[brombebj]

My wife and I currently live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. With a baby on the way, and my wife probably not returning to work, dropping such gargantuan amounts on rent has become unrealistic and buying in this City is an impossibility for those with a real-world budget. So, we have to move. In Jersey, we determined that taxes were way too high and that the towns were certainly not as appealing as what we know of Conencticut. My aunt who lives in Westport recommended Norwalk as a place where a lot of young couples are moving. I need to commute each day to Manhattan, by train, but as a writer with a laptop, the hour each way does not seem a problem. More important is the area.

Norwalk seems really nice to us. It is affordable (we think), schools look pretty good (especially compared to Jersey), it has a New England feel which we like, beaches, the cool-looking SONO area, etc. We like it. But what are we missing? We need input from people who live there. We are looking at condos in the mid-300,000s. I know SONO is going through a bit of a renaissance, seems like getting in now would be a good idea, financially. But living in SONO, would there be lots of moms and strollers out and about? What about good areas to walk my loveable dog?

Looking for any info about living in Norwalk, specifically SONO, for a Manhattan commuter and a stay-at-home mom with an infant and a dog. Appreciate any feedback.

[NY2CT]

I recently moved out of SoNo. Overall, we really liked it there. We lived near the aquarium. It was nice to be within walking distance of a lot of nice restaurants and the water. Although we were in walking distance of the train station, I almost never walked there. The few blocks surrounding the train aren't particularly safe at night.

When we left, they were in the middle of building luxury condos near the water. The only problem is that some of the condos face the train tracks. It's not too bad because it's the local line, but I wouldn't want to buy something so close to the tracks. The SoNo area can be noisy at night, and depending on where you live, you may hear the train often.

I saw more people walking around with dogs than with strollers. I wouldn't be surprised if more families move into the new condos that are being built.

The train to Manhattan is very convenient. There are a few express trains that go straight to 125th street and Grand Central, but most make a few stops before that. The trains are pretty crowded, but I usually found a seat. I believe there is a waiting list for a monthly parking permit at the train station. The parking garage usually doesn't fill up although you may have to park on the top floor depending on what train you take.

As far as the schools, they're not terrible, but they're not great.

[jayCT22]

I used to live in the Merritt area of Norwalk off of Main Ave but recently moved away. SoNo is a nice area for young college aged kids, but for a family I can't say I'd recommend it. I'm not a Realtor so I can expand on my issues.

SoNo has a good nightlife with plenty of bars, fine restaurants, shops and and the Maritime center not too far away. But just be careful when looking at areas in Norwalk because just a few blocks can make a big difference. If you find cheaper housing in the city, there's a reason it's cheap.

I also can't say that I recommend the schools there. I know that McMahon (the worst of the two, the other being Norwalk High) has many gang-related issues and Norwalk High isn't anything to be proud of either.

Don't get me wrong. Norwalk is a nice city but it has its issues and, IMO, the high cost of housing isn't worth being worried about the students your kids are going to school with.

If commuting time isn't an issue, have you checked out Fairfield or up the line a bit is Milford. Milford is a nice little city, cheaper housing, better schools (IMO), lots of stores along Route 1 and a large mall close by for shopping. Milford is less pretentious than Norwalk and it's surrounding communities (Wilton, Westport, Darien, New Canaan) and neighborhoods in Milford truly have a small town feel. Fairfield is much the same as Milford. I believe from the downtown Milford train station to Grand Central is about 80 minutes. In Fairfield and Milford, you're right in between the cultural city of New Haven and of course, NYC. Plus you're right on the sound (Milford's beaches are a little nicer than Norwalk's) and you can hop on the ferry if you need to go to LI for anything.

You also might want to check out Easton. A friend of mine just moved there and while it's rural, the community is extremely family oriented. They share public schools with the town of Redding (Region 9).

Again, all of this is just my opinion. Go to Norwalk, drive around and check out the scene so you can decide if you like it. Good luck with your search.

[brombebj]

Thank you for the info - perhaps my wife and I need to look at other towns. However, just to make sure we're comparing apples to apples:

- I really mean to ask about elementary schools rather than high schools. My kid is still in mommy's tummy at this point, and we would move again in five-seven years. If she did start elementary school there, do I still need to worry about quality of education?

- Coming from NY and NJ, it seems like Norwalk schools may not be the best in Conn., but are still doing better than the majority of NY and NJ public schools. Impressed with some of the bilingual education programs and the like, but again, one website says one thing and one says another. Any firsthand knowledge out there?

- Most importantly, are there areas of Norwalk that are good for a mommy with baby to meet other mommies with babies that still don't put me too far away from the train to NYC?

[JayCT]

You should be interested in the schools because of resale value. Generally the better the school system the better a home will appreciate and the easier it will be to sell even when the market gets soft.

A lot of young people start out in Norwalk and move to one of the pricier suburbs nearby as their fortunes improve. If you are looking for a place that your wife will be comfortable living in, you need to ask yourself if you want an urban area like South Norwalk or a more suburban area. These towns have a lot of people moving in from all over the country, so there are newcomer's and welcoming clubs and great mommy and me programs.

If you do want a suburban location, check out Fairfield. Great town with a lot to offer. Excellent schools, parks, beaches, libraries, etc. Home prices are less than others. There are express trains to New York that take about an hour. The east side of Fairfield (particularly Tunxis Hill) for its great location and less expensive homes. This area has historically been a working class suburb of Bridgeport. The State is building a new train station on this side of town which will have a huge parking lot (1,500 spaces), so people are now looking at this area as a good alternative to lower Fairfield County. Check it out. Jay

[NY2CT]

I agree that Fairfield is a nice area and is more family friendly. Fairfield also has great schools. We would've bought a house there had we decided to stay in Fairfield County.

I think a lot of mothers and children spend time walking around the Green and meeting up for lunch. I think your wife would have an easier time meeting people there.

Fairfield isn't much further from NYC. It's about 75 minutes by train.

[CoolStrom]

Dear Friend,

We(my wife and i) just moved here from Hamden, CT to Milford, CT. We have friends in Fairfield county and New Haven County and for us Milford was our best bet. I will give you couple of advantages.

1>Town with Big Revenue -so taxes are little lower then other sorrounding towns.
2>You are very close to shopping on Route 1...they are building upscale lifestyle centers now on Route 1 in Milford, so you can imagine how far Milford has come.
3>Very good school system.
4>In the complex that we live there are so many kids with strollers , but to tell you the truth entire Milford is very family friendly area, no matter where you go..although i would avoid some section of Devon...which they are revitalizing and going very slow.
5>Milford is on the shoreline and has good beaches and right on I-95.

We bought a house considering i will commute to Stamford/NYC area for work in near future conidering the parking is free at the train station in Milford.

I wish you the best of luck in your search and please let me know anyway i can help.

Thanks.

[brombebj]

Thanks for all the posts. Milford feels a little far out for me. I prefer not to commute more than an hour each way, if at all possible. Not that I mind train time per say, but now that we're having a baby, I would like to cut down on travel time and spend more of it at home. I plan to look at Fairfield, but does anyone know of any places closer to the City that might be an alternative?

[mels]

I agree that Milford is too far out. The train ride is 90 minutes into Grand Central, which doesn't include getting to the train station on either end. You are basically looking at a two hour commute depending on where in the city you are heading to from Grand Central. People do it, but it is a tough commute.

Unfortunately nothing decent is inexpensive within an hour of the city. Being that Sono was an option and if you don't see yourself there for more than 5-7 years I don't see why you couldn't live there. Find out the exact school district you are in and research it. Since your child may only be in the school system for maximum two years, private school may also be an option until you move to a better school district.

Most towns and cities have moms clubs and other programs for stay at home moms and dads to meet up, so if you find your condo area is lacking in younger parents they are always an option.

[kettlepot]

Back in the day, (mid 80's) SoNo was just Washington Street south of the train tracks. Go a block east or west and things got sketchy fast. How far does the improved part of SoNo extend 20 years later? Is it just Washington Street, or has the improvement spread?