relocating to CT, please help!!!! (Bridgeport, New Haven: real estate, property taxes, rental)

[katalin]

I am considering to move from FL to either NC (Charlotte, Raleigh) or Maryland (Columbia) or CT (Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford etc area). Please give me some advise which one of these areas are affordable. I really consider moving to CT. I want to be somewhere in the middle, close to NY or New Haven. I am thinking to work in Stamford or maybe in White Plains, NY. How are the taxes, also rentals (I want to rent first before I buy). How are the jobs in these areas. I moved 7 month ago from PA to FL and I hate it because it is very expensive and they don't pay!

[katalin]

I haven't heard anything from anybody. Please reply I would appreciate it. I would also like to know how diverse and open minded are these areas as far as employment. I am from Europe and my husband is from Ecuador and we both speak proper english with an accent.

I am considering to move from FL to either NC (Charlotte, Raleigh) or Maryland (Columbia) or CT (Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford etc area). Please give me some advise which one of these areas are affordable. I really consider moving to CT. I want to be somewhere in the middle, close to NY or New Haven. I am thinking to work in Stamford or maybe in White Plains, NY. How are the taxes, also rentals (I want to rent first before I buy). How are the jobs in these areas. I moved 7 month ago from PA to FL and I hate it because it is very expensive and they don't pay!

[melkat]

Ugh don't move to Charlotte (I live there now) it is very over crowded and BORING! I wouldn't move to Bridgeport either. Taxes and real estate are very high in CT, especially if you are looking at Stamford (closer to the city the higher they are) How much do you want to spend? If you go on realtor.com you can look at rentals in each area to give you an idea of costs though there are some scary areas in Stamford and Norwalk that you would want to avoid.

I think the state as a whole would be very open minded to you and your husband

sorry I don't have better info for you but I felt bad that no one answered your post

[katalin]

thank you!!! what about Raleigh, NC or Columbia, MD?

[mels]

As for the people being open minded, don’t worry about it. From my experience, no one really bothers getting into each others business. The majority does not care what religion, ethnicity, etc. you are. I grew up in a suburb in Connecticut, first generation American on both sides of my family. They never had any problems and neither did I. So many people in the area are from other countries and different backgrounds.

Generally speaking there are many opportunities from Stamford on up to New Haven but I am not sure what field you are looking to work in. Housing costs are pricey. The closer you get to NYC, the higher the cost. Therefore New Haven will be much more affordable than Stamford. Even as far out as New Haven is only a 90 minute ride into midtown Manhattan (Grand Central via the MetroNorth train).

I too used to live in Florida and I ended up going back north. My job was fine, but I saw many people struggling with very low salaries, not to mention Florida’s big job maker is the service industry, which is very low paying. You will find the salaries in CT to be much higher than Florida, but the cost of living will also be higher, particularly if you live in Fairfield County.

[katalin]

thanks, I understand that CT pay more salaries and also the way of living is high but doesn't it equal out? in FL is too much of a difference, high cost and low pay. what do you think?

[Yodelady]

Hi there
I grew up in Connecticut and it is a beautiful place to live. I have been in California for 20 years and want to move back.
I would avoid the larger cities because they have all the same problems that big cities have everywhere.
Property taxes are high, but if you have kids you will have better schools in Conn. than in the southern states.
Medium sized towns like Cheshire, Prospect or Wolcott are very nice and not far from major cities of New Haven, Waterbury or Hartford for employment.
The closer you are to New York, the more expensive housing will be.
GOod luck.

[katalin]

what about living in Bridgeport or Milford?

[njohnson]

Bridgeport has a couple good areas, notably on the shore by Fairfield and in the far north near Trumbull but the taxes are high. I think most of the people on here will shy you away from the rest of Bridgeport. Milford is well known as a solid city on the shore and on the train line with homes available in the 300's.

Everything depends on what job you are working in. If you are in health care the entire state has lots of jobs as well as for education. Many of the larger corporations are in the Stamford - NYC area. If you are in banking Charlotte may be a good choice, it is one of the banking centers of the east coast.

[katalin]

Milford sounds good what about a decent rental range in Milford? Is there a train that goes to Stamford from Milford or White Plains. If not how is the drive and how long does it take? I am in the health administrative field.