[Dewdrop93]

Hi! My husband and I are planning making the leap from our tiny studio in Manhattan to a house of our own! We have been looking mostly in New York - Westchester and Long Island - but I thought maybe I should expand our search to Connecticut! I would love any suggestions of places to look at since I'm not that aquainted with Connecticut. Here is what we are looking for:
Close to Manhattan as we will be commuting almost every day (preferably less than an hour drive/train ride), in an area with good schools (for future children, we don't have any yet), budget around $400,000 with property taxes less than $10,000, at least 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, preferably close to restauraunts, grocery stores, stores, etc.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
-Heather

[JayCT]

To be within an hour of New York means you will have to be in southwestern Connecticut. This area however is one of the most expensive parts of the country so be prepared to not get a lot particularly in towns that have good schools.

With your budget, I would suggest looking in the City of Stamford. You should be able to find a nice condo or small home there. Check realtor.com for listings. Stamford is a small city with a lot of what you are looking for. The train ride is about 45 minutes for a non-stop train. The schools though do have some urban issues particularly in the upper grades. To get good schools you will either have to up your price significantly or travel out further from the city. Fairfield is nice, has a lot of what you are looking for and has excellent schools but it is over an hour from NY. Good luck, Jay

[Appias]

Fairfield county has some great towns that fit that description but they are very expensive and sadly, out of your budget range. In CT you will have to either look at condos or at a longer commute. Have you considered NJ? The property taxes are pretty steep, but if you are looking in Westchester county then you won't have quite as much sticker shock.

[jdhall1]

You can find plenty of things up in Danbury if you are willing to commute a little bit further

[sk132]

Originally Posted by Dewdrop93

Hi! My husband and I are planning making the leap from our tiny studio in Manhattan to a house of our own! We have been looking mostly in New York - Westchester and Long Island - but I thought maybe I should expand our search to Connecticut! I would love any suggestions of places to look at since I'm not that aquainted with Connecticut. Here is what we are looking for:
Close to Manhattan as we will be commuting almost every day (preferably less than an hour drive/train ride), in an area with good schools (for future children, we don't have any yet), budget around $400,000 with property taxes less than $10,000, at least 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, preferably close to restauraunts, grocery stores, stores, etc.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
-Heather

Hi heather.
Good luck with quick commute..I95 is crazy ..best bet is train to city..find a clean safe train station..Stamford CT..has good schools..also westchester county has good schools...think Larchmont,Harrison,Nanuet,Pleasantville.

Good luck.

[watchoverme]

You should be able to find a little 3 bedroom like cape for that price in the town of Fairfield, which is about 1 hour and 15 minutes by train to manhattan, I believe. That's a great town with fabulous schools. Danbury would be an option, but it's higher crime, has more 'seedy' sections than Fairfield, and is more urban. I don't particularly love the town of Danbury.

Stamford would be a good option if you don't mind a city. If you're in NYC a lot, I can see a more suburban town being appealing.

As for CT vs. NY, I'm not positive, but I've heard your taxes will be better in CT. Although, I'm not sure if that's just for small business owners. I know for me going into NY would be a lot more expensive for me for this reason.

[Silli]

Stamford would give you choice in condos, townhouses, or SF homes that are close to express train service, shops, restaurants, etc. Prices are high but this city/town has a lot of amenities that make it worth it.