[JLNYC]

Hello everyone,
My fiance and I just moved from Bergen County,NJ to Connecticut a month ago. We are renting a townhouse-type home in Wallingford but we want to buy a townhouse next year. Can anyone recommend a nice town to buy a townhouse with access to New York(via MetroNorth),shopping and nightlife. My fiance currently works in Storrs,CT but his office will be relocated to the West Hartford area by next year. I am going back to school to get my nursing degree full-time and I have a home business. My fiance also doesn't mind a long commute because when we lived in Bergen County, his average commute to work was an hour to hour and a half(based on traffic). Thank you for your help!

[kidyankee764]

How much can you spend?

I'd suggest somewhere along the shore so you have access to major highways (95, Merritt, 91) and Metro North. Check out Milford and Stratford. Stratford is underrated IMO. Great location, access to beaches, shopping and mass transit. It won't be an easy commute to West Hartford, though.

[JViello]

If being in a town that has MNR service is that big of a deal, I'd say Milford, but that's a LOT of sacrifice just to have train service at your door.

Why not buy in a town that is a short drive to the station that will have MUCH easier access to West Hartford...like Wallingford?

[Stylo]

I'd also say Milford if MNR access is priority. Other towns in that vicinity that are good include Orange and Woodbridge, but Milford has the most shopping and nightlife and a great downtown. The bar scene is actually really good in Milford. There's about 7 very popular bars walkable in downtown, and others in town. Good restaurant scene too. And you're always 15 minutes to downtown New Haven for what is IMO the best bar scene in CT.

It's 50 miles from Milford to West Hartford. Then again, his current Wallingford > Storrs commute is 50 miles too. If he has no problem with that commute, Milford is a great town.

[kidyankee764]

I agree that Wallingford is probably the best idea. It's more affordable than Milford, too, and you're not far from the New Haven train.

[AnonChick]

A generally useful rule of thumb for commuting in/out of CT:

If your commute takes you along I-95:
If your commute takes you to SOUTH (by the highway direction) of New Haven - then live WEST/SOUTHWEST (by the map) of New Haven.
If your commute takes you NORTH (by the highway direction) of New Haven, then live NORTH/Northwest of New Haven.

If your commute takes you TO New Haven - avoid living along I-95, and live along Rte 15 or I-91 instead. Or, live IN New Haven and avoid the highways entirely.

If your commute takes you to I-84:
Good luck with that.

If your commute takes you along I-91:
If your commute takes you NORTH of downtown Hartford: Live NORTH of Hartford.
If your commute takes you SOUTH of downtown Hartford: Live SOUTH of Hartford, but NORTH of New Haven.

If your commute takes you to West of Hartford - try and find something along the Rte 15/Merrit/Berlin Tpke/Wilbur Cross/Whatever it's called on milemarker #72, or in the general vicinity of Rte 8.

If part of your commute involves driving -through- I-95 between Branford and Orange during rush hour, I personally would look for an alternative living arrangement. Getting -to- either is a task. Getting through either one is a nightmare. Getting through both qualifies you for the label Masochist.

[Stylo]

That's one reason I mentioned Milford/Orange/Woodbridge for access to MNR and West Hartford. The Milford Connector makes it possible to get to Rt. 15 from anywhere in Milford without traffic, or you can live in north Milford or Orange/Woodbridge for more direct access to 15. Or Wallingford/North Haven, but I have a feeling if the OP wanted to buy there, this thread wouldn't exist.

[kidyankee764]

The OP also didn't rule out Wallingford. Woodbridge isn't that close to trains so I'm not sure why it's coming up at all (plus, not a huge selection of townhomes). Why live down that way if you still have to drive 10-15 minutes to the nearest station?? Doesn't make much sense. Same with Orange.

I agree with JV that if ease to MNRR is simply for pleasure and not for work, Wallingford/North Haven/Hamden is the way to go. If the OP will be using MNRR weekly and wants to be within minutes of the station, then look at Milford. I agree that it has a good nightlife for a town it's size.

If it were me, I'd be looking at West Hartford. Nicest town of any being discussed, and nightlife/restaurant selection is IMO better than Milford.

[parentologist]

If your fiance will be working in West Hartford, why not go to nursing school in the Hartford area, too, and live there? You will find that having a long commute, just so that you can be along a train line into the city, is not worth it. Consider renting in the Greater Hartford area, and going to nursing school there. There are plenty of nursing programs, both private and public.