[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by trishguard

This is what I find in New Canaan for under $500,000

$495,000 3-Bedroom 1 full bath 2 half baths 2 car garage Single Family 1196 sqft .81 acres

$399,000 1-Bedroom 1 bath Condo in a 50 unit complex. 743 sqft

$285,000 4-Bedroom 2 baths 2 car garage Single Family 1855 sqft .99 acres

We're in agreement. My summary was for single-family properties which excludes condominiums, co-ops, mult-families, duplexes, etc.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by CTHere

I'm not familiar with Fairfield too much but always wiery of it.

Why would you be "wiery" of Fairfield yet recommend Stratford and Stamford? Fairfield is a great town with so much to offer. It is very safe, has no bad areas and the schools are excellent. There is a lot of great stores, restaurants, parks, beaches and family activities. It is a wonderful community and more affordable than some similar lower Fairfield County towns. Jay

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Why would you be "wiery" of Fairfield yet recommend Stratford and Stamford? Fairfield is a great town with so much to offer. It is very safe, has no bad areas and the schools are excellent. There is a lot of great stores, restaurants, parks, beaches and family activities. It is a wonderful community and more affordable than some similar lower Fairfield County towns. Jay

That's a great point, Jay. Fairfield has no bad areas that I can think of at all.
Stamford has a few small pockets of sketchy areas, as it is a large city of 120k. As for Stratford, it's definitely not as nice or safe as Fairfield.
Fairfield is gorgeous, safe, and offers a wonderful quality of life. It would be a top pick of mine if moving to Fairfield County.

[Seattle's Best 28]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Why would you be "wiery" of Fairfield yet recommend Stratford and Stamford? Fairfield is a great town with so much to offer. It is very safe, has no bad areas and the schools are excellent. There is a lot of great stores, restaurants, parks, beaches and family activities. It is a wonderful community and more affordable than some similar lower Fairfield County towns. Jay

What's wrong with Stratford? I think its one of the only middle class towns in that area. Is Fairfield better because it's more pretentious?

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Seattle's Best 28

What's wrong with Stratford? I think its one of the only middle class towns in that area. Is Fairfield better because it's more pretentious?

No, it is not. I did not say anything was wrong with Stratford but some of the problem areas of Bridgeport (East End and East Side) do border Stratford and if any town has a problem with crime from Bridgeport seeping into it, it is Stratford, not Fairfield.

As for pretentiousness, every town has some of this including Stratford (I know SEVERAL people there that are that way). Fairfield has a broad range of people from those of modest means (including some of my family) to mega-millionaires (people I know or that my family have worked for). It is funny that some of the ones who are the wealtiest can also be the most down-to-earth. My cousin worked for a wealthy couple in Southport who were so nice. They use to come to our family picnics. My aunt worked for one of the wealthiest families in the world and the mother was also so nice. She often would drive up to my aunts from to have coffee and chat with whoever was there.

My point is stop trying to label people by their pocketbooks or where they live. Not all that have a lot or are from a wealthy town are pretentious and not all who are of modest means and live in a poorer community are down-to-earth. Jay

[Seattle's Best 28]

Originally Posted by JayCT

My point is stop trying to label people by their pocketbooks or where they live.Jay

Why not? That's how CT people do it..... didn't your members say try to adapt instead of complain? Well thats what I'm trying to do!!!

[JayCT]

Who is the one being pretentious now????

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Seattle's Best 28

Why not? That's how CT people do it..... didn't your members say try to adapt instead of complain? Well thats what I'm trying to do!!!

Agree with Jay. I'm just getting tired of having to defend my state to those who display such ignorance.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by JayCT

No, it is not. I did not say anything was wrong with Stratford but some of the problem areas of Bridgeport (East End and East Side) do border Stratford and if any town has a problem with crime from Bridgeport seeping into it, it is Stratford, not Fairfield.

That's true to a certain extent. The "seepage" from the East side is, for the most part, isolated to the area that borders Barnum/Stratford/Bruce Avenues. The spillover isn't violent in nature, it's closer to nuisance issues than real physical danger issues. Note too that the town of Stratford was sued for "profiling" in these areas. After that suit was litigated, the town was forced to alter their style a bit in this area of town. The days of having a police cruiser stationed virtually around the clock in the driveways of St. Michael's Cemetery at Stratford/Bruce, and McDonald's on Barnum, were ended after the suit.

The P.D. still has a surprisingly keen sense of who belongs here and who doesn't, but their job has become more difficult. They have to be more covert in their surveillance methods due to "profiling" issues.

[njohnson]

What about the areas North of Route 1 and West of Nichols Ave?

I used to work on Broadbridge Ave on the Trumbull / Bridgeport / Stratford line and it seemed fairly nice up there. I'm just wondering why property prices plummet and inventory skyrockets the further you get below route 15. I know it's getting further from the more desirable Trumbull area but are there any other reasons?

In addition to some towns up North I've looked at Trumbull and Milford but Trumbull's prices are a bit steep for me unless I go very entry level on a main road. I've never really considered Stratford because honestly I don't know much about their schooling or the area other than where I used to work.