Relocating from Colorado - NEED HELP! (Hartford, West Hartford: real estate, brokers, how much)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello. I am looking to make a huge life change and sell the house and everything in it to make a new start somewhere in New England. I have some roots in our family history (Abraham Pierson, but no current family) in CT, so that is where my search begins. I currently live in Georgetown, Colorado. It is a small mountain town dependent upon tourism. The population is right at 1000. There is a small market for food and odds-n-ends purchases (too $$$ for regular shopping), a post office, gas stations, and some tourist type shops. Loads of lodging, as major ski areas are very near. The landscape is rugged mountains with many evergreens and aspens that turn a lovely gold in the fall. Summer is short and warm (70's - 80's) and the winters can be cold (in the below 0 range). Sometimes we get lots of snow (March 2003 8' in a few days) and other times it rains in December. It seems like we get little rain and the sun is always out. Very dry and arid climate. I HATE IT. I am looking for a change. New England is very appealing to me. I am looking for the following in an area or location:
Hills/Mountains
Growing Season
Small Town (not tourist dependent)
Reasonable Home Prices ($200,000 -$250,000 for a 2B2B)
Old Homes on some land for cheap (fixer-upers)
Work (Commutes up to 1hr each way ok)
Stuff to do within 30 Minutes (shopping, Movies, etc.)
Rich History (love history)
Good schools (k-12)
Not too much snow
Not too much heat
That is my ideal must have list. I am concerned about finding good jobs. My husband has a BA in History and is finishing up a second BA in Civil Engineering. I have a BA in Interior Design. We are both willing to commute. Any ideas on what areas or towns might work for us? Also, I would love to hear personal accounts of living in NE and how you like it. Finally, one odd (but important) question...are there any roaches?
How much is lots? Does it stay on the ground until late spring? Do you get snow at Christmas? I have never visited, but plan to do so. I am really just looking for a place to call home. A place where I can buy a house with some character on more than just a city lot. Somewhere I can raise my family and live in the same house until I die.
We average in inland Connecticut around Hartford about 45" a snow a year- last year we had 23", thus far this year about 26". January has been slightly above average for temperatures- the next several days will average 39-44 daytime- 20-30 over night.
We currently in inland CT have patches of snow cover- under 3". Snow at Christmas averages about 25%-or 1 year in 4. Snow cover does not last here all winter, we do have thaws, that may melt it entirely- and be snow free for weeks. Temperatures below zero here are uncommon now- except in the western hills, and to a lesser degree the eastern highlands.
Generally Connecticut's winters are moderated by the nearby Atlantic- and in the summer the heat is lessened by the nearby ocean-especially near the coast.
Coastal CT receives about 20-30" of snow per winter.
Springs begin here around late March-but mild weather can occur earlier- Springs are noted also for their unpredictable behavior; due to the still chilled waters of the nearby Atlantic.
Summers begin in earnest in late June- although warm to hot days can occur in April and May. The trees leaf out totally by the 3rd week of May. Summers here can be warm to hot, with higher levels of humidity then CO. These sultry conditions can make life uncomfortable for several days before a front from the north or east gives refreshing relief. Pleasant warm to mild conditions can exist will into Mid November.
Housing costs in eastern CT are on average around 220-250K median. Since CT is a small state- at all times an 'hour' will let you have access to much in the way of culture, shopping and fine dining.
There are many towns to consider- Connecticut's eastern 'Quiet Corner' is rural pastoral, with wooded hills, farms and wineries. Yet close to Hartford and Providence RI and the sea coast. Greater Hartford has many smaller towns with much charm- Wethersfield and Glastonbury have much to offer. West Hartford is especially popular -though housing prices may be higher then what you mentioned. South Windsor and Ellington, east of the river, are great towns with excellent schools and close to everything you mentioned.
Hartford's western suburbs are hilly, forested with an upscale ambiance which are some of the most attractive suburbs in the nation.
The lower CT river valley towns of Essex and Chester have been said to be two of the finest small towns in America with under 10,000 population.
Connecticut's shoreline from New Have east has many fine towns to consider- your choices are endless really. First thing is to learn about the state- Connecticut has much history, global class cultural assets, and close to New York, Boston, Cape Cod, the Islands, Vermont and Maine.
As for roaches- the populations here are far reduced compared to warmer climates to the south.
There are a number of civil engineering firms in the Hartford area and many are looking for people. There are modest homes in your price range in many smaller towns in eastern Connecticut. I would suggest finding a job first and then selecting a town once you know where you land. As for climate, well as Skytrekker says we do get snow here but I would not call it a lot. Temperatures go up and down. One day it could be bitterly cold and another it could be in the 50's. There is a lot of history in this area and many beautiful old homes. I think you will like it. Jay
Being from Connecticut and currently living in Bailey, CO, I can tell you that you will have nothing to worry about with the snow. It is, however, much icier in the winter there than it is out here. It is typically much more humid all year round, so the cold days are colder, and the hot days are much hotter. You will have bugs to contend with, mosquitoes, gnats and ticks. Lyme disease has become very serious, so you'll want to carry bug spray and check yourself over if you go on any hikes.
The weather has been changing in New England. It seems to be snowing less than it did when I was growing up, and the winters are staying warmer. The sun is almost never out in the winter, so be prepared for some long depressing weeks. I can't see how you hate seeing the sun everyday, but to each their own, lol.
Northern CT would be your best bet for hills and small towns. Litchfield county (Northwest CT) is where I grew up, and it was gorgeous.
Right now the housing market has dipped tremendously, but overall, be prepared for much higher housing prices, and better salaries. I could go on and on about the differences between here and there, but your best bet is to just go visit the place a few times. You won't know until you see it. You may feel claustrophobic for a while after you move, because they don't have the wide open sky or the big views that we have here in CO.
I moved to CO because I was sick of CT, so pardon my partial views here. New England is gorgeous in the Fall, I certainly miss seeing the leaves. The Aspens here are beautiful, but it's just not the same. There is more history there, that's for sure. You won't stumble across too many mines like you do in the Georgetown area.
If you like boating, then you'll like CT. There are plenty of lakes and rivers, which is one thing that CO is definitely lacking in.
Anyway, feel free to message me if you have any other questions, since I've lived in both places!
Hello. I am looking to make a huge life change and sell the house and everything in it to make a new start somewhere in New England. I have some roots in our family history (Abraham Pierson, but no current family) in CT, so that is where my search begins. I currently live in Georgetown, Colorado. It is a small mountain town dependent upon tourism. The population is right at 1000. There is a small market for food and odds-n-ends purchases (too $$$ for regular shopping), a post office, gas stations, and some tourist type shops. Loads of lodging, as major ski areas are very near. The landscape is rugged mountains with many evergreens and aspens that turn a lovely gold in the fall. Summer is short and warm (70's - 80's) and the winters can be cold (in the below 0 range). Sometimes we get lots of snow (March 2003 8' in a few days) and other times it rains in December. It seems like we get little rain and the sun is always out. Very dry and arid climate. I HATE IT. I am looking for a change. New England is very appealing to me. I am looking for the following in an area or location:
Hills/Mountains
Growing Season
Small Town (not tourist dependent)
Reasonable Home Prices ($200,000 -$250,000 for a 2B2B)
Old Homes on some land for cheap (fixer-upers)
Work (Commutes up to 1hr each way ok)
Stuff to do within 30 Minutes (shopping, Movies, etc.)
Rich History (love history)
Good schools (k-12)
Not too much snow
Not too much heat
That is my ideal must have list. I am concerned about finding good jobs. My husband has a BA in History and is finishing up a second BA in Civil Engineering. I have a BA in Interior Design. We are both willing to commute. Any ideas on what areas or towns might work for us? Also, I would love to hear personal accounts of living in NE and how you like it. Finally, one odd (but important) question...are there any roaches?
Thanks in advance for your responses.
Based on your price point and desires, check out Pomfret or Woodstock CT.
I would agree with the last post by JViello, Pomfret/Woodstock area is as beautiful as any area in the State, really as nice as most anywhere in New England.
It's in the northeastern corner of Connecticut, known as "The Quiet Corner", a rural area with a combined population (Pomfret, Woodstock, Eastford and Brooklyn) of 20,000. Centrally located between Hartford, Providence RI and Worcester, MA (50-60 minute commute to any of the 3) and only 90 minutes to Boston (longer in rush hour traffic)
A large percentage of residents are college graduates in professional and business careers. Many homes in the area are colonial or farm house style; stonewalls, barns, and trees line the roads and highways. There are no real mountains, but plenty of rolling hills, beautiful farms and the area is steeped in New England history. In the fall the foliage is breathtaking, as good as Vermont.
This area although very rural in nature, is very accesible and fairly easy drive to Southern CT (beaches/boating/seafood) and points north due to I-395 which is a major interstate running South/North and bisecting Eastern Ct.
With the recent dip in housing prices, sellers are becoming a little more realistic about what their old "fixer-upper" New England farmhouse is worth. You can probably pick something up in the 220-250K range, but be prepared to do a fair amount of fixing up. Pristinely restored older homes in that area can easily fetch 350K and up.
Schools in that area are some of the best in the state, with Woodstock Academy (regional) high school serving the 4 towns mentioned above. This is an excellent high school with highly rated academics and a well funded athletics program.
Other areas in CT to check out --
Litchfield County is the Northwest corner of the state, every bit as beautiful as the Northeast Corner EXCEPT:
1. You will experience more snowfall due to storms that tend to track eastward through the Hudson River Valley in NY, then UP through the Berkshire mountains, then UP through Vermont. These storms typically dump more snow on the Northwestern Corner of CT with smaller deposits in the Eastern half of the state. (Large amounts of snow in Eastern Ct are just not happening like 40-50 years ago, an occaisional nor'easter will hit the area but more times than not it ends up being a "rain event" as opposed to snow).
2. Litchfield County is more densely populated, more "touristy", being in close proximity to New York City many of the tourists are from New York and New Jersey (not that there's anything wrong with that). However the money imported by Wall Street brokers, investement bankers, high powered attorneys and celebrities have driven real estate out of reach for the common man.
3. This is my opinion and my opinion only (I'll no doubt get slammed for it), but the NYC influence is not necessarily a desirable influence, unless you enjoy spending mucho $$ at trendy local breakfast spots with the limousine liberals (and numerous celebrity residents) leisurely feasting on eggs benedict and reading the Sunday [NY] Times. Personally I prefer dining with the "swamp yankees" or more traditional old time New Englanders you find as you travel towards the Northeast corner of CT. Sure they're rude and crude dressed in their manure stained overalls, but they spin a great yarn and never pay more than a couple of bucks for a nice farm fresh Sunday breakdfast. You get the picture.
FInal Recommendation Essex, Deep River, Chester, East Haddam, Old Lyme (Ct River Valley) --
This is another beautiful area of the state and real estate here (it's the area I live in) was out of sight a year or two ago but has returned to earth recently. Lots of older homes and plenty of "fixer-uppers" It's comparable in price to the Pomfret/Woodstock area not quite as rural and hilly, not quite as many farms, but if you want to live close to the water this area is preferable to both the Northwest and Northeast corners.
The CT River is beautiful and it iempties into Long Island Sound, which is a stones throw away from the Atlantic ocean. Some of the best boating and fishing in all of New England is in this area. Good seafood restaurants, plenty of things to do in or around the water.
The school system for Chester, Deep River and Essex is comprised as follows -- Each town has it's own elementary school with John Winthrop Middle School and Valley Regional High School serving the combined student population. If you GOOGLE John Winthrop Middle School you will get plenty of hits including the District 4 websites for all the schools + Ct Ed Websites with ratings, test scores, school demographics, etc.
All in all it's a great area to raise kids, your husband can probably find a Civil Engineering job right in the CT Valley area with a very short commute. Chester and Old Saybrook both have fairly good sized engineering firms and Hartford is only 30 miles to the North.
SUMMARY - Frankly if I didn't care about being close to the water I would prefer to live in the Pomfret/Woodstock area. But I love being near the water, I've got teen aged kids who I would not uproot at this point, and it would add 20-30 minutes to my commute (each way), with the price of gas hovering at 3.10/gallon I'm not moving further away from my office.
I am looking for the following in an area or location:
Hills/Mountains
Growing Season
Small Town (not tourist dependent)
Reasonable Home Prices ($200,000 -$250,000 for a 2B2B)
Old Homes on some land for cheap (fixer-upers)
Work (Commutes up to 1hr each way ok)
Stuff to do within 30 Minutes (shopping, Movies, etc.)
Rich History (love history)
Good schools (k-12)
Not too much snow
Not too much heat
CT can satisfy many of your requirements, but if you are acclimated to Colorado you might find summers on the east coast hard to take. Temperatures in the summer here will be in the 90s occasionally, but even when it is not that hot the summer humidity is generally much higher than in Colorado. There are days when I use the air conditioner simply to wring the water out of the air in my office.
Some people are not that sensitive to humidity, but for others it could be a deal-breaker.
"Headed West" must be super sensitive to humidity if he's leaving New England because he can't take the summers here. I'm fairly sensitive to humidity and it's really not that bad, it's bearable.
We're talking about a handful of days in late June, July or August and a handful of really uncomfortable nights. Nothing that a good window A/C unit won't take care of, or if you're fortunate enough to have central air then you'll be in great shape.
REAL humidity, being REALLY uncomfortable ALL the time is in the South, the Carolinas, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Florida, the Bahamas, places like that where you never get any relief. It kicks in around mid-May and doesn't seem to let up until mid-November. Living there an be pure hell for people who don't enjoy the sweltering heat and humidity. There's just no light at the end of the tunnel.
New England get's hot and humid in small spurts but there's always relief after a couple of hot days (a week, two at the most) when those wonderful Canadian cold fronts come roaring through bringing cooler, drier air.
P.S. If you keep a clean house you don't ever have to worry about roaches. someone mentioned getting bit by a deer tick which could cause Lyme disease, but even cases of that are not very common. We've got our fair share of mosquitoes, black flies, knats and horse flies, but no worse than other parts of the country and probably better than most.
Last edited by roadfish; 02-01-2008 at 09:28 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
