[happy2003]

We looked at 2 communities in newington,one built by Toll Brothers and the other by Pulte.Both are reputable builders as far as my knowledge goes.Both are within our budget levels.We are unable to decide which one to prefer both being in the same town.Can someone throw some light on the surrounding neighbourhoods and schools around these 2 communities.The one built by pulte homes is closer to west hartford and farmington whereas the one built by Toll Brothers has wethersfield as its neighbouring town.If you were in my place, which one would be preferable considering the above points as safe neighbourhood, good schools,family outings and good restaurants.

thanks

[Uconn97]

Where would you be commuting to for work? That might help your decision. If i had to pick from those locations I would pick the one that borders wethersfield. If I am thinking of the right spot its the wethersfield/rocky hill end of newington is that correct? That area maintains a very suburban feel and tends to feel less congested than the other end of newington, but you will only be minutes from the Berlin Turnpike and the silas Deane Highway so you will have plenty of options for shopping and restaurants. Let me know if you have any questions. I lived in Newington for 3 years and loved my stay there! If you are looking at the new condo complex on the berlin turnpike (i think this is a toll brothers, but I could be wrong). I would just be wary of traffic noise. The berlin tpk can be very congested so depending which way the condo is facing could make a huge difference.

[happy2003]

i would be commuting to downtown hartford.as u said the toll brothers community is the one which is right close to berlin turnpike..how about the schools.

[AmyBergquist]

I've had clients that have looked extensively at both of these communities. I can't talk about safety and schools, so I will leave that up to other readers.

If you're commuting to Hartford, your commute from Newington Ridge is going to be easier. You'll also have easier access to stores, restaurants, etc. because you're right on the Berlin Turnpike. That being said, you're right on the Berlin Turnpike, so for resale value, try to get as far into the complex as possible. Overlooking the main road (while they'll tout it as having nice views), will probably not be that fantastic for resale. And yes, they have done quite a bit to soundproof the units so you won't hear road noise, when the unit is closed up. You might want to open your windows every now and then. I would say that the construction quality in this complex is top notch compared to other developments I've seen.

Regarding the Woodlands of Newington, the community is a different feel. Definitely more rural, you won't be on the hustle and bustle of the Berlin Turnpike. You'll have fairly easy access to a grocery store right down Fenn Road and the restaurants in the Elmwood section of West Hartford. The construction quality is good, however, in my opinion, I think the Toll Brothers quality is a little better.

You might also want to check out Quaker Green in West Hartford, if you haven't. Somewhat similar of a community (a little pricey-er), but they have a pool, gym, and other amenities, if that's of interest to you. They were also recently offering really great incentives for buyers, so you might want to swing by.

[evopuma]

I live right down the street from Woodlands and have heard nothing but positive things from the people who live there. Its a great location because you're close to pretty much everything you would need, malls, BBS, highways, etc. If your children are younger you are close to both millpond park in Newington and Wolcott park in West Hartford which have play areas dedicated towards little kids. The neighborhoods surrounding these condos are mainly made up of older couples and younger families. I know that all of my neighbors feel safe in this area and many of them leave their doors and windows open when they make a quick trip to the store. I believe almost half of the houses on my street are still owned by the original owners. The elementary school would be Anna Reynolds and the middle school would be Martin Kellog. You can learn about the school rankings and test scores on the Newington website Newington Public Schools and from the CT website Strategic School Profiles by School

I'm not sure which elementary school would be associated with Newington Ridge, I'd have to guess either Ruth Chaffee or Elizabeth Green. John Wallace would be the middle school. I don't know much about Newington Ridge, but I know that the Toll Brothers builders have a good reputation.

Quaker Green in West Hartford is absolutely beautiful. I was driving by yesterday and was amazed with how nicely that area has turned out.

[happy2003]

thanks for the heads up about the community in west hartford.We will definitely have a look at that too.

[JayCT]

Of the two builders, Toll has the better reputation. They build upscale homes throughout the country and have built some nice large and pricey homes here in Glastonbury. Plute is more of a middle-of-road builder. There is information (some not so good) on them on the internet. Google them and see. Because Toll is an upscale builder, they try to protect their reputation.

I do know someone though that contracted them to build a house in Fairfield years ago. They were then transferred to NJ while the house was being built and had a horrible time trying to get their downpayment back. I believe they ended up getting a credit toward a Toll home in NJ rather than any money.

As for location, well that is your decision. The Berlin Turnpike can be busy but is very convenient. Fenn Road is more quiet but the area across from the Woodlands is industrial and seems a bit run down.

I must say that I am a bit surprised at the prices of both of these communities. $350k+ for a condo seems high. I am sure they are nice but you can get a nice house for that price. Anyway, these are just my impressions. Jay

[Uconn97]

Have you looked around town a bit? There are other complexes that are newer that may also meet your needs. As I was moving out of newington they were finishing Cobblestone court on the south side of Newington (bordering Berlin). These were pretty nice - most over 2,000 square feet. They are also in the $300k+ price point. My wife and I toured a few before we moved. I looked on line and there are two on the market - one on cobblestone court and one on culver street thats part of the same development. This complex is slightly removed from the turpike so noise will be a little less than the ones being built right on the turnpike. The views from some of them were pretty nice because they were built up on a small ridge. Still convenient to the turnpike. the commute into hartford will be about 20 min depending on traffic. I personally like this area better because you are in a neighborhood setting of single family homes, upscale condos and two smaller apartment complexes - there are sidewalks, less traffic and people are always out walking/running/biking. I'm not sure how much access newington ridge will allow you to other neighborhoods in the area because its on the turnpike and just slightly removed for the surrounding neighborhoods. Just my thoughts though....

[LateNiteCruisin]

Toll brothers are way overrated. IMYHOP

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Uconn97

Have you looked around town a bit? There are other complexes that are newer that may also meet your needs. As I was moving out of newington they were finishing Cobblestone court on the south side of Newington (bordering Berlin). These were pretty nice - most over 2,000 square feet. They are also in the $300k+ price point. My wife and I toured a few before we moved. I looked on line and there are two on the market - one on cobblestone court and one on culver street thats part of the same development. This complex is slightly removed from the turpike so noise will be a little less than the ones being built right on the turnpike. The views from some of them were pretty nice because they were built up on a small ridge. Still convenient to the turnpike. the commute into hartford will be about 20 min depending on traffic. I personally like this area better because you are in a neighborhood setting of single family homes, upscale condos and two smaller apartment complexes - there are sidewalks, less traffic and people are always out walking/running/biking. I'm not sure how much access newington ridge will allow you to other neighborhoods in the area because its on the turnpike and just slightly removed for the surrounding neighborhoods. Just my thoughts though....

I agree to look around a bit if you haven't already done so. Also, Newington ridge does back up to Back Lane which is a lovely neighborhood in Wethersfield. Jay