Help! In search of the perfect town! (New York, Warwick: houses, neighborhoods)

[AnneConstance]

My fiance and I grew up in a small town (population 4,000) in CT and moved 4 years ago to where he was stationed in the military in VA Beach. Now he's a law enforcement officer and we're looking to move back to the northeast to a smaller, more family-oriented place...Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, MAYBE parts of east-central New York and MAYBE parts of southern New Hampshire. Here are our desired specifics:

1. Between rural and suburban, not too bare but not too industrial.
2. Good schools.
3. A nice downtown with some little shops/cafes/restaurants.
4. Roads that can be walked by us and/or our children ultimately without fear.
5. Must be NO more than 2 hours from Chester CT.
6. A good family town with nice neighborhoods.
7. Decent, newer houses that are under $400k.
8. Preferably within 20-30 minutes of a bigger town/city that my fiance can work in that's not TOO dangerous, but with plenty for him to do.

I know what you're thinking...this is probably hard to find, but if anyone has any info that might help me, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

[OCNYISHOME]

Villages w/ great ambiance in the Hudson Valley of New York are Warwick and New Paltz. Most of the new construction under 400,000 is located outside these villages. To take a look at what is available go to hanksudol.prudentialrand.com, search Orange and Ulster. In Orange search Pine Island, Slate Hill, Westtown...In Ulster New Platz, Gardiner, Modena, Plattekill, Clintondale, Wallkill..........all require short drives to the villages.........otherwise meet your other criteria

[Hinton Bound]

Originally Posted by AnneConstance

My fiance and I grew up in a small town (population 4,000) in CT and moved 4 years ago to where he was stationed in the military in VA Beach. Now he's a law enforcement officer and we're looking to move back to the northeast to a smaller, more family-oriented place...Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, MAYBE parts of east-central New York and MAYBE parts of southern New Hampshire. Here are our desired specifics:

1. Between rural and suburban, not too bare but not too industrial.
2. Good schools.
3. A nice downtown with some little shops/cafes/restaurants.
4. Roads that can be walked by us and/or our children ultimately without fear.
5. Must be NO more than 2 hours from Chester CT.
6. A good family town with nice neighborhoods.
7. Decent, newer houses that are under $400k.
8. Preferably within 20-30 minutes of a bigger town/city that my fiance can work in that's not TOO dangerous, but with plenty for him to do.

I know what you're thinking...this is probably hard to find, but if anyone has any info that might help me, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

I'm in VB as well, going up this weekend to look in Orange County. I'm looking in TOWN of Newburgh and Slate Hill (Minisink, Waywayanda). These areas seem to fit what you're looking for, and the traffic is a HELLUVA lot better that the I-64 parking lot I endure daily!
~Mark

[OCNYISHOME]

Good choice and good luck

[cezwho]

Check out the Finger Lakes region of New York. No clue how far away CT it would be, but I highly recommend it. Has everything you want on your list but I question the distance to Chester, CT.