[movingct]

Can anyone give me some information on these two towns? I have heard that Redding is not as convenient as there is no real main street, but also that Ridgefield is more built up. Also, what kind of house could I find in either two for up to 1.1mil? Thanks in advance!

[newlysgl]

Ridgefield has all the amenities. Redding has really nothing.. except schools. There is no real town center to speak of.. there's the Redding Roadhouse which is a good pub/restaurant. Most people who live in Redding end up doing their shopping, restaurants, etc in Ridgefield anyway. But they are both nice. Generally houses are cheaper in Redding. Cheaper the more remote you get into the area.. generally closer to Route 7 will be more expensive b/c that is where most of the amenities are. for grocery shopping, there is Ancona's at the corner of Route 102 and Route 7, further south on Route 7 is Caraluzzi's (think it's the corner of Route 57 and 7) and then in Ridgefield itself there is a super Stop& Shop and smaller specialty stores. For that price you can get something pretty decent in either town.. more for the money in Redding. the zip code for Ridgefield is 06877 if you are searching on the internet. Redding is 06896. You are looking at a really pretty nice selection of houses in that price range.. in Redding you can get around 4000+ sqft recently renovated with a few acres.

[jdhall1]

Movingct,
I am a Realtor in the greater Danbury area, including Ridgefield and Redding. Both towns are do have a lot of natural beauty and you are correct in saying that Ridgefield is more built up. Ridgefield is closer to I-684, though Redding isn't that much further, which is popular artery for people commuting to IBM, White Plains, and lower Westchester county.

Redding is a little more secluded than Ridgefield. It does not have a real main street, but things are changing there. A company is building a small village with 500 apartments, stores, boutiques and an arts facility on a former factory in the Georgetown section. It does have a lot of protected open space, including 2 state parks.

Ridgefield is a larger town. It does have a downtown, 2 golf courses, as well as a small shopping center with a grocery store, Kohls in addition to a couple of smaller stores. There is a 2 state parks in Ridgefield as well as lots of protected open space, similar to Redding. There is a 1300 acre 'belt' of connecting open space in the northern part of town that I do a lot of running in. Eating options ranges from a hot dog cart downtown to a 5 star dining, as well as a starbucks.

In that price range, you will find a home that is quite large, between 4000 to 5000 square feet. If you won't mind sending PM, I would be happy to send you more information about the towns. I can not talk about schools.

Jon

[mdkkr]

The advice given here is very accurate, I believe. Ridgefield is a slightly more convenient town with relation to commuting and shopping. Both are beautiful towns.

Ridgefield is sometimes know for being very liberal as far as the political beliefs of the residents. They are big on the arts, open space, democratic causes/fundraisers, anti-deer hunting or hunting is general, and were influential in saving the bog turtle for many years which effected proposed improvements to Route 7. Harvey Firestone is a long-time resident, and there are other celebrities there also. The downtown is one of the nicest in the state.

I'm not sure how that compares to Redding, but you will see more avenues for the liberal thoguht process and more written about Ridgefield in that regard (should it appeal to you) than Redding. Redding often flies under the radar, so to speak. I think there are only 5 policemen in Redding, which makes it the only town with probably the right number on the force. (Some small, crime-free towns in the area have 35-50 cops, contributing to higher taxes.) It's probably a little quieter overall, but both are rural towns in many areas.

John Read in Redding is a nice middle school, and Joel Barlow is the high school which is living some difficulties of an expansion/renovation. The school system, like Ridgefield, is among the best in the state.

Ridgefield has one of the best public golf course in the state, so that's a big advantage if you golf.

[Whalehead]

There has been some comment lately that has to be rebutted.

Ridgefield is not "snooty". We've been here 15 years. We're friendly, people are friendly in return. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "snooty is as snooty does"
The person who replied that we are "snooty" lives 90 minutes away. On what basis could one say that, being so far away?

Lately another commentator noted that Ridgefield is know to be a "liberal" town. What does that mean? Registered Republicans outnumber registered
Demorats by a 2 to 1 margin. Yes, we have a Democrat First Selectman. The
Republicans ran a lousy candidate and crummy campaign. Yes, the newspaper
here leans Democrat. So? Hardly any newspapers in this state lean toward
the right.
Do we have an vibrant arts community? Yes. Do we have a playhouse? Yes.
Do we have music in the park? Yes. Do we spend too much on some items in the budget? Yes. But does that make us Liberal? If we were barren of art, music, theater, and had run down schools, would that makes us less "Liberal"
or stupid in not choosing to maintain a great quality of life?
Ridgefield was voted one of Connecticut's best towns by Connecticut magazine. There must be a reason.
BTW, I am a Republican and member of the Republican town committee.

[westguy22]

Originally Posted by Whalehead

There has been some comment lately that has to be rebutted.

Ridgefield is not "snooty". We've been here 15 years. We're friendly, people are friendly in return. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "snooty is as snooty does"
The person who replied that we are "snooty" lives 90 minutes away. On what basis could one say that, being so far away?

Lately another commentator noted that Ridgefield is know to be a "liberal" town. What does that mean? Registered Republicans outnumber registered
Demorats by a 2 to 1 margin. Yes, we have a Democrat First Selectman. The
Republicans ran a lousy candidate and crummy campaign. Yes, the newspaper
here leans Democrat. So? Hardly any newspapers in this state lean toward
the right.
Do we have an vibrant arts community? Yes. Do we have a playhouse? Yes.
Do we have music in the park? Yes. Do we spend too much on some items in the budget? Yes. But does that make us Liberal? If we were barren of art, music, theater, and had run down schools, would that makes us less "Liberal"
or stupid in not choosing to maintain a great quality of life?
Ridgefield was voted one of Connecticut's best towns by Connecticut magazine. There must be a reason.
BTW, I am a Republican and member of the Republican town committee.

I would have to agree with Whalehead on most of the comments. I know many fine people in Ridgefield and they are hard working families who can afford the high cost of living in that town. They are not snooty; in fact, they are more down to earth than people I know living in less upscale areas. These folks, however, are longtime Ridgefield residents. The 'new money' families building grand estates around town are pretty snooty. I moved out of town several years ago because the pretentiousness of the town combined with the eye popping real estate and taxes make it an undesirable place for me to live. Ridgefield isn't what it used to be, in my opinion. What CT magazine rates as their #1 town surely isn't my idea of a #1 town.

Also, last I checked, Ridgefield was mostly Republican.

[mdkkr]

Guess I struck a nerve.

I wrote: "Ridgefield is sometimes known for being very liberal...."

Not always - but there is a loud element of liberalism in the town. In the elections, they generally vote democratic - whatever the number of registered republicans is, it doesn't matter. It's a win for the democrats in most elections.

Wondering why anyone would find that offensive, or maybe they are just looking to set the record straight.

I verified this with a friend who is a member of the national Republican party. I don't want to argue, but I'll bet we will see more Hillary Fundraisers there than any for Republican candidates.

I personally don't find people there snooty - they are pretty friendly, like Redding.

PS (No hard feelings, but your response sounds like a Democrat's response - I'm perceiving a little too much animosity for it to be a Republican. Most Republicans called liberal would laugh it off!)

[namastebmk]

I grew up in Ridgefield and currently reside in Massachusetts. I continue to visit Ridgefield often, as I have family who reside there. I completely agree with the individual who pointed out that it is the new monied people who foster an image of Ridgefield as that of being a "snooty" community. While overall, I would say that it is a fine town, it is also a town where people have, on occassion, made it known that they have a certain "entitlement." I knew things were getting bad when I entered an ATM in town on an extremely hot and humid day in August, and was told by the individual using the ATM that I could "wait outside" until they were done....I am sorry, but I have never experienced that anywhere else I have travelled in the greater northeast...

Originally Posted by westguy22

I would have to agree with Whalehead on most of the comments. I know many fine people in Ridgefield and they are hard working families who can afford the high cost of living in that town. They are not snooty; in fact, they are more down to earth than people I know living in less upscale areas. These folks, however, are longtime Ridgefield residents. The 'new money' families building grand estates around town are pretty snooty. I moved out of town several years ago because the pretentiousness of the town combined with the eye popping real estate and taxes make it an undesirable place for me to live. Ridgefield isn't what it used to be, in my opinion. What CT magazine rates as their #1 town surely isn't my idea of a #1 town.

Also, last I checked, Ridgefield was mostly Republican.

[Former06877]

Ridgefield and Redding are both terrific towns with excellent schools and solid home values. You'll find that Ridgefield is more "built up" than Redding, but homes are similar in style and both towns have beautiful neighborhoods/homes to choose from. If you are looking for a town with a lot of amenities, a beautiful main street, and easy access to Westchester County, NY and points south, you should consider Ridgefield. Few people can drive through downtown Ridgefield and not be impressed. If you are looking for a town that is essentially a "Vermont in Fairfield County," with excellent schools and breathtaking natural beauty (and some gorgeous homes), you should consider Redding. Most people who live in Redding enjoy their privacy and acreage. It's noted as a haven for artists and musicians, as well as executives who want to escape the hustle and bustle at the end of the day. The commute from Redding to NYC is a bit longer than from Ridgefield, but depending on where you are in town, the drive to Fairfield and Stamford is quite doable.

Real estate prices in Wilton, Ridgefield, and Redding are similar. New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich, Weston, and Westport are a step higher. Bethel, Newtown, Norwalk, Danbury, Monroe, Trumbull, etc. are significantly cheaper and are viewed as less prestigious (for what that's worth).

[Juicy Fruit]

Hello,

What are you looking for in a town? I can be very specfic and know both towns very well.