New and in need of help!

[Welcome]

You would love Chappaqua, NY or Spring Lake, NJ, but Chappaqua lacks a beach and the commute from Spring Lake might be too long unless he's willing to switch to a downtown hospital. Fairfield, Ct. wouldn't be such a bad commute and it's not far from the Sound, but it is near Bridgeport. (If I were you, I'd choose Madison, NJ and visit Spring Lake in the summer.)

All of the above would require a significant adjustment.

My adivice? Select the town that best fits your needs (consider taxes), then sell your place while the NYC market is still strong, and rent for a year to see how you like it, and if so, which part of town is best for you. If not, you can simply try again. Time is on your side. Don't make a hasty choice. I wish you much happiness.

[fyrisle]

You might also consider Cold Spring Harbor and Lloyd's Neck on Long Island. They are rather scenic with hills and winding roads. They are wealthy community's with one of the best schools - the Cold Spring Harbor school district. The crime rate is low, there are beaches nearby - it's off the LI Sound, a large state park on Lloyd's neck and 2 nice villages - Cold Spring Harbor which is rather quaint and Huntington, a bustling and charming village about 5 minutes away. There are several hospitals on the north shore including Stony Brook. There are only a few houses under $1,000,000.