and the Merritt Parkway.

Because of the commute and because Gwich has a slice of everything (beaches, boating, a town golf course, a real main street, real neighborhoods, real townies and lots of people from around the US and world too), it was an easy choice to go smaller and live in the town I work in. I recommend giving it a try. Housing in town is very liquid right now for homes under $1.5MM. Stuff is selling in weeks (market is terrible for homes over $3MM - the upper end wealth flight to FL is real). If you don't want to own a townhouse or small home, then try renting for a year. People tend not to engage renters as much (lots of house renting in Gwich however), so you might have to try a little harder to meet others, but it certainly can be done as lots of short term executives and expats rent houses for a couple years at a time.

I don't find people to be too different here than anywhere else in the state.

[CT_Yank]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

"Some nice people but you have to really search to find them"

That's total crap. I know many nice people in Greenwich who would give you the shirt off their back. In fact, I have had more unpleasant experiences with people in middle class towns than I've had in towns like Greenwich.

I never said that there were no good people in Greenwich. I rented there for 5 years and my wife has a close friend who lives in a Pemberwick area condo. They have very little money but good parents. I would say their friends are same ones that they had for years though. My wife was also member of a Moms club and met some great people there. Another good friend married money and owns place in Belle Haven. We have hung out in all circles, believe me. My personal experience was that new money people were hard to engage/braggarts. Old money were more friendly but socially bias when chips were down (ie. you can come to kids bday but not our dinner parties.) Trying to meet people in middle bucket was hard, that was my experience. The down to earth people that we met often #1 lived outside Greenwich #2 Foreign- European or South American. If I grew up in Greenwich then perhaps totally different view but giving fellow outsider my opinion. I am also a first impression type so talks about your Nantucket house or new theme restaurant you are opening are dealbreakers. Greenwich is a great town but having Tesla driving, Vineyard Vine wearing, polo watching people does not create heavy air of snoobery..please. Finally, wait until a realtor shows them around at that budget. You will hear "well this is Greenwich and it commands the price" or "I have this 3 million dollar listing so I won't have time to get to you today". I lived it.

[clamshack203]

Originally Posted by CT_Yank

I never said that there were no good people in Greenwich. I rented there for 5 years and my wife has a close friend who lives in a Pemberwick area condo. They have very little money but good parents. I would say their friends are same ones that they had for years though. My wife was also member of a Moms club and met some great people there. Another good friend married money and owns place in Belle Haven. We have hung out in all circles, believe me. My personal experience was that new money people were hard to engage/braggarts. Old money were more friendly but socially bias when chips were down (ie. you can come to kids bday but not our dinner parties.) Trying to meet people in middle bucket was hard, that was my experience. The down to earth people that we met often #1 lived outside Greenwich #2 Foreign- European or South American. If I grew up in Greenwich then perhaps totally different view but giving fellow outsider my opinion. I am also a first impression type so talks about your Nantucket house or new theme restaurant you are opening are dealbreakers. Greenwich is a great town but having Tesla driving, Vineyard Vine wearing, polo watching people does not create heavy air of snoobery..please. Finally, wait until a realtor shows them around at that budget. You will hear "well this is Greenwich and it commands the price" or "I have this 3 million dollar listing so I won't have time to get to you today". I lived it.

Interesting...you are not too far off base here, sometimes the middle can be a little narrow here. Personally, I'm not a social butterfly, so it does not bother me too much that the middle can be a little narrow. My experience with people from the surrounding towns is really no different however (Darien, Westport, NC, Wilton, Easton). Its not until you get outside the county or above Wilton does it really change. And then, when it changes, I kinda of find it a bit of a bore. People are interesting down here, dynamic and full of ideas and action.

[BicoastalAnn]

Originally Posted by clamshack203

Interesting...you are not too far off base here, sometimes the middle can be a little narrow here. Personally, I'm not a social butterfly, so it does not bother me too much that the middle can be a little narrow. My experience with people from the surrounding towns is really no different however (Darien, Westport, NC, Wilton, Easton). Its not until you get outside the county or above Wilton does it really change. And then, when it changes, I kinda of find it a bit of a bore. People are interesting down here, dynamic and full of ideas and action.

Curious why you didn't include Ridgefield in that list... it seems pretty similar to Westport, Wilton, etc. to me but you think it's more down to earth?

[clamshack203]

BicoastalAnn, just an oversight on my part regarding Ridgefield.