[LilCarol]

I currently live in Norwalk and work in Wilton. I'm looking to buy a condo but cannot afford the Norwalk area. I thought about Bridgeport since (without traffic) the commute isn't so bad. But Bridgeport taxes are very high.

I then started looking into Danbury and found a few affordable places on line. But I'm not that familiar with Danbury to know where would be a fairly safe place to live. I want to be able to come home at any time of the day or night and feel safe pulling into my complex and getting to my door with out being jumped.

Any ideas?

[jeremeyk482]

Originally Posted by LilCarol

I currently live in Norwalk and work in Wilton. I'm looking to buy a condo but cannot afford the Norwalk area. I thought about Bridgeport since (without traffic) the commute isn't so bad. But Bridgeport taxes are very high.

I then started looking into Danbury and found a few affordable places on line. But I'm not that familiar with Danbury to know where would be a fairly safe place to live. I want to be able to come home at any time of the day or night and feel safe pulling into my complex and getting to my door with out being jumped.

Any ideas?

Danbury isn't the type of city that Bridgeport and Norwalk are. The city doesn't suffer from the hardships such as poverty and crime, and was recently listed as one of the safest metro areas in the country. The only area I'd suggest staying away from in Danbury are Spring Street and Beaver Street areas, known for drug deals and prostitution. Everywhere else is safe.

Danbury's only major problem is the amount of illegal Ecuadorians and Mexicans who have been flocking to the city in recent years. They aren't known to commit crimes and are nice people, they just strain the city's schools and resources.

Your main issue with living in Danbury is probably your commute down Rt 7 to Wilton, because this can be a nightmare if you leave during rush hour. I drove from Norwalk to Danbury today and it took me nearly an hour because of construction in Wilton, then more construction in Ridgefield. It wasn't fun. It's hit or miss. Some days it's smooth sailing, other's it really sucks.

[Jett456]

Danbury has high taxes. Maybe you should look at the surrounding towns there (Brookfield). Cities always have higher taxes. Maybe you can find something in Fairfield or Stratford. Stratford is cheaper but the taxes are high too. Shelton is affordable and also very nice.

[jdhall1]

I am an agent in the Danbury area. I can not say parts are safer than others. 2 bedroom 1100 squre foot condos with a garage starts in the $230ks. For a newer 2 bedroom 2.5 bath condo with about 1650 square feet would be an investment of about $359,000.

[tom62]

Originally Posted by LilCarol

I currently live in Norwalk and work in Wilton. I'm looking to buy a condo but cannot afford the Norwalk area. I thought about Bridgeport since (without traffic) the commute isn't so bad. But Bridgeport taxes are very high.

I then started looking into Danbury and found a few affordable places on line. But I'm not that familiar with Danbury to know where would be a fairly safe place to live. I want to be able to come home at any time of the day or night and feel safe pulling into my complex and getting to my door with out being jumped.

Any ideas?

I'll try to help you, I'm dispatched out of Danbury, my company is headquartered in the center of town. ... Laurel gardens right on Main St (near Jct N. main) are so called affordable housing rentals.. Always has been a dicey part of downtown. To be fair, the place has been cleaned up a lot! Yes, the aforementioned Beaver St. & Spring St section is also a high crime area, relatively speaking...Compares nothing to parts of Bridgeport and New haven. I drive right thru there regularly, we have customers there as well.
A realtor may not be able to "steer" you on this subject, legal matter. Fringes upon profiling..Some of the condo complexes in Danbury are beautiful, and plentiful. There are also some older, really large complexes like on Mill Plain Rd in Western Danbury (just off I-84) that IMO looks pretty cheezy now and not well maintained. The town of Bethel is a very close neighbor to Danbury-literally the same town, and has some really nice newer condos. Bethel is a quiet place, very safe, quaint downtown area.
I can recommend a realtor, very nice and honest person...Debra at Advanced Realty. 860-354-6444.. a phone call cannot hurt!!!!!!!!!!!

[LilCarol]

Thank you all so much. I would prefer not going as far as Brookfield. Considering I am used to a 4.5 mile commute (8 minutes) to work, the shorter the distance the better. Bethel is nice (very familiar with it ... grew up in Ridgefield), but a bit out of my price range. Stratford seems to have higher taxes than Danbury.

I did a "drive by" of a condo I saw online yesterday but I think I will pass. The parking lot was all cut up (half dirt, some pavement). The price would have been great ... but obviously they aren't using the common charges to keep the maintenance of the place.

How is the Rogers Park area? Or Park Avenue?

[jdhall1]

The best advice is to go through the areas at different times of the times and decide if you feel comfortable in that area.

[Angela24k]

I would stay away from the Park Avenue area. I use to live around there and all I ever heard was cars driving by with the bass blasting, and cars pulling up to houses, turning up the music in the cars while they hung out. I had to close my windows in the summer just to hear my TV.
There are tons of condo's on and around the Shelter Rock Road/Crows Nest Lane area. I happen to live on Crows Nest Lane and it's pretty nice around this area. I live right on the Danbury/Bethel line which makes going to either town easy!

[jdhall1]

Angela,
You are right about having a ton of condos the crows nest area. I've done at least 5 open houses in that area so far this year. There are 8 complexs centered around Crow's Nest Lane with Danbury addresses, and Lexington Meadows with is very close to that, but is in Bethel.

[Angela24k]

jdhall1,
One day as I was driving down the hill off Crows Nest Lane past Woodlands, I counted 6 signs for open houses! Can you imagine?? It's like condo hill here.