[michie]

There seems to be quite a few people making the move from AZ to CT.
Sorry to make this posting so long, but I am full of questions and concerns!

Here's my situation:
We moved from MD 1 1/2 yrs ago to be around family here in AZ (Originally from NE Ohio). I love to be around family, but hate AZ. I miss the seasons, especially the snow!! I don't mean to bash AZ here but being from the mid-west and the east and seeing the different parts of the country, AZ is not for me. The air quality is so horrible here, and it is not a healthy state to live, especially for the young, old and ones with suppressed immune systems. So many kids are born with breathing conditions here. There are some people with arthritis and other health ailments that do very well here, so AZ is great for some people. Lots of bugs!!! Black widows, scorpions, fire ants. I don't do well with bugs!! The majority of people use pest control, which with all those chemicals are not good, especially when all the air gets trapped in the valley. Since I moved here, there haven’t been many days that you can see the mountains clearly due to the pollution. Also, Valley Fever which is up 56% in 2006.
I have 3 dogs, which my life revolves around (No kids yet), and I am 27. I am very much into holistic care and going natural, especially for my dogs (Having some trouble finding that in CT, which surprises me!!). My husband and I have wanted to live in New England for quite some time and have been trying to move since we got to AZ. Well.. now he has a job offer in Hartford (he's in insurance).
I am worried about crime, coming from MD, there is so much section 8 housing and crime, especially in Columbia! I refuse to ever go back to MD. Plus summers are miserable and winters are so mild in MD, even though the NE hasn't gotten any snow this year. I hope CT gets more snow than MD and the summers aren't as miserable. I have read so many posts on this site and I get mixed feelings on safety. Because property taxes are higher, we are willing to go up to approx $320,000 for a house.
We have been looking E of the river in Tolland county. Have mixed feelings. My husband just got back from CT and loved the "Valley". I am looking for: bigger and nicer house with at least .25 acres and a safe community, where the resale value will be good, incase we move again in 2 yrs, more country setting, etc. Any insight and help would be so greatly appreciated!!

[igione]

Yes, the Valley is nice, but might not be for you. All the towns in the valley have very strict leash laws. So unless you own a fair bit of land so that you can fence it in and let the dogs run, you might not like it here. There are places in the Valley that would meet you needs price-wise and you should consider at least 1/2 acre for the dogs. Land off the beaten path might be more plentiful and give the dogs a place to run. However, we do have dog parks.
Here is a listing of the dog parks in the area:
Avon/Simsbury
* Nod Brook. Water and no leash - Dogs run/swim. This area is designated as a Dog Training Area for the field trial enthusiasts, Please make sure that your dog does not interfere with the training that goes on there. Nice area.

Granby
* Salmon Brook Park. Fenced area near soccer fields.

Farmington
I thought there was one in Fischer Meadows, but can not find a listing for it.

I think you will find that Connecticut is very much like NE Ohio inclimate. (In fact, Ohio was once part of the state of Connecticut.) But we don't get the lake effect snow here like NE Ohio.

Tolland is very nice and would offer you quite a bit. It is a growing area and housing is still realitively cheap. But if your husband is going to commute to the Valley for work, the drive may get to him as it would be 30 mins at best (non-rush hour) to almost an hour.

[michie]

Thank you for your reply.

As far as dog parks are concerned, I do not take my dogs to them for numerous reasons. So that is not a concern. I always keep my dogs on a leash when I walk them. Having a fence is an absolute must. They are pomeranians, so .25-.5 acres is plenty!! I am glad to hear there are strict leash laws. I have been involved in the "Dog World" for 7 years and I can tell you a million stories.

We are not concerned about the commute as we are used to 45 mins to 1 hr. We are willing to commute in order to have what we want. My husband will be commuting to Hartford.

I am glad to hear climate is similar to NE Ohio. I have been concerned that 3winters were like MD. Granted, I lived in MD for the blizzard of 02 or 02, can't remember, but summers there were so terrible and winters on average were mild. I know the past year or 2 have been pretty mild all over the country, except Denver!!

How is the air quality there? Alot of polution E of the river? I know most of Hartford county has pretty poor air quality on average.

[traysea]

I grew up in CT (Meriden). I live in KY now but have a few thoughts...
My best friend lives in Hebron, CT. Everytime I visit (and keep in mind I hate cold /snowy winters.. and I live for summers that are so hot you want to swim).. with that said.. If I had to work in Hartford, I'd move to Hebron in a heartbeat.
http://www.hebronct.com/
Also -- Middletown, Durham, Wetherington (I can't remember if I spelled town correctly.. it should be close to Rocky Hill off 71) and Enfield (north of airport on border of MA) might be other areas to check out. I haven't hung out in these places in a while so they might have gone downhill.

It's very country... affordable in many areas with subdivisions that have acre parcels (vs the .25 and under in my area).

There's enough close shopping to make it doable to run 1 mile down the road for milk but have a house you can afford with some land for the dogs.

Also, it FEELS like New England.. the small town feel.

There is a really cute state park within like a few miles of her house that we go to swim in during summer months and good schools..
etc.

Also I think it's Andover Farms where I love to shop when I am town..

Ok, that's my two cents...

[proeye]

Originally Posted by michie

There seems to be quite a few people making the move from AZ to CT.
Sorry to make this posting so long, but I am full of questions and concerns!

Here's my situation:
We moved from MD 1 1/2 yrs ago to be around family here in AZ (Originally from NE Ohio). I love to be around family, but hate AZ. I miss the seasons, especially the snow!! I don't mean to bash AZ here but being from the mid-west and the east and seeing the different parts of the country, AZ is not for me. . Any insight and help would be so greatly appreciated!!

The only things you have to worry about in CT are deer ticks. Lyme Disease is rampant in this state! People probably don't take it as seriously as they should because it starts out like a common cold. You don't always get the reddish round spot that you are supposed to get so it's not always apparent what is going on. Some people ignore the symptoms. The worst part about Lyme is that it can destroy your brain. That's correct. It can make you feel like you have early Alzheimers and may cause you to go on disability because you can't function like a normal person.

But! It is treatable. Just a warning to anyone who is reading these forums. You have to take the warning signs seriously! Don't always believe your doctor--just take 30-45 days worth of Doxycycline and you should be fine. No sense in guessing what is wrong with you.

Dogs can get Lyme Disease too so they also need to be treated if they are acting funny.

Anyway... Lyme is scary but I wouldn't let that deter you!

The only reason I said all these things here is because there really isn't any other appropriate time to say this so here it is.

The other thing that bothers me about the NE is the lack of developed parks (or even undeveloped ones), greenbelts, and trails. Sure there are a few trails around but they are really undeveloped. You would know what I mean if you have been to the West. Westerners seem to care more about their health than Northeasterners. Think about it: How many salad bars can you name in New England? ZERO perhaps? There are everywhere on the west coast. (hey, I don't mean a restaurant with a salad bar in it. That's what Easterners think a salad bar is. A salad bar is a restaurant that SELLS SALAD ONLY).

Easterners seem to worry more about property rights than they do creating inviting public spaces for people. It's sad... And I really hate having to run over the few joggers who seem to think that running on a skinny two lane road with no shoulder is appropriate!!!

So I think these are two issues you should think about when coming here.

By the way, I don't think you should be bashing Arizona as much as simply bashing Phoenix which is what it sounds like you are talking about. Arizona is very large state. Think about Tucson, it's a fairly large community but it's no Phoenix. I've visited there many times and liked it. I never thought there was an air quality problem there. What about Flagstaff or Prescott? Those are great places to live that GET SNOW. I'm not even sure what you are talking about when you say you "miss snow". Flagstaff gets a TON OF SNOW ANNUALLY. I think most people would rather have ACCESS to snow rather than LIVING IN snow quite frankly.

I think Arizona is a great place to live in. I almost moved there a few years ago. Clearly there are a lot of people who feel the same way since it's one of the fastest growing states in the country.

Not bashing you in any way michie. Just adding a little perspective...

[michie]

You are absolutely right about it being a big state and I shouldn't bash the whole state. I should be careful with my words. You can have the best of both worlds here. I am in the Phoenix area. It is growing very fast, no doubt, but with that comes alot of not so great things, lots of congestion, crime, cost of living soars but the pay doesn't support it. I have heard Tucson is pretty, I have never been there. As far as getting snow in Flagstaff, yes they do, but there is not much of a job market there, plus the wild fires are getting worse every year. I personally want to live in an area where it snows. Nothing is better than being in the middle of a blizzard being at home with the fire going!! I think AZ is a place you either love or hate. Most of my family loves it. I just happen to not. Every one has their own opinion about it.

As far as Lymes disease, I lived in MD where ticks were a major problem. I am well informed about it. I would much prefer living in an area where a tick might attach than an area where you go outside and take in a breath of air and have a chance of getting Valley Fever. That's just me though. Also, ticks are becoming a problem almost every where now.

I always thought New England was a place where people cared about the environment and always looked for ways to clean up the air and find alternative sources for things. Have I been wrongly informed?

As far as being health conscious, I started all of my awareness in MD with holisitc care and organic foods and taking the natural route. AZ I think compares pretty equally. I don't know how much difference there is between CT & MD.

[hi-everyone]

Originally Posted by michie

There seems to be quite a few people making the move from AZ to CT.
Sorry to make this posting so long, but I am full of questions and concerns!

Here's my situation:
We moved from MD 1 1/2 yrs ago to be around family here in AZ (Originally from NE Ohio). I love to be around family, but hate AZ. I miss the seasons, especially the snow!! I don't mean to bash AZ here but being from the mid-west and the east and seeing the different parts of the country, AZ is not for me. The air quality is so horrible here, and it is not a healthy state to live, especially for the young, old and ones with suppressed immune systems. So many kids are born with breathing conditions here. There are some people with arthritis and other health ailments that do very well here, so AZ is great for some people. Lots of bugs!!! Black widows, scorpions, fire ants. I don't do well with bugs!! The majority of people use pest control, which with all those chemicals are not good, especially when all the air gets trapped in the valley. Since I moved here, there haven’t been many days that you can see the mountains clearly due to the pollution. Also, Valley Fever which is up 56% in 2006.
I have 3 dogs, which my life revolves around (No kids yet), and I am 27. I am very much into holistic care and going natural, especially for my dogs (Having some trouble finding that in CT, which surprises me!!). My husband and I have wanted to live in New England for quite some time and have been trying to move since we got to AZ. Well.. now he has a job offer in Hartford (he's in insurance).
I am worried about crime, coming from MD, there is so much section 8 housing and crime, especially in Columbia! I refuse to ever go back to MD. Plus summers are miserable and winters are so mild in MD, even though the NE hasn't gotten any snow this year. I hope CT gets more snow than MD and the summers aren't as miserable. I have read so many posts on this site and I get mixed feelings on safety. Because property taxes are higher, we are willing to go up to approx $320,000 for a house.
We have been looking E of the river in Tolland county. Have mixed feelings. My husband just got back from CT and loved the "Valley". I am looking for: bigger and nicer house with at least .25 acres and a safe community, where the resale value will be good, incase we move again in 2 yrs, more country setting, etc. Any insight and help would be so greatly appreciated!!

I'm living in Phoenix right now and i'm originally from the NE...I moved here to this *cough, cough* "wonderful" state bc my parents were out here and advised me to do so...I was living in NJ and doing quite fine, but i moved and feel like i'm soooo trapped...I agree with you about the air quality, bugs, etc...not to mention the crime, the bad schools with failing grades, immigration problems, and definitely the "clinical" look of the city as it has no charm...strip malls and stuccoed houses as far as the eye can see...i'm so fed up with this city, i'm wanting to flee from it like a war refugee, and at the first opportunity, i will...as far as MD is concerned, I lived in western MD, in Garrett County, and it was a lovely place indeed, you can leave your doors unlocked, so it's pretty safe, however, a little rural...and everything that's happening in Columbia, is the same thing happening in Phoenix...so I'll cya in CT

[hi-everyone]

Originally Posted by michie

You are absolutely right about it being a big state and I shouldn't bash the whole state. I should be careful with my words. You can have the best of both worlds here. I am in the Phoenix area. It is growing very fast, no doubt, but with that comes alot of not so great things, lots of congestion, crime, cost of living soars but the pay doesn't support it. I have heard Tucson is pretty, I have never been there. As far as getting snow in Flagstaff, yes they do, but there is not much of a job market there, plus the wild fires are getting worse every year. I personally want to live in an area where it snows. Nothing is better than being in the middle of a blizzard being at home with the fire going!! I think AZ is a place you either love or hate. Most of my family loves it. I just happen to not. Every one has their own opinion about it.

As far as Lymes disease, I lived in MD where ticks were a major problem. I am well informed about it. I would much prefer living in an area where a tick might attach than an area where you go outside and take in a breath of air and have a chance of getting Valley Fever. That's just me though. Also, ticks are becoming a problem almost every where now.

I always thought New England was a place where people cared about the environment and always looked for ways to clean up the air and find alternative sources for things. Have I been wrongly informed?

As far as being health conscious, I started all of my awareness in MD with holisitc care and organic foods and taking the natural route. AZ I think compares pretty equally. I don't know how much difference there is between CT & MD.

You're not missing anything in Tucson The city does have some beautiful mountains, and there is the Sahuaro Cactus national monument with a million cacti (it's nice but, if you go down any of the main streets, all the houses look run down and there are no grassy lawns...just dirt and weeds...looks very trashy...there are some houses tucked in with nice lawns, and I had started to think maybe there was an ordinance against having grass...which btw i think someone told me it's something to do with watering more so...other than the mountains and perhaps the resort located there, you're not missin' a thing I will say one thing positive about AZ as i've been to every nook and cranny...it's the most geographic/geologic(?) diverse state I've been in and that makes it interesting

[igione]

Hey Proeye ~ I can understand that after living on the West coast that Connecticut doesn't seem to suit you. But you can not compare the WEST COAST to NEW ENGLAND. If you want to compare us here, use Oregon. Otherwise you would have to compare the west coast with the entire east coast. Only fair.
Deer Ticks ~ absolutely right. I have my cat immunized for Lyme disease and keep our grass short and don't go trapsing into the woods without a good check of myself after. My doctor has informed me that ticks don't bite right away, and so you can usually get them off yourself before they do.

As for salad bars ~ right again. We don't have salad bars. But that is not because we don't care about our health, we don't have the kind of climate that would make it profitable. Since three seasons we must import our salad stuff. But I have never been to a restaurant or supermarket where there wasn't either a salad bar available or salad on the menu.

Property rights ~ yup, we care. That's because we take pride in living life OUR way and don't want the government to interfer. Our exercise doesn't just consist of jogging, but yard work, tree work, do-it-yourself stuff around the house. I have been to California, Oregon and Washington and have always met people there who I thought were pretty much the same. We jog on the road because we believe that we share the roads with everyone. That means cylcists as well.

Snow ~ some of us would rather have it fall in our back yard because we like to cross country ski and this means we don't have to get into our cars to enjoy it.

Open space ~ most of the open space in our town is only known to those who go looking for it. We don't advertise that it is there, but it is. The town just voted to spend 7 million to buy 427 acres of land for open space. The state has kicked in 450,000 and an annonymos donor gave 500,000. The people in town have agreed to fund raise for the rest. And our town is small in comparison (pop @ 23,000 and 34.5 square miles).

Not bashing you in any way, Proeye. Just adding a little perspective

[BigHouse9]

Just to add on igione about the parks and trails. There are plenty of trails, I have hiked so many of them in CT, and I for one am glad that there are not "developed" parks. I would rather have the space in my yard and have my kids and pets play in the yard against having to load everyone up into the car to take them to a park.